tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post7462786192310441808..comments2024-03-05T11:26:21.204-06:00Comments on All the World's Our Page: Past personalityUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-4138788156074108502011-02-27T21:36:24.697-06:002011-02-27T21:36:24.697-06:00@Deniz- so true, those are some of the very best p...@Deniz- so true, those are some of the very best parts of writing :)<br /><br />@Lucy- easy for me to forget that not everyone loves research! I have a couple of contemporary novels going, too, and there's definitely an attraction in being able to Just Write without worrying about that stuff :)<br /><br />@Adina- did you know that all those issues of Women's Weekly are now available through the national digitised newspaper archive I linked above? If you go to that link, it's number five on the first page under Find an Issue By Title. Amazing how fast things change- when I did my honours thesis, I spent six *months* making pencil notes from dozens of 19th century police station records. I accessed similar records recently for my day job, and was able to take a digital photograph of every page instead. Took me two days!Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-56841221292828356722011-02-27T15:50:09.486-06:002011-02-27T15:50:09.486-06:00I've always loved 'picking up' a sense...I've always loved 'picking up' a sense of a historical era through fiction. Grew up loving Georgette Heyer, Austen etc.<br /><br />And I've also spent hours poring over microfiche of WW2 copies of the Women's Weekly back in my uni days. So much to be learned from recipes during ration time. Pick the historian. :-) You can never quite bash that love of research out of us!<br /><br />Sounds like you've immersed yourself wonderfully in your era. Hope you enjoy bringing history to life through your story!Adina Westhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08860528131098237473noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-84907056458606806992011-02-25T19:49:59.891-06:002011-02-25T19:49:59.891-06:00I'm with you, Claire. Research is about the mo...I'm with you, Claire. Research is about the most fun part of the novel, right after that initial rush of Shiny New Idea drafting and Just Solved a Plot Hole drafting. And you know your era is one of my favourites [g]<br /><br />I'm a stickler when it comes to accuracy, but yes, I do fudge things for the sake of hygiene. Kerchiefs and water abound, and the timing usually works out for them not being horribly filthy when they get down to mmphm...<br /><br />But I do have historical precedent, even for that - in the latter half of the book they are living in a Muslim empire after all - Turkish baths abound [g]Deniz Bevanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17134553551048836979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-49965316603479348862011-02-25T18:44:32.221-06:002011-02-25T18:44:32.221-06:00@Alberta- wow! Your story concept sounds amazing! ...@Alberta- wow! Your story concept sounds amazing! I love the idea of you writing an historical novel set in the future, and it sounds like your research approach is perfect- you're not looking at individual events as much as you're looking at the patterns of history and how it affects the present and future. Love it :)Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-14401768464379818652011-02-25T18:42:41.038-06:002011-02-25T18:42:41.038-06:00@Misha- do! I love the stuff I've found throug...@Misha- do! I love the stuff I've found through my research. A few weeks back I spent a day looking into whether it was socially acceptable for men and women to swim together in 1912 (answer: where I live, yes- they removed the male/ female divide at the local beach in 1907). I think my husband got a bit sick of me saying things like, "Ooh, look! I just found a sewing pattern for a 1912 swimsuit!". All very relevant, and I'm always learning something new :)<br /><br />@Ciara- thanks! :)Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-49578892615072807042011-02-25T18:39:28.054-06:002011-02-25T18:39:28.054-06:00@Rach- I can see where she's coming from with ...@Rach- I can see where she's coming from with that. But at the same time, one thing is very sure for me- the times I've pushed on through writing or revising, ignoring all distractions, are the times when things have gone in the wrong direction. <br /><br />Not only does a bit of intensive research refocus me on what I'm doing, it also makes me pause and gives me the time to spot any misdirection in the plot. I'm planning on doing much *more* research in the next round of revisions for that very reason!Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-78016156277496713062011-02-25T18:15:33.119-06:002011-02-25T18:15:33.119-06:00hi fellow crusader I love archives and have blogge...hi fellow crusader I love archives and have blogged about them mainly from the point of view of a family history fiend - and trying to persuade members of a living history group I run to leave their memoirs not only with their families but in the archives for researchers such as your self to use for their writing / research.<br /><br />Your mention of imersing yourself and knowing the world really well is where I am at when writing my dystopian world of the future - bringing our world into the future - yes it's not lived yet but it obeys logic and to write about it convincingly I have to immerse myself into its history (which starts now) know the world and what effects the future history will have on the people - I read a great deal about past ages to help with this - seeing the effects different major events impinge on ordinary life.<br /><br />The framework to my books is archival research - an historical romance - written in 2161 about events in 2111 - by 2 researchers trying to get the feel for the context of their story!alberta rosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02132420168908365099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-60360811656737249072011-02-25T16:08:18.216-06:002011-02-25T16:08:18.216-06:00Great Post. I stopped by to check in with a crusad...Great Post. I stopped by to check in with a crusade group buddy. :) I love the way you do research.Ciarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15628488753277495111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-60899475431565144612011-02-25T06:24:08.332-06:002011-02-25T06:24:08.332-06:00Great post!
The way you do research sounds like ...Great post! <br /><br />The way you do research sounds like a sure-fire way to get a true feel for the era. <br /><br />I will definitely give it a try when I get back to my historical. <br /><br />:-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-47742472474640525882011-02-25T04:58:06.946-06:002011-02-25T04:58:06.946-06:00The research is one of the things I most love abou...The research is one of the things I most love about writing historical fiction. I studied French history at university, and can't get enough of it ... but I do have to be careful (as I suspect most writers of historical fiction must) that my love of research doesn't turn into this:<br />http://www.sandragulland.com/writinglife/research-the-perfect-excuse-for-the-procrastinating-writer/<br /><br />LOL!Rachel Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15406943046329566026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-14190357667983824752011-02-25T00:13:02.320-06:002011-02-25T00:13:02.320-06:00Kristen- oh, I know that type (g). Would it surpri...Kristen- oh, I know that type (g). Would it surprise you to know that there are even more of them in the academic field in archaeology (and I'm sure in other areas dealing with the past)? Evidence, evidence, evidence- it's all good, it's all important, but without the interpretation, what do you have? Example: A ladies' mother of pearl button, some smashed crockery, and a spent bullet casing, all found in a policeman's 1880s living quarters. On their own, these items are no more than that- just items. But the interpretation? I'm sure you can imagine a story immediately that would capture the imagination and make anyone want to read more.<br /><br />And tee hee- the hygiene factors would dampen down just about any historical romance, wouldn't they? Yep, I can live without strict accuracy, for sure (g).Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-65627844198979105832011-02-24T17:58:54.784-06:002011-02-24T17:58:54.784-06:00Claire -- I completely agree with you. And you sai...Claire -- I completely agree with you. And you said it better than I could!<br /><br />I'm thinking of certain purists who grumble over modern ideals slipping into fiction and thus find the story no good. If I'm completely honesty, I probably prefer my modern filtered stories, in as much as overlooking certain hygiene factors, to say the least. (g)Kristen Callihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01448274676402616525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-52654104847094183682011-02-24T17:38:28.666-06:002011-02-24T17:38:28.666-06:00@Zan Marie- phew, Latin completely escapes me! Sou...@Zan Marie- phew, Latin completely escapes me! Sounds good for you, though :) And thanks :)<br /><br />@Kerri- thanks! I love reading historicals, too- nothing better than finding a good one that really brings it all to life.<br /><br />@Lynda- I like to think of it as an allowable distraction. If I'm going to procrastinate anyway (and I am) I may as well do it with something that's useful as well as fun.Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-6158265934566417082011-02-24T17:36:08.999-06:002011-02-24T17:36:08.999-06:00@Kristen- ah, but do we necessarily want to? I mea...@Kristen- ah, but do we necessarily want to? I mean, if we're authoring a history book or an archaeological paper, we want to be right on the money, but even then we're never working with absolutes. You can only interpret the information you have and hypothesise from it. When it comes to fiction, I think our optimum aim is to capture the essence of the past in such a way that people feel and believe it, and it might *not* be 100% accurate. It might always be filtered through a modern sensibility. But as long as it captures enough of the known information and authentic sensibility, you're doing pretty well. You can probably view historical novels, even the best researched of them, as a bit of "alternative" history for all those reasons :)Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-53593139405715872602011-02-24T17:30:40.122-06:002011-02-24T17:30:40.122-06:00@Pam- Thanks! I love research so much that it'...@Pam- Thanks! I love research so much that it's my day job as well as my hobby! :) Getting lost in history is a great way to spend time.<br /><br />@Rogue- ha! Yes, yes indeed. I want that holodeck to save me the effort of driving in peak hour traffic every day, too. I vote for that.<br /><br />@Lori- Fascinating to think how synesthesia affects your viewpoint on the past. I have the *slightest* tendency to that myself, which I think is why I do see different decades and centuries as such distinct, unique entities. Oh, and we're living in a black and white decade? Sigh. That does sound kinda boring.Claire Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15286952159573145712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-5877268956193907072011-02-24T15:44:51.620-06:002011-02-24T15:44:51.620-06:00Research is both fun and important. I often get di...Research is both fun and important. I often get distracted by research, but it will often give me new ideas tooLynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-55278987943939685052011-02-24T10:15:06.213-06:002011-02-24T10:15:06.213-06:00I love reading historicals and going back in time....I love reading historicals and going back in time. I applaud you for taking the time to really get to know the past.Kerri Cuevhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305892536084882077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-63374491900253015822011-02-24T09:53:22.283-06:002011-02-24T09:53:22.283-06:00Ah, research. I love it too. I've done tons as...Ah, research. I <i>love</i> it too. I've done tons as a historian. Reading a document in the original Latin and getting a real feel for what was important to the people of the 1200s in France and England... <br /><br />But you know the feeling. I love your wip. It's real. It's people struggling and striving and growing. Good stuff.Zan Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00166450116524323462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-78886838124368920622011-02-24T09:40:39.200-06:002011-02-24T09:40:39.200-06:00I love history. I love researching and finding odd...I love history. I love researching and finding odd little nuggets of information. And don't get me started on the clothes! lol<br /><br />But sometimes I wonder if we can truly write a historical that is 100% historically accurate. I suspect our modern sensibilities color it slightly. Getting truly immersed in the mindset of a historical character is very difficult because our own modern ideology is always present. Not that this is a bad thing necessarily. Just something that I'm aware of when I fret over getting everything just perfect.Kristen Callihanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01448274676402616525noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-54192976646934678192011-02-24T09:23:10.045-06:002011-02-24T09:23:10.045-06:00The research that goes into writing a historical i...The research that goes into writing a historical is staggering, when I stop and think about it. I agree that visiting the places we write about is important if at all possible. Some of my novels' settings I've visited, some I haven't, but hope to. Plane tickets are rather spendy just now. :)<br /><br />I have the added strangeness of seeing the past centuries, and the decades within those centuries, in certain colors, because of synesthesia. The 1700s are blue. The 1800s are brown. So are the 1900s, but a different shade. The 1920s are brown but with a heavy dash of green. The 30s brown/orange. The 40s brow,dark berry pink. The 50s are gray-blue, the 60s yellow. The 70s are a Prussian blue, the 80s and 90s their own shades of brown. We're in a black-and-white decade just now. So boring. :)Lori Bentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04714197239425827339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-74411351545942799122011-02-24T09:06:23.893-06:002011-02-24T09:06:23.893-06:00Reading and pictures can never replace actually BE...Reading and pictures can never replace actually BEING there, which is why someone needs to hurry up and invent time machines or a holodeck like on Star Trek.PT Dillowayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09394481476862013009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2274987097756433491.post-26522647578528284922011-02-24T08:41:05.697-06:002011-02-24T08:41:05.697-06:00Great post, Claire. You seem to really enjoy the r...Great post, Claire. You seem to really enjoy the research necessary to develop your characters - I especially liked your closing comment, "And this is the key to embodying that past personality in your historical story: the characters carry it in everything they do, think and say.... They live, breathe, act and react, and through them, history has a heartbeat." Well said. Happy crusading.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com