Writing a piece of historical fiction can be daunting, perhaps more daunting than other genres, because the setting is both a real place and a place that is entirely inaccessible to first-hand experiences. As a result, research is at the heart of writing convincing and fascinating historical fiction.

In the internet age, we have all the research resources we need at our fingertips as long as we know where to look. But how do you know where to begin the research? Where is the best place to find the information you need? How do you know when you’ve done enough research? There will always be more facts and resources than you can process, so how do you avoid getting stuck in a vortex of research that keeps you from doing the actual writing?

In this series on Researching for Historical Accuracy in Fiction, I’ll share at least one new resource each month to help guide you on your research quest. But before we get to the specific tools, we should discuss some general research principles that can help keep you from getting bogged down by the plethora of information out there.

The Big Picture

In my mind, there are two types of historical research: researching the big picture and researching the specific details. Big-picture research looks at the major events of a time period, the larger social structures of a society, and the key cultural characteristics. These elements of the setting and society inform your plot, your characters’ experiences, and the styles of relationships that your characters have. It’s next to impossible to start writing a story without establishing what the society’s larger characteristics are.

I recommend keeping your initial research at this level. Watch some documentaries or read some books to gain a general sense of the era, and then ask yourself what else you need to know before you can start plotting and writing. Make a list of specific questions and focus your research on answering them.

Once you’ve figured out enough to start writing, it’s time to start writing. I know that seems like a simple piece of advice, but history is fascinating and it is so easy to get sucked into research rabbit holes. It’s important to have the information you need, but writing a novel is an arduous task. The time you spend researching is time you don’t spend telling your story. You can check yourself by asking, “will this information help me write?” Always let the goal of getting to the writing guide you forward.

The Specific Details

The other level of research is all about getting the little details right. Is that piece of food, clothing, or technology era-appropriate? Is that idiom or phrase accurate to the time period? For a more specific example, does it take three weeks or three months for a nineteenth-century ship to sail across the Atlantic Ocean from London to the Hudson Bay?

When I was working at the Lower Fort Garry historical site, something us historical interpreters debated was how these heavy metal stoves were transported from Britain to the Hudson Bay and down the Red River to our settlement. Were they welded in Britain and brought over whole or were they shipped in pieces and assembled here? (I think we eventually figured out that the stoves came in pieces that could lock into place without welding, but don’t quote me on that!)

Getting these highly specific, little details right can be very immersive for your readers. They can also be the most time-consuming facts to research. When it comes to these little details, heed this advice from Margaret Atwood’s MasterClass: write first, research second. See what little details come up and then fact-check them as necessary.

If the time it takes to cross the Atlantic is relevant to the plot, it makes sense to check it as you write. But if certain facts don’t greatly affect the characters or the plot, you really don’t need to fact-check them until later. I find that interruptions really mess with my writing flow. If you’re like me, you’ll find it helpful to write the whole chapter or even the whole novel first and then go back and fact-check.

What Are Your Thoughts?

I hope you find my advice here helpful for charting your own path to researching your novel. Do you have any thoughts or words of wisdom about how to balance time spent researching and writing? Share them in the comments below and we can keep the conversation going!