How to write stories in a different time period
(Instagram: @mydearestmay)
Writing a story set in the past can be as pleasing as it can be exhausting. It needs quite some research to get the historical setting right.
But have no fear, even someone with little knowledge about history can write historical fiction.
#1 - Be certain when your story is playing.
I know. It's hard to decide for the exact year, but a rough time period is enough, like 1840-1850.
Why this is necessary? Let's say you write a story in the 20th century, but aren't quite sure in which decade exactly.
However, this will make your research harder than necessary. Compare 1910 with 1990.
In 1910, there was no such thing as a car. People used carriages and wore fancy dresses. In 1990, however, people drove cars, women wore trousers and there have been two world wars years ago.
If you suddenly think hmm, what did men wear in the 20th century?, you'll get either wrong information or too much.
This part is actually my favorite, but sometimes it distracts me too much from writing itself.
The most important thing when writing historical stories is research.
Research, research, research.
Now that you've decided for a certain time period, you can search for specific documentaries or blog articles. Maybe your local library has some books about that time or you‘re still in school and have access to a history professor's knowledge. But even if you don't, you can always ask the internet.
If you have spent your whole day trying to find an article about an apothecary's daily routine in the 19th century but didn't find anything, there's no need to cry and give up yet. There are many forums where you can post your questions - personally, I always use Quora, a website/app, where you can ask questions and get them answered by hobby historians, people who just happen to know that answer or maybe even university professors. It's worth a try!
This one might be obvious and apply to any genre, but it is incredibly important.
Read books that play in your chosen time period or maybe are written during that time. You're writing about the Victorian England but haven't read a book by Charles Dickens? Writing about WWII but haven't read Anne Frank? Well, your choice, but I would recommend doing it.
Doing that might help you empathize with your story's setting.
#4 - Accept that there will always be inconsistencies.
This is also very important and accepting this might stop you from giving up because of frustration.
You have researched everything you can think of - clothing, manners, houses, architecture, food, etc. You're quite proud of yourself and your brain is stuffed with knowledge from uncountable documentaries and articles.
However, suddenly you read a comment. They didn't use that specific kind of vase at that time. This is very poorly researched, it says.
1 - You feel attacked and frustrated, thinking about just giving up. Why have you wasted your time researching when it was useless anyway (which it obviously wasn't)?
2 - You smile, shrug and continue writing the chapter you've been working at. Maybe you even try to contact the person who has left that comment - after all, they seem to have quite some knowledge on that topic.
The thing is, no one can know everything. You will make mistakes. Everyone does.
My history professor had very much knowledge on WWII. We all adored the many details he had told us, everything very specific, and proofing his passion for the topic. Nonetheless, even we students could tell him new facts about that event sometimes. He could've gotten angry, but instead he was so happy to gain new knowledge.
So the point is, while you should roughly know how people dressed and what customs existed, it doesn't matter that much whether the frame of that painting was made out of oak wood or cherry wood at that time (except you're writing about an artist).
Now you're ready to write your historic fiction!
