Finding the Setting for Our Novels

Searching for the setting of that next novel? I am in the same boat.

My third Civil War romance, A Musket in My Hands, releases this fall. After taking a break to write a historical romance novella releasing next summer, I turned my thoughts to the topic of my next Civil War novel.

Before beginning any research, I pray, “Lord, give me Your story. Give me the courage to write it Your way.” If you’re a Christian novelist, you’ve probably prayed a similar prayer. If not, pray for your story before writing a word. Then buckle in—you’re in for roller coaster ride.

For instance, before beginning my novel, A Rebel in My House, I prayed for the story with only a kernel of an idea—a Southern soldier and a Gettysburg seamstress. That’s it. Not much to go on, is it?

Walking the battlefields and town streets infuses the novel’s setting with atmosphere, a sense of the place—for me. Visiting local museums, dining in local restaurants, and talking with folks who care about their town’s history inspires me. Other authors receive all they need to write their story from journals, nonfiction books, and online research. Neither is wrong—it’s just what works for you as a writer.

Lutheran Seminary had holes in the building that were repaired. The cupola where Union cavalry Gen. Buford climbed to survey the area for a good place to wage the battle has been rebuilt in the same spot. Gettysburg

I knew there was a story waiting for me in Gettysburg. My husband and I packed up the car and drove to Pennsylvania to find it.

We hired a battlefield guide to take us on a private tour the first morning. He tailored the tour around our specific needs. I asked him about Tennessee troops in the battle. He took us to the parts of the battlefield where Tennessee troops fought on the first and third day of the battle. Excited to learn they fought in Pickett’s Charge, the regiment for my Southern soldier solidified—Seventh Tennessee.

But what was the rest of the story?

Leaving the battlefield for the museums, I discovered that the Lutheran Theological Seminary was used as a hospital. Union Brigadier General John Buford saw the Confederate army’s western advance on Gettysburg from the seminary’s cupola. Surely my story touched this place.

Yet no ideas came after spending an afternoon there. I trudged on.

I explored several Gettysburg museums, learning captivating facts. A hazy idea formed.

As I walked the streets around the town square—the “Diamond”—where women and children suffered through a nightmare from which they didn’t awaken for many months, the idea took shape.

Then I spent another day on the battlefield. The sun sank low on the horizon as I stood alone on Cemetery Ridge. The expansive field crossed by Pickett’s Charge fascinated me. Though peaceful once more, the land still tells a story. My imagination soared as the sun disappeared.

Sewing machine in Home of 1863 Gettysburg residents, George and Hettie Shriver

I had to tell what the townspeople endured. What if a Gettysburg seamstress fell in love with a Confederate soldier? What if they both made promises to loved ones? Some promises are impossible to keep.

Months of research later, I wrote the story.

Now I’m praying for the next Civil War story. I’ve already visited one location where it will not take place. That’s okay. I’ve narrowed it down. I just have a kernel of an idea…

What about you? How do you find inspiration for your novels? Allow your imagination the freedom to explore possible settings until one snares you.

No matter the process, begin with this prayer, “Lord, give me Your story. Give me the courage to write it Your way.”

BIO

Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author Sandra Merville Hart loves to uncover little-known yet fascinating facts about our American history to include in her stories. Her debut Civil War Romance, A Stranger On My Land, was IRCA Finalist 2015. A Rebel in My House, set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg, won the 2018 Silver Illumination Award and 2018 Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Award 2nd place Finalist. A Musket in My Hands, where two sisters join the Confederate army with the men they love, releases November of 2018. Watch for her novellas, Surprised by Love in “From the Lake to the River” releasing in September of 2018, and Trail’s End, in “Smitten Novella Collection: The Cowboys” releasing in August of 2019.