While we’re on the subject of historical fiction, let’s talk about the amount of research you need to do. Speaking from experience, it’s easy to get lost in a Wiki-hole when you’re looking up a fact to back up a small detail in your novel, regardless of the setting’s era. For historical fiction, it seems impossible to guess when you should stop. In a post on Writers in the Storm, Diana Clark talks about how much research is enough.
The short answer is, “It depends.” Not satisfying, but true. First, Clark notes there are different styles of research. Some writers check a few facts and focus on entertainment, not historical accuracy. Others research deeply, because they want to get the facts straight. Some writers never actually stop researching and start writing, either because research is more rewarding or because they fear making a mistake.
“Most of us wind up somewhere in between these extremes,” Clark says. “We want to do enough research to make our stories authentic, and we strive for accuracy if we are writing about real events even if they took place long ago. Still, it’s the story that intrigues us, and our focus is on getting the story told.”
If you conduct too much research, you might be tempted to dump everything you learned into your story, regardless of whether it’s needed, Clark warns. In general, Clark will do a few weeks of research, then create an outline and list of questions she’ll need to answer later. That helps narrow her search for information to details she needs to tell the story. Even then, she finds interesting tidbits, but she only incorporates them if they help drive the story forward.
As a rough guide, Clark says her research time should not exceed the time she needs to write her book. “If I expect to produce a first draft in ten weeks, then, I will spend ten weeks or less researching my book and establishing a timeline and character chart,” she says. Slower writers (like this editor) might need to adjust the exact timing, but it’s a good rule of thumb.
Despite your initial research, there will remain details you need to find later. Some writers make a list for later, while others stop what they’re doing to find the answer. The latter group suggests the answer might be important to your narrative, so it’s better to find out now. “Always ask yourself—is this bit of research creeping perfectionism or plain, old avoidance?” Clark suggests.
Finally, Clark discusses online v. in-person research. “Online and off-site research can only take us so far,” she says. “It’s true we can learn a lot about a subject or an area by watching YouTube videos, surfing the web, and spending quality time in a library, but this research will never replace an onsite visit or a live interview.” When you can, make time to visit the places in your story and talk to people with first-hand knowledge.
