I know quite a number of you are working on, or have written, historical fiction. I'm wondering how you go about researching for it. What sort of books do you look for? How much do you research do you do? When writing, how do you balance readers' preconceptions of what life was like against what life might really be like?
Details: I've written a first draft of a historical fiction novella set in Early Modern France (1740s). I've done some preliminary research, but I feel stuck. I know concepts, ideas, innovations; I don't know what people ate, what they wore, how they were buried, etc. I seem to come across either general or theme driven history text or scholarly papers on some specific time and place. I need something in between.
Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :
It's not an area I have much expertise with, but I'll give this related advice and then step back and wait for responses.
I think it's best to research before or after the first draft, but not during. I was doing that a lot, in my WiP. I'm stopping that. I might make a note to research something, but that's my limit.
Posted by Mauvemuse (Member # 5488) on :
I started research before I started writing. I used a few books and texts from the period (Second Temple Jerusalem) as well as a lot from wikipedia (this was in the spring). I did a partial draft and took a break, then over the summer I went to Israel (family trip, but still good for research). Now I'm taking a college class called Hellenism in Judea. I think that by trying to use a lot of different sources I'll get a better feel.
Also if you can read primary sources. I'm sure you do, but for me personally my high school teachers told me to but I didn't listen. Now reading stuff for my class makes it all a lot clearer.
And thanks for addin this topic; I'm interested in how other people handle it too.
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
quote:I think it's best to research before or after the first draft, but not during.
I might even venture so far as to say one should try to do as much as possible before one's first draft, because live the conventions and attitudes of the period have a direct effect on where the story goes, I'm finding. If you don't take this into consideration the first round, you might end up with a lot of rewriting.
Of course, there's different kinds of research, I guess. There's the general concept ones, research on prevalent philosophies, attitudes, that sort of thing, and then the nitty-gritty of how people went about their daily lives.
Posted by WouldBe (Member # 5682) on :
If you're near a university, you may find a way to have access to the paid online databases, like Lexus-Nexus. That'll get you access to many full article and abstract sources that are difficult to find. Many of the academic journals have online versions or indicies as well.
Access might come from enrolling in a course or paying an access fee. Our local university allows locals to pay a small annual fee ($50 last time I checked) to have similar access that a full-time student has.
Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :
The internet is a great tool for research. You have to do what you didn't with your question: get specific.
What specifically are you looking for about 1740s france?
French food in the 1740s? Common 18th century foods? Uncommon 18th century foods? Some sites will have the origins of recipes (dates and country of origin).
Interment, or burial, can be explored in the same manner. For a decent reference: Cox, M. (ed.) (1998) Grave Concerns: Death and Burial in England , 1700-1850 , York : CBA.<--That ought to be a close facsimile.
Local libraries are good sources too, if you know what you are looking for. You can't get specific answers with vague questions.
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
For a lot of ceremonies such as weddings and funerals there is always the Roman Missal. Since they were all in Latin at the time that simplifies that part.
Posted by Rick Norwood (Member # 5604) on :
I strongly recommend writing historical fiction about a time and place you know a lot about already. If you aren't fascinated by the subject, the reader probably won't be, either. For example, I recently wrote a story set during the American Civil War, but I had already read Shelby Foote's three volume history of the Civil War just for fun. Even with that background, I had to spend a lot of hours digging out details, from the Ken Burns TV series, and on the web.
Movies and tv shows set in the past usually give the characters modern attitudes, especially about gender and race, but novels, at least good novels, allow the characters to be people of their own time. It is hard to make a character who rapes a fourteen year old girl sympathetic, but Coleen McCullough did it.
[This message has been edited by Rick Norwood (edited September 13, 2007).]
Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :
My reply won't help much with 17th century France, but for anyone researching the 1800's to 1900's, the best way to find the answer to your questions is check newspaper archives. Most libraries (in the USA) keep archives of that area's newspapers. Perusing old advertisements is an excellent way to get a sense of what people wore, ate, and how much stuff cost. You can't usually do this level of research from the internet, however. You have to hop in the car and drive... another good reason to visit your local library.
Posted by Marzo (Member # 5495) on :
quote:What sort of books do you look for?
I go on a rising scale of intensity (or if you already know a lot about the basics, skip right to the academia), going from introductory 'Daily Life In ______' to university publications directed at really focused topics in small time-ranges to get the details. Work from skeletons to muscle to skin, so to speak; broad focus narrowed down. A good place to find book lists would be checking your local university's course offerings, then finding out the textbook lists for history courses in your relevant area.
Here are two books (in my possession right now, so I can verify they're decent sources) that deal with that sort of thing, the first one containing a decent section on France, the second one completely focused on it:
Europe At Home by Raffaella Sarti Fragile Lives: Violence, Power, and Solidarity in 18th century Paris by Arlette Farge
Getting access to a university database like JSTOR is a good suggestion as well.
quote:How much do you research do you do?
Until I'm satisfied/comfortable. If I were writing a YA historical fiction, this would probably be less than a period romance, but that would be less than an involved period epic where the events effect/rely on very specific events or social expectations the setting and period sets up, etc. A test I do for myself is to write a scene skeleton; which characters are present, what the setting is, and what the scene goal is. If I can get through and write the scene itself naturally afterwards (describing attire, surroundings, and writing dialogue) without major hang-ups or mental blocks, then I've done enough research.
quote:I think it's best to research before or after the first draft, but not during.
I agree and disagree with lehollis on this. The big research and things that can be easily codified for reference - calendrical year with holidays/events, fashion norms, titles of address, names of common food items, etc - should be done before the first draft. But these are like big splashes of paint, establishing form and color scheme. During my first draft I have to fill in the little details and that requires on-the-fly research. For example, rather than sitting down and making sure I have encyclopedic knowledge of every minutiae of home life, I might elect to do some quick research on sources of illumination when it comes time for my heroine to go up a dark staircase. In other words, get the big stuff in first, but don't be afraid to deal with nitpicky stuff as you go. I think it's easier to take care of it when you bump into it than face the huge chore of filling in blanks when you go back around.
quote:When writing, how do you balance readers' preconceptions of what life was like against what life might really be like?
Readers' preconceptions of what life was like are just suppositions about what life may have really been like, and chances are they'll be less informed than your own by the time you're done research. Pandering to stereotypes or misconceptions won't increase your status as an author. Ultimately the world you shape will be your own notion of the period, and some people will disagree with that - but if you have sources to point at that led you to your conclusion (as opposed to a vague idea of what people think they want to hear), you'll have credibility.
I hope that helps. Good luck
Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :
quote:I agree and disagree with lehollis on this. The big research and things that can be easily codified for reference - calendrical year with holidays/events, fashion norms, titles of address, names of common food items, etc - should be done before the first draft. But these are like big splashes of paint, establishing form and color scheme. During my first draft I have to fill in the little details and that requires on-the-fly research. For example, rather than sitting down and making sure I have encyclopedic knowledge of every minutiae of home life, I might elect to do some quick research on sources of illumination when it comes time for my heroine to go up a dark staircase. In other words, get the big stuff in first, but don't be afraid to deal with nitpicky stuff as you go. I think it's easier to take care of it when you bump into it than face the huge chore of filling in blanks when you go back around.
I used to do it that way, too. Now, I just make a note to research whatever it is and keep the creative process going.
Posted by meg.stout (Member # 6193) on :
I find that surfing the web - particularly googling names or subjects that I've found in related pieces - is really cool. And the more you've done this over time for your particular area, the more odd tidbits you'll be able to search out. (It also helps to be old with a eclectic and as close to an eidetic memory as possible.)
For example, I decided to do something for that writer's digest contest (the strong man and the bearded lady try for a normal life after years of traveling with a carnival). My main premise was that the Strong man has been using rhythm method to avoid getting his wife (the bearded lady) pregnant for all the years they've been married because they don't want her to lose her beard (small carnival - bearded lady being a major draw). I knew that Coney Island had a bunch of freak shows associated with it in the heyday. A bit of googling informed me that the freak shows came to Coney Island with the opening of Dreamland Park in 1904. Coincidentally, the safety razor was first marketed in 1903 (sold <200) and became mainstream in 1904 (sold ~90,000). Have no idea if the story worked or not (though my husband and my main reader liked it).
I absolutely hate it when people write 'historical fiction' that reeks of modern sensibilities and gets key facts wrong. Particularly because it is so easy to get it right with nominal effort.
Another piece I was researching had to do with a woman having an illegitimate child circa 1884 and traveling to China after marrying an engineer with the British Shipyard in Shanghai. In the day I had to write the piece I was able to cobble together an amazing confluence of facts from random google searches that dealt with the introduction of the term "White Slavery," the amount of time it took to travel from Glasgow to Shanghai, the method of transport that would have been common, they way young women were tricked into prostitution and more details about opium that happened to dovetail perfectly with the storyline I had created.
And for an article about Priscilla Mullins I was able to figure out that she could have had as many as 104 suitors prior to marrying John Alden (most of which was google-able on the internet although I also used some regular books).
So - bottom line - I adore google and wikipedia (balanced with more serious research when the stuff isn't on the internet for the taking).
