Tag: researching details

Categories
Writers Chat

Writers Chat Recap for September Part 2

Writers Chat, hosted by Jean Wise, Johnnie Alexander, Brandy Brow, and Melissa Stroh, is the show where we talk about all things writing, by writers and for writers!

“Because talking about writing is more fun than actually doing it.”

Featuring…

How to Research for Fiction with Johnnie Alexander and M.N. Stroh

Writers Chat very own novelists, Johnnie Alexander and M.N. (Melissa) Stroh, share a wealth of information on research for fiction. They discuss common pitfalls to avoid and other helpful resources—like personality tests for your characters and drawing maps or street layout so you don’t mix up locations in your story. Johnnie and Melissa offer helpful tips on where to start research for your novel and templates to imbue your characters and story world with the needed realism to engage readers. For more information and resources, check out this week’s replay.

Watch the September 20th replay.

Johnnie Alexander is a wannabe vagabond with a heart for making memories. Whether at home or on the road, she creates characters you want to meet and imagines stories you won’t forget.

A bestselling, award-winning novelist, Johnnie has written over twenty-five novels, novellas, and short stories in multiple genres. She is on the executive boards of Serious Writer, Inc. and Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, and she co-hosts Writers Chat, a weekly online show.A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, Johnnie shares a life of quiet adventure with Griff, her happy-go-lucky collie, and Rugby, her raccoon-treeing papillon. Connect with her at JohnnieAlexander.com and other social media sites via https://linktr.ee/johnniealexndr.

M.N. Stroh is fueled by her love of storytelling and history. She writes Christian Historical Fiction with an edge, to inspire the downtrodden and outcasts through adventure-laden escapes leading them back to their First Love, as showcased in her debut series, Tale of the Clans. M.N. serves as Director of Communications for Serious Writer Inc. affiliate, Writers Chat, director of Serious Writer Book Club, a member of ACFW, and Historical Society’s Interviews Admin Team. Connect with her at mnstroh.com and on social media.

Writers Chat is hosted live each Tuesday for an hour starting at 10 AM CT / 11 AM ET
on Zoom. The permanent Zoom room link is: http://zoom.us/j/4074198133

Categories
Romancing Your Story

Does Setting Matter in a Romance?

The short answer is YES! 

While falling in love can happen anywhere, the choice of your setting sets a tone. 

If you can take your romance and put it in any setting, you need to take a good look at your story. 

A story that takes place in a city can’t be changed to a small town. Nor can a small-town story be moved to the country or on a ranch. The same is true if you need mountains, lakes, or an ocean for your romance setting. Or a story that takes place in a tourist town versus a non-tourist destination. 

There is a distinct difference in the feel of each setting and its impact on your story. 

The setting becomes a minor or major character; therefore, it is essential to have done your research on the place. Go there if you can. Explore the region where your romance takes place. Meet the people because where your story takes place will affect how the other characters react, speak, and what expectations they may have.

In his book Setting, Jack M. Bickham states, “Setting – in real life as well as in fiction – tends to form character in ways you can analyze and use in your work.” It’s true, no matter what period you are writing. In the same book, Bickham suggests after visiting the location and talking to the people, draw up a “setting list” for your desired character. 

No matter whether your setting changes during the story or stays the same, it can cause your character to change their perceptions, feelings, thoughts, motivations, and actions. Your characters live in the physical world of the setting and are subject to impressions that enter their consciousness. 

Mr. Bickham goes on to say that “No mention of setting in fiction can be said to be wholly objective. Selection of viewpoint, as well as selection of the emotional lens through which the described place or event is seen, must be made with constant reference to the desired emotional feel of the story, its present plot situation, and the characters at the time of description.”

It matters where you set your romance so much that you need to carefully consider where you want your story to take place before you begin writing. Some authors will draw a map of a fictional location to keep it accurate within their manuscript. Others use real places and do extensive research to get the names of streets and landmarks correct. 

So, yes, setting matters a great deal and should be treated as another character of your story. 

If you want to learn more about your setting’s impact on your story, I highly recommend Setting by Jack M. Bickham as a resource for your writing library.  

Award-winning writer, Rose Gardner’s journey toward publication has come in two phases. During the early years, she was a finalist in thirteen contests and won her category in seven, was a 2007 RWA Golden Heart finalist in the Long Contemporary Category, and 2nd runner up in the 2008 Harlequin Super Romance Conflict of Interest Contest. After a break from writing, she returned to writing with a renewed focus on clean, contemporary heartwarming stories about love, hope, healing, and the power of forgiveness. She has won or placed in several contests for unpublished writers since 2017 as she works toward publication. You can find out more about Rose at her website mrosegardner.com or on social media at Facebook at MRoseGardner/, Twitter MaryGardner6, Instagram mrosegardner/ 

Categories
History in the Making

Three Surprises I’ve Discovered in Researching My Historical Novels

History in the making

My fifth historical romance releases next summer. I’ve written nine others that are “pre-published,” most requiring months of research. All that digging into history to add authenticity to my novels brought three surprises.

The first surprise is that events probably didn’t really happen just the way history teachers taught them.

This isn’t necessarily because grade school teachers don’t want us to know the truth. They taught from textbooks that only hit the highlights. Teachers have a certain number of hours to prepare students for a test—they simply cannot cover everything.

This means that important details explaining why folks in history made choices that today seems incomprehensible aren’t included in the curriculum. Including those reasons does not condone behavior. Rather it sheds light on that period in history.

Textbook writers or teachers may also choose to omit facts that may upset children.

Whatever the reason, historical events probably didn’t happen exactly the way we learned them as a child. Begin researching for that next novel with this in mind. Try not to have preconceived notions about the time period. Study the information as if reading it for the first time. A fresh outlook also keeps an author from judging people who lived during that time period.

The second surprise I learned is to expect the unexpected when exploring history.

When researching for a novel, I try to discover history’s answers before I know how the entire story will go. I begin with a kernel of an idea but if actual events contradict that idea, I start over. For me, history dictates the story. I research to discover events, prevailing attitudes, and reactions of folks who lived through it. My story builds in me as I research.

There are always little-known facts associated with an event or historical period—what a joy to discover them. You may have to read books written during your novel’s era to find these obscure wonders.

For instance, I’ve written several Civil War romances. To understand the differing reactions and attitudes, I’ve read books by Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, officers in both armies, nurses, Southern women, slaves who escaped, folks who had never been slaves, Southern wives left to run the farm, Northern women who raised money to support their soldiers, and more. These books, written during or shortly after the Civil War, were packed with unexpected treasures. Some of them fit into my story in a natural way. Others I put aside for a future novel or article.

The third thing I learned—this one from readers—is that adding surprises from history enrich the story.

For instance, there may have been holiday traditions lost in time. Including these in our novels enhance readers’ enjoyment. It brings a sense of nostalgia.

Did you find a period map of your setting? What a treasure! Add locations and descriptions—if you find them—of train depots, post offices, farmers’ markets, stores, schools, and street names. Such details add depth for readers, evoking emotional responses … especially if they have a family connection to the book’s setting.

People are still people in all walks of life, in every time period. Their reactions to circumstances vary with their personality, not history.

Understanding that events may not have occurred as we remember learning it in school, expecting the unexpected as we research, and including historical surprises in our novels will take readers on a journey.

And don’t we all love an adventure from the comfort of our home?

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 was the 2018 Faith Hope and Love Reader’s Choice Award second 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.

Find her on her blog, sandramervillehart.wordpress.com.

Categories
History in the Making

Fun and Games

History in the making

Board games − at some time in our lives, most of us have awakened on Christmas morning to find the newest or most popular board game festively wrapped and sitting under the brightly ornamented tree. What smiles those games brought to us then, and what smiles they might bring now, if we were to add a splash of fun and games to our stories.

Choosing a game to embellish our contemporary stories would be easy−just tune in to the explosion of Christmas advertising in autumn, do an internet search for popular games, or venture out to a brick and mortar to eyeball the offerings. But what about stories in a historical setting?

Some historical board games

The game of Checkers has been around forever−okay, maybe not forever, but Checkers as we know it, has been around since 1400 B.C.. Bingo, Backgammon, Parcheesi and Chess, or versions thereof, date back centuries.

However, the 19th century brought about an increase in the design and distribution of board games. It is opined that the boost in interest and subsequent appearance of new board games rose as people found they had more leisure time.

Though some games were likely just for fun, others pointed toward social issues of the day or served as educational tools. Depending on the shape of our historical work, including one of these games might spice up dialog or even reveal qualities in our characters:

  • The Checkered Game of Life (c. 1860), created by Milton Bradley, exposed the challenges people face on the road to success. A derivative of this game, known to most of us as The Game of Life, is still on store shelves.
  • The Landlord Game (c. 1904), was created by Elizabeth Magie. A supporter of a philosophy known as Georgism, she developed the game to help explain and promote the concept that property owners (landlords) become rich and renters do not. The game was not only played in households, but used as a teaching tool at the university level. A deeper look into its history reveals a dispute over ownership of the game. This was resolved circa 1935 by Parker Brothers. By that time the game was known as− surprise!−Monopoly.
  • Suffragetto (c. 1908), of British origin, addressed the social and political issues faced by women in that time period. The game pitted cops against suffragettes. Cops tried to protect the House of Commons from entry by suffragettes while at the same time attempting to breach Albert Hall (where the suffragettes held their meetings). Meanwhile, suffragettes attempted to protect Albert Hall from penetration by cops while they sought to gain access to the House of Commons.

Games from other eras

A few other games that might appear beneath the Christmas tree (or any day) in our historical fiction, include Snakes and Ladders aka Chutes and Ladders (c. 1870),  Sorry (c. 1934),  Clue (c. 1948), Candy Land (c. 1949), and Risk (c. 1957). These games have survived decades and can still be found on today’s market.

Should we be inclined to conduct additional research on the subject of board games, the search words “history of board games” would likely glean sufficient fodder. Also searches on Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers and Hasbro, publishers of games in the 19th and 20th centuries, would prove enlightening.

If, however, we were to choose to invest precious time in other aspects of research, in most time periods it would be safe to wrap up a game of Checkers and plop it under the Christmas tree, or set the board between two characters in a shady spot on a hot summer day.

No matter the season or occasion, coloring our work with a bit of Fun and Games can add another aspect of interest for our readers.

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.

Categories
History in the Making

Electrifying Fiction

History in the making

The dark house looked lonely and foreboding as Ellen pulled the key from her reticule and fumbled with the lock. Pushing open the door, she felt along the wall for the light switch…

Or did she?

Depending on the time period and setting of this story, Ellen might need to grope around a small table for a match to light the kerosene lamp.

Thomas Edison invented an incandescent light bulb in 1879, and by September 1882, he powered up the Pearl Street distribution center and distributed electricity to approximately 82 customers in Manhattan, New York. In 1893, electricity lit up the World’s Fair in Chicago. But it would not be advisable to rely on these tidbits of information to justify whether or not Ellen’s home had electricity.

electric lights

If Ellen lives in a city in the 1920s-30s, there’s a good chance the flick of a wall switch will light up the room. But if Ellen’s story is set in a period prior to the early years of the twentieth century, it is probable that some other source of light scattered the darkness when she arrived home.

Before launching our search, we should also determine a few other things about Ellen.

Does she enjoy the city life or live in a rural area?

Is she rich or poor?

Answers to these questions may make a difference in the type of lighting in Ellen’s home.

Our research list (whether through the Internet, the local library, newspaper archives, or other favorite resources we have developed ) might include:

  • History of the city and surrounding area where Ellen lives. (If the answer is quick and obvious, we can breathe a sigh of relief and get back to writing our story.)
  • History of Electricity, especially a timeline
  • Check out possible light sources:
    • Generators
    • Gas lighting
    • Kerosene lamps
    • Candles
    • Fireplace
  • A trip to the actual city or town can be invaluable overall, though probably not practical if made only to determine when power poles and lines were installed.

Stay focused. Unless we have the mind for it, following the progression of science in this area can be overwhelming and take us on unnecessary detours, robbing us of precious time to pursue our goal: writing.

Wrapping it up, be prepared for the possibility that your exploration will lead you to another research project:

The dark house looked lonely and foreboding as Ellen pulled the key from her reticule and fumbled with the lock. Pushing open the door, she felt around the table for a match…

They did have matches back then, didn’t they?

Jeannine Brummett lives in South Carolina with her husband of nineteen years, Don, who shares his three adult sons and three grandchildren with her. Reading is big on her list of things to do, but she also thrives on TV crime dramas, NBA basketball, and marvels at the critters and fowl life that live at the pond behind their house. She loves to sing praise songs, attend Bible Study, and help at a local food pantry.

Categories
History in the Making

Historical Writing Requires Attention to Details

By Sandra Merville Hart

When it comes to research, contemporary writers have it so easy, right? I am teasing, because these novelists definitely research their topics. However, it is true that everyday objects don’t have to be described in great detail in those genres.

For instance, when a character answers a phone in a contemporary novel, writers don’t have to mention that they hold the object to their ear to hear the conversation. The ringtone isn’t described unless it says something about the character’s personality or holds meaning in the story.

On the other hand, historical writers pay attention to those details as they paint a picture from days gone by. For example, novelists add descriptions of landaus, a four-wheeled carriage, for readers who want to see the vehicle in their imagination. These carriages contained two seats that faced each other to accommodate four adults comfortably. The driver sat on an elevated seat while guiding a team of four horses.

Landaus are no longer common so writers realize the need to describe these modes of transportation. Many objects fall into this category and enhance reader’s pleasure to learn a bit about the past.

However, there are other familiar objects that we, as writers, simply assume have been around for generations. I discovered this while writing a novel set in 1877.[bctt tweet=”Historical novelists can’t trust assumptions. Verify with research. #histfic #writer ” username=”@Sandra_M_Hart”]

My character sat on a front porch swing enjoying a conversation with her niece and new stepdaughter. The scene almost wrote itself. It didn’t occur to me until editing to wonder when porch swings came into use. I swung on them during childhood visits to older relatives’ homes, making me assume that they had been gracing front porches for years.

Assumptions have to be verified, requiring additional research.

In another novel, I wanted to show a character’s brothers playing tricks on her for April Fool’s Day. When did such shenanigans begin? Research showed this tradition began in 1700, making it safe to include in my 1904 novel.

How about the celebration of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? These are relatively new holidays honoring parents.

I wanted to include a scene where fourteen-year-old twins (not yet called teenagers in 1877) decorated a Christmas tree at their boarding house with ribbons. They strung popcorn to arrange across the evergreen branches. Including these activities in my story required researching when Americans began to chop down evergreen trees to bring into their homes for Christmas. Did they decorate with ribbons, hang presents on the tree, pop corn for the occasion? These nostalgic details, once verified, bring richness to stories.

A wonderful aspect of research is that it often reveals traditions that are no longer followed. Including long-forgotten details deepens both your story and your reader’s delight.

We are often fairly certain of our facts, such as the date an event took place, but it’s always worth checking if there is any doubt. An abundance of Internet sites often makes this a quick process.

 

Sources

“April Fools Tradition Popularized,” History.com, 2017/02/24 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/april-fools-tradition-popularized.

“Landau,” Encyclopeadia Brittanica, Inc., 2017/02/24 https://www.britannica.com/technology/landau-carriage.