One of my favorite things about writing historical fiction is the research I get to do. Diving deep into a hyper focus and learning everything about some niche topic is my jam. Oh, along the way do I get to recreate period clothing using traditional crafting methods? Even better! Is there a scholarly article on a micro topic? I’ll find it!
The past few months I’ve been working on a fantasy novel and my research shelves are sitting, staring forlornly at me from across the room; my murder wall is bare. I miss it folks. The hunting of tidbits that may come in handy on the page but even if not are enough to create the world in my mind. My collection of colored 3×5 cards.
It’s fall, and fall is prime research time. Tea and a heated blanket weighted down by a stack of books. Two of my favorite pens getting lost in the folds. The anticipation of a new package from Thrift books arriving as I crunch through the leaves to the mailbox. But I don’t dare. Not when my current project is taking so long. When my other hobbies and interests are tugging at my time. Research would be another distraction from the story at hand.
My policy is to finish a project before I start the next. It’s the reason I don’t have thirty unfinished novels on my desktop. I know myself well enough to stay true to my path, but soon….soon I’ll be perusing the used book shelves and logging on to the research databases using Pepper’s new grad school password to my heart’s content.
Life is chaotic right now. Not bad chaotic. Just all the types of busy. Maybe, as much as I’m longing to settle into a nest and dump all my energy into Revolutionary war battles and how they’ll support my next narrative, what I really want is the time and space and mental energy to settle into a nest and pour over books.
That’s all I’ve got for you today folks. Back with Craft talks next week. October is going to be a hoot!
Happy Fall!
Leave a comment