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| Donna Schlachter |
Research Isn't Work
I always
thought history was boring, probably because about the only thing I remember is
memorizing dates for the reigns of monarchs (I’m from Canada, so we focused on
British history). And I don’t do well with memorizing.
But give me a
tidbit of historical information, like the Pony Express, and I’m off to the
races. And while not all research is historical, I thought you might be
interested in a list of places where you can do research.
- Your
local library: Most libraries have a local history section or a genealogy
section, and in larger towns and cities, you will likely also find
newspaper archives. Look for books written during the time period you’re
writing about.
- Historical
societies: often have diaries and journals of residents, albums of
pictures, and lots of newspaper and magazine clippings. Most do a calendar
each year as a fund raiser, so ask for back copies that are probably
reduced in price now.
- Historical
markers: Most states have dozens of historical markers along the highways.
Don’t be afraid to get off the highway for a few miles and follow a rutted
trail into the middle of a huge meadow to discover a single marker about
an obscure Civil War Battle that few have heard of.
- Trail
Interpretation Centers: Not only do they talk about the trail but usually
they include history of the local area as well.
- Visitor
Centers: Often the people who work or volunteer at these centers are
locals who know the local history or have an interest in a special piece
of history.
- State
Park centers and gift shops: The people who work here usually know a lot
about the area, or know the people in the area who know a lot.
- Museums:
There are museums for just about every interest. I have visited airplane
and glider museums; Pony Express museums; Old Western Town museums; War
museums; aircraft carrier museum; police and military museum; firearms
museums; stagecoach museum; carriage museum; and automobile museums.
- History
Museums: Particularly in larger cities, these museums bring in and rotate
through a variety of exhibits during the year. Become a member and get on
their mailing list to stay up to date. For example, Denver recently had
the Sherlock Holmes exhibit and the Poison exhibit.
- Entertainment
attractions: For example, in Las Vegas, there are virtual reality-type
shows where you can be a CSI and walk through a crime scene, look at
evidence, and enter a report as to your findings.
- Movies:
I like to watch movies set in the time period I’m currently writing in.
The closer the movie was made to the event the better, I’ve found.
For my latest
release, Echoes of the Heart, I spent
a lot of time in museums, in the library, online, and in the car driving from
one Pony Express station to the next. While I haven’t covered the entire trail,
I hope to. Which will probably germinate more stories about the Pony Express.
About Donna:
Donna lives in Denver with husband Patrick, her first-line editor and biggest fan. She writes historical suspense under her own name, and contemporary suspense under her alter ego of Leeann Betts. She is a hybrid publisher who has published a number of books under her pen name and under her own name. Her current release, Echoes of the Heart, a 9-in-1 novella collection titled "Pony Express Romance Collection" released April 1. Donna is also a ghostwriter and editor of fiction and non-fiction, and judges in a number of writing contests. She will be teaching an online course for American Christian Fiction Writers in June 2017, “Don’t let your subplots sink your story”. Donna loves history and research, and travels extensively for both.
Welcome back, Donna! I agree, research can be lots of fun. My first-ever research trip was to Yosemite. The setting alone inspired me. :)
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