By Amanda Cabot, author of Out of the Embers
Research. As writers, we either love
it or hate it, but no matter which camp
we’re in, almost
all of us agree that research is essential, particularly for historical novels.
Accurate research gives us the details that make a story come alive and – just
as importantly – keeps us from receiving those dreaded one-star reviews that point
out every anachronism.
The question is how to do enough
research to add authenticity to our stories without spending more time on
research than on the actual writing. I use a three-step approach to research:
one step before, one during, and one after the first draft.
Before
At this point, I’m establishing the
historical framework for my book. Once I’ve chosen the location and timeframe
as well as the protagonists’ professions, I head for the children’s section of
the library. Why the children’s section? Unlike adult books, which can rival War
and Peace for length and which include far more details than I need,
children’s books focus on the basic information. That’s all I need to begin
crafting a story.
During
This is the trickiest time and the
one when I used to spend hours researching something online, going down
proverbial rabbit holes, simply because there’s so much fascinating information
out there. To avoid falling into that trap, I do not – repeat, do not
– research while I’m writing. Instead, I keep notes of information I think I
need. Notice that I said “think.” While I’m working on the first draft, I may
believe I absolutely, positively must know how long it takes to ride a horse
from my fictional town to Austin, but it’s entirely possible that that scene
may be deleted or changed in the second draft. Why waste time researching
something that may not be needed?
After
Once the first draft is completed, I
pull out the list of questions I’ve compiled and decide whether I really need
the answer to each of them. After culling the list, I begin to search. Many of
the answers can be found online, but some require trips to the library. This is
the time when I may need to visit the adult section. For example, when I was
researching Waiting for Spring, the children’s history of Wyoming I’d
consulted did not explain the reason for the collapse of the cattle industry in
the 1880s, but the books for adults included the unusually heavy snow and ice
that prevented the cattle from reaching food and water.
By waiting until my first draft is
complete and doing the research then, I’m more focused on what information I
really need. Furthermore, my consolidated list of questions, many of which are
related, can be answered in far less time than if I’d tried to find the answers
to each one individually.
This technique, which is a variation
on the KISS (keep it simple, silly) principle, has saved me hours and hours of
time. I hope it works for you too.
_____________________________
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling
author of
A Stolen Heart, A Borrowed Dream, and
A Tender Hope, as well as the
Texas Crossroads, Texas Dreams, and Westward Winds series. Her books have been
finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards, the HOLT Medallion, and the Booksellers’
Best. She lives in Wyoming. Learn more at www.amandacabot.com.
