How Research Can Strengthen Any Story

One of the reasons I love writing contemporary romance so much is that I don't have to worry so much about period-specific clothes, customs, sayings, etc. because I'm already living in the time of the story. I really enjoy reading historicals, but the idea of all that research in my own writing makes me a nervous wreck! What if I get one detail wrong and mess up the credibility of the whole thing?

But does that mean contemporary writers are off the hook when it comes to research? Not even a litte. We just do a different kind of research. We still need to know all about our settings, how the characters would really speak to one another in their home environments, and cultural normals, which can vary from one city of a city to the other, let alone from one side of the country to the next!

Doing strong research can benefit any story, and though I know it's easy to shrug off the research stage (especially as a contemporary writer or as a historical writer already familiar with a particular time in history), doing so can be detrimental. Just think of all the editing you'll have in store for you when you realize, for instance, only half of Florida uses the phrase "y'all" and drinks sweet tea! :)

A couple weeks ago, I had the chance to go on a short trip to Charleston with my husband for our babymoon. We chose Charleston because it was the perfect pace for my seven-month-pregnant-self and because we both adore the city. But, an added plus is that Charleston is also the location of my new work-in-progress. It is amazing how doing a little story-related research can energize you and get your creative wheels turning!

So, what are some ways you can dive in?

• Plan a visit to the town/location your story is set in. Maybe your story is set in England, and this is unrealistic. Well, be creative! You may not be able to afford airfare to Europe, but I bet you can find an English teashop somewhere in driving distance! Or maybe a particular kind of house, tree, barn, etc. plays a key role in your story. Even if you can't visit the real city your story is set in, find a similar object and spend an afternoon near it. Let it really sink into your senses, and take notes. What are the sounds, sights, smells? How do people react to it? If you can visit the location of your story, even better! I guarantee the trip will be worth your while!

• Talk to/interview someone who relates to your story. While in Charleston, I had the privilege to interview a woman who does walking tours and knows some extensive history that directly relates to my characters' genealogy. Your interviews could be with someone who knows a lot about your setting, or could be with someone who has the same career as your hero/heroine. Rene Gutteridge was the first one to give me this advice, and it really does make a difference. Something comes alive when you speak with people firsthand.

• Take time to imagine yourself in that situation. I know for me, at least, it's easy to get a few location details at place in a setting description, then rush forward with the story. Instead, push yourself into the living, breathing story. Imagine life for your characters. Imagine how you would feel to walk the cobblestone streets or pick cotton or hide under a desk for an air raid drill. These are the types of details and emotion that set a great story apart from a good one.

• Don't underestimate the power of reading, Pinterest, and Google searches. Yes, I know it's old fashioned and sometimes boring to pick up a biography or non-fiction book about your setting or someone who lived during that time period. But history is chalk-full of wonderful stories just waiting to be a springboard for fictional ones. Try going to your local library or bookstore, and you may be surprised how inspiration hits!

What about you? What steps do you take when researching a story? Do you enjoy the research process?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Adding Culture to Your Setting

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I drove to Charleston to celebrate our anniversary. We'd never been to Charleston before, and to say I feel head-over-heels for this city would be an understatement. The history, the shopping, the biscuits and sweet tea! Can life get any better? I'd say a Charleston-set story is definitely on the horizon for me.

All this got me thinking. Seems like every time I travel to a cool place, whether it's a new coffee shop in town or a new city, I find a creative spark there. So what if we could learn to capture that creative spark and add it to our stories?

I think the answer lies in thinking of setting not just as a place but as a culture.

So, if you're writing about Charleston, for example, the first things that come to mind are probably saltgrass baskets, church steeples, and sweet tea. All great examples of Charleston culture.

But do these things really capture the heart of Charleston, and for that matter, Charlestonians? No. For the real heartbeat of a setting, we have to go deeper. If we want our readers to connect with our characters on a heart-level, accurately describing the time period of the surroundings isn't enough. We have to be intentional about setting. We have to choose a particular time and place that compliments the story.

So, maybe your character does live in Charleston and love southern biscuits, but what if there's more to it than that? What if she is in the process of renovating her family's hundred-year-old home and she loves biscuits because her grandmother used to make fresh jam every Saturday morning? What if the church steeples aren't just dots in the landscape, but a sound that stirs hope in the heart of a newly-divored woman one block down the street?

It can be so easy to blaze right past setting as something that's in the way when we're trying to hash out the plot details, but setting can be every bit as important as plot in crafting depth within a story. Think of books that have left a lasting impression on you. I bet most of them not only put you in the mind of the character, but also in her situation, which entails her setting.

So how do we craft these three-dimensional settings?

• Go to your setting. If you have the ability to physically go to your setting, great. If not, try YouTube videos, Google photos, magazine interviews, etc. to immerse yourself in that culture. It's not enough to know how something appears. Readers want the unexpected. What is going on in your setting that isn't as it appears? That is where you'll find your true story.
• Ask how your setting impacts your characters. Is your character living in a new city that's outside her comfort zone? Or, in contrast, have three generations of her family lived in Victoria, British Columbia? Do the very streets seem to be family to her? Be intentional about your setting. If you aren't using setting to your advantage in your WIP, challenge yourself by asking if you might be able to change your setting to challenge your characters in some way.
• Don't settle for descriptions. Get specific with your details so you can weave backstory into your setting. Ask yourself, "Why?" For example, "Why does it matter that this character always looks at the street lamps at dusk?" Or, "Why does this character avoid cobblestone streets? Is she always wearing heels? Why does she feel she needs to always wear heels?" Go deeper into the culture of a place (and the heart of your characters) when describing the setting. Setting should have a heartbeat, just like your characters do.
• Find creative ways to describe setting. Using common descriptions of a particular setting is fine, as most people expect taxis in New York and pecan pie in Georgia, but push past that. Really work to find creative ways to describe your setting. This is also were going to your setting can be very helpful. Try observing people's mannerisms or the sounds in your setting, and then incorporate those unique aspects into your story. Readers want to see a place in a new way when they read your book--that's the whole point of inhabiting a story world.

Your turn! How do you use setting in your stories? How do you incorporate the deeper culture of a place into your setting?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.