Reflections on researching and writing historical fiction

Some years back, I researched, wrote and had published a historical novel set in 19th-century rural Sweden and Minnesota. It was inspired by my imagining what things may have been like for my great, great grandmother who moved from rural Sweden to America in the late 19th century. As a young woman, I moved from southern California, where most of my family and friends lived, to London, England and found it very tough to culturally transition. Thinking about distant relatives who’d also emigrated made me feel less alone in my experience and more connected to family, even though most of the family I grew up around were still on the other side of the Atlantic. Also, as part of researching the book, I was able to connect with present-day relatives in Sweden, even visiting them and seeing the house my great, great grandmother left when she was young. I was very privileged to be able to do that and it was an amazing experience to have.

Because the novel was set in such a different time and place to the one I was living in while writing the book, I did a lot of research. This included reading novels set during the time as well as historical records (Vilhelm Moberg’s work featured heavily on my reading lists). While not all of my research was used in my writing, I found it helpful to my writing process. For example, I found music from the period online and would listen to that to help me better understand the story’s setting and to get into the swing of the writing. I also looked at old photos from the time and tried a few recipes, which was fun as well as helpful. (If you know me from back then, you may have seen the blog posts I wrote about this on my old website.)

This isn’t to say the novel was (necessarily) better for it, just that it helped me feel my way into the setting, story and characters. It might help you too, if you’re struggling with your historical novel.

How your novel turns out is another matter entirely, and that’s about skill (which can be boosted to some degree by the right support). Looking back at my novel, there are things I would change now and do differently. But I’m still glad to have written and published it (publishing a novel is such a different matter to writing one though!). I’ve engaged with writing a lot more since then, and I’ve grown in ways I couldn’t have foreseen at the time, so if I were to write that novel now, it would be a different book. But then such is the nature of publishing. Your creation remains static, but you move on.

If you’re reading this and thinking you could do with some one-on-one support as you research and write your historical novel, don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’d love to hear more about what you’re writing and to support you on your journey towards publication!