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Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Historic or Contemporary? Why Not Both?

Depending on who you talk to, I’m either a writer of historic romances, or an author of sexy contemporaries. No, I don’t have a Jekyll/Hyde personality, but sometimes I do feel like I’m using both sides of my brain when I write. I liken it to the Olympics, where the same person competes in various disciplines of the same sport—say downhill skiing, where the object is to go fast and slalom skiing, which calls for precision and accuracy. The basics are the same, but it’s the tricks of each that make them unique and special.

Historical romances for me are like slalom skiing—orderly and analytical. I need to get my facts straight before I begin writing. The Cotillion Ball series takes place in America in the late 1850s and 1860s. Those years were tumultuous times in the country, as the threat of civil war loomed on the horizon. But it wasn’t just the war that happened during that time. Western expansion caused many Americans to move from one coast to the other, gold was discovered in California, railroads and telegraph lines carved pathways across the face of America. What this translates to is plenty to write about, but I’d better make certain my facts are in order. If I have a wagon train going west, it better leave from one of the towns where the trains began, and it better happen in the correct time period.

Fashion is another factor. Do my heroines wear hoop skirts or were they passé? Did women walk by themselves during the day in downtown New York, or did they need an escort at all times? Are the words I’m using too modern? It’s a constant game of checking and double-checking facts. I love to write and read historic romances, but they are difficult, tedious and time consuming to achieve.

By contrast, contemporary romances are just the opposite. They’re the downhill skiing in my eyes. Quick and sometimes verging on out of control. Yes, I still need to fact-check, especially if I’m placing the book in a part of the country I’m not familiar with, or if I’ve got things in the book that I know nothing about—bull riders, motorcycles, lobstermen, tornadoes, jewelry makers, to name a few. But I don’t need to obsess over whether the word was in use in the 19thcentury, and I can use words that I know didn’t see the light of day until the year 2000 or beyond. It’s liberating to me to be able to write a contemporary, and I can find all kinds of fun things to write about. 


 
I like to change things up after I write a historical and compose a sexy contemporary. But as I write each genre, I’m thinking of the next one, and what I’ll write. So by the time I finish a contemporary, I’m ready to slide back into my world in the 1850s, and can tackle the new story with fresh ideas. Regardless of what the sub-genre is, the basics are still the same. There must be a compelling love story, and the writing has to sparkle. Without those two elements, no one will care what type of writing you do. It’s kind of like skiing. You can sign up for whatever kind of specific discipline you want, but you’d better first know how to ski. 

6 comments:

  1. I love your Blame it on the Brontes cover!

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    1. Thanks, Kristy. I think it conveys the message well, but now that I've regained the rights to it, I have to redesign the cover. Next week's challenge...

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  2. I think you hit the proverbial nail for writers who care. Nice job. Doris

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  3. I like your historical stories, Becky. You do keep it accurate in manner, speech, and dress which enhances the quality of your work. These details are so important to make the story seem authentic to the period and difficult to write for that very reason--one misstep can taint the whole story even if the plotline is sound. I like your Cotillion Ball Series.

    Writers take a risk when they write in different time periods or genres because they appeal to different audiences. But I feel, if you have a sound plot and strong, likable characters your readers will find your books delightful no matter the genre or time period.
    I wish you every success, Becky.

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    1. Thanks, Sarah. I do like spending most of my time in another century, but every now and then, I like to write a story where I can use today's phraseology without worrying about it.

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  4. I love a well-written book in any period. It's a double-edged sword. On one hand it's ore work to keep in period and avoid anachronisms. On the other, it's easier to find obstacles to create tension between the couples with historical social structure. They both need skills.

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