pauliree
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Hi Lois, your Barrayarans are some of my favourite people in the world. i loved the mix of cultures involved. Did you do much research into Russia and Greece beforehand or did you wing it? I am trying to write something set in Russia and I know scarily little about the culture. I was hoping you might have some tips on research.
Lois McMaster Bujold
I was mainly drawing on already acquired background. Keep in mind that Barrayar (or any other Nexus world) has about as much resemblance to current Earth countries as, say, modern Portland, Oregon has to 16th C. England and Japan. I'm not writing contemporary or historical fiction, here, just fiction informed -- or flavored -- by history. You are setting yourself a higher bar.
That said, assuming actual travel is out of your reach (as it was mine), you need lots and lots of nonfiction reading. You need both general overviews, to give you a framework, and first-person contemporary accounts, to find those telling details that all get filtered out of general histories. Eyewitness writings become harder to find the farther back in time one goes, but by the same token, one is less likely to be overwhelmed by the choices.
These days, you might also have the chance to get an on-line test reader/friend from the country of interest to Beta read for you. I know the fanfic community does some of that.
And finally, it may be worthwhile to remember that one has set out to tell a story, not write a PhD thesis. Research is potentially endless and endlessly seductive, but there comes a point when it's time to railroad.
Ta, L.
I was mainly drawing on already acquired background. Keep in mind that Barrayar (or any other Nexus world) has about as much resemblance to current Earth countries as, say, modern Portland, Oregon has to 16th C. England and Japan. I'm not writing contemporary or historical fiction, here, just fiction informed -- or flavored -- by history. You are setting yourself a higher bar.
That said, assuming actual travel is out of your reach (as it was mine), you need lots and lots of nonfiction reading. You need both general overviews, to give you a framework, and first-person contemporary accounts, to find those telling details that all get filtered out of general histories. Eyewitness writings become harder to find the farther back in time one goes, but by the same token, one is less likely to be overwhelmed by the choices.
These days, you might also have the chance to get an on-line test reader/friend from the country of interest to Beta read for you. I know the fanfic community does some of that.
And finally, it may be worthwhile to remember that one has set out to tell a story, not write a PhD thesis. Research is potentially endless and endlessly seductive, but there comes a point when it's time to railroad.
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
TrixM
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
I just found my account was hacked, so that might explain some of the garbage appearing randomly under reviews (assuming my account is not the only one to be hacked). Some of the other "questions" are patently there to get people to click on their profile names even if no links are embedded. Goodreads' security options are lacking - e.g. we don't have to approve "friends". And authors have no ability to approve Qs?
Ibnobody
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Do you remember that in your August 3rd reddit AMA, I asked you a question regarding your most cherished book you ever lost? I mentioned that mine was the ARC of The Curse of Chalion that I misplaced. My wife read the AMA and secretly bought me a signed copy of the ARC as a replacement. I just wanted to let you know that there was a happy ending! (I'm not letting this copy out of my sight!)
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