Over the past few weeks, my fellow Riskies have discussed research, historical accuracy, and how nitpicky is too nitpicky (or not), as well as how easy it is to get swept away by research. I am in the middle of writing a Regency-set historical, and am having some of the same problems, but from another angle: I don’t want to do the research.
It’s not that I’m not interested, because I am terribly interested in all the stuff I should be researching, it’s just that time is at a premium, and any time spent away from writing is . . . time spent away from writing. I already have a procrastination issue, I know how easy it would be for me to dive in to do the required research, not to surface for several weeks. Since I don’t plot in advance, and I always forget to take notes when inspiration strikes, I panic at the thought I might lose a thread of the plot, or a really good idea for the next conflict. Time spent away from the writing–well, you get the idea.
In my opinion, the best historical romances are those that are imbued with the whole world of the time period, not necessarily the ones that reveal the most knowledge. My favorites are those that only show the tip of the research iceberg–going with the floe, so to speak. I feel fairly confident I get the historical tone right in my writing, but I know I have fallen down on the research job (my dad is my research partner, and he put in all the work on A Singular Lady, but I did not double-check his notes when it came to titles and special licenses, my two most egregious errors. Definitely my bad, sorry Dad).
Right now I have to spend some time finding answers to some of these questions:
What were people who came from the Ottoman Empire called during the Regency? Turks? Ottos? Footstools?
What were relations like between the Ottoman Empire and England during the Regency? Did the government take any official stand on the Ottoman Empire’s holding of Greece?
What was banking like? The stock market? (I read A Conspiracy of Paper, but that is about sixty years too early, and I don’t recall the details, just that it was a good story).
If there was a public ruckus, who came in to break it up and haul the miscreants off to be punished?
Could a man unbutton a lady’s gown if he were standing in front of her? And if he could, could he do it with one hand?
What did practicers of The Fancy (boxing) wear to practice?
And now? I have stalled enough. Before I get back to writing, I have to–darn it–go do the research.
Megan
www.meganframpton.com
Megan, in Loretta Chase’s new novel Lord Perfect, there was a ruckus outside an tavern/inn and the local magistrate came and “read the riot act”—literally. Of course he had a muscular fellow for backup but the people disbursed shortly thereafter…
All of your research questions sound fascinating! I can’t wait to see how they all connect into one book:)
Megan, I think they were called Turks, but I love the footstool comment. Since Byron went off to fight in the Greek war of independence, I’m not sure the government had an official position but I could be wrong.
Ottoman people are called Turks. (Can also be called Anatolians, but it’s not terribly conversational.)
(Also, Arabians are horses, Arabs are people; Afghani (noun, s.) is a form of currency, afghans (noun, pl.) are people *and* dogs/decorative throws. Just in case one of your characters hijacks the plot and goes to Afghanistan.)
Lots of gowns tied, and ties were often in the front… 🙂
The Riot Act was read during the OP Riots — so they have the official right to be called riots! 🙂 (One might almost say they were card-carrying riots — if the riot act were written on a card…)
Cara, feeling silly today
I think there are two sorts of researchers, just as there are two sorts of writers–pantsers and plotters. I’m definitely a pantser researcher. I rely on a mind full of trivia and if I have specific gaps (like the ones Megan has) I do my best to fill them or take a lucky guess. Heaven knows there are enough resources online…tho whether all of them are accurate is another matter. I’m filled with both awe and despair over writers who have a desperate need to find out, for instance, exactly what sort of gown would have been worn on a certain month (or even day!) in a certain year (as my buddy the costume historian said with a sniff, “How many ways can you say diaphanous?”).
Janet
I try to research ahead if something is a major plot point. But there are always things that crop up as I’m writing. If I’m being wise, I ask myself it they’re important enough to research or whether a place-holder is enough for the current draft. Megan’s right, obsessive research can be just a clever way to procrastinate.
Elena 🙂
I’ve learned to use the placeholder method. If not, I’d never make much progress in the ms itself as there are always little details I need to know about.
I LOVE research, so have to be really careful not to get immersed in it when I should actually be writing.
I also love to research! I can spend hours online or in the library reading up on all sorts of historical trivia (needed for the story or not!). The problem is I often get carried away with it and forget to, you know, start writing the story. It doesn’t help that I feel like such a dunce compared to some Beau Monders, who seem to have memorized every teensy-weensy detail of the period. 🙂
ps Megan
What were people who came from the Ottoman Empire called during the Regency?
Turks, and the words Turk and Turkey suggested unbridled licentiousness and the exotic(harems! eunuchs! kettle drums!).
Could a man unbutton a lady’s gown if he were standing in front of her? And if he could, could he do it with one hand?
Yes, yes, or with his teeth. If it fastened in the back he could curl around her.
What did practicers of The Fancy (boxing) wear to practice? I think they stripped down to breeches and wore padded mittens–they were no longer bare-handed by the regency. Do a google search on Gentleman Jackson. There are some engravings of his academy online.
As for the rest, you’re on your own.
Thanks, everyone. I have MUCH less delving to do now. Thank you all.