Anyone writing historical fiction and want to talk research?

[aiblins]

I'm in need of a project at the moment and thinking of starting to research a novel- no idea definitively what, but I find the early 20th century really interesting- WWI, suffragettes, etc- definitely focussing on women's experience. Even if I never get a book finished (or started, ha ha!)- I still think the research would be worthwhile in itself, broadening mind, bit of a intellectual challenge etc.

So is anyone else in the process of researching a book? How are you going about it? There was a thread on here recently about 1920s/1930s career options which had so many excellent responses it made me think there must be brilliant researchers on here.

My plan at the moment is to start reading as much non-fiction as I can, retain as much as I can and take notes of anything that jumps out at me. That and podcasts, and fiction written at the time.

I write historical fiction (as my job). I know the basics around the era I write, then I research the details whilst I’m writing. I don’t have time to read loads of stuff that I might not need, fun as it might be!

Honestly, I think you need characters and/or a story first, or some kind of kernel of more specific interest. Otherwise you either just read aimlessly forever and it never gets written, or it turns into one of those novels that is so overloaded with research it’s practically unreadable because the author is so caught up in stuff that would be ‘different’ to a reader in 2026, they forget that, while obviously they need to keep the reader in mind, their character in 1915 won’t be musing about their corsets and gaslight and visiting cards.

Emma Darwin is very good on researching and writing historical novels.

Thanks both- will check out Emma Darwin- her book on writing historical fiction looks perfect.

Same as @LouisaMayAlcott- I set stories in periods I'm already familiar with and research relevant detail e.g. would that have been invented yet, what popular show of the era can the characters go and watch. Any more than that would bog me down.