Writing Research: How I’m Using My Love of History to Write My YA Novel

Writing fantasy fiction allows me to bend the rules, make stuff up, and be as creative as I want to be. I’ve invented realms, worlds, and races for my Guardian Series, and I’ve turned little red riding hood into a kick-ass werewolf hunter and run with a werewolf pack through Sherwood Forest in Hood Academy. For my YA novel, The Last Princess (due for release in 2021), I’m turning back time and writing about the 9th Century, and the Vikings.

Why have I chosen the Viking Age?

Firstly, I’m obsessed with Viking history and how it’s more than likely linked to my ancestry (more on this below).

Secondly, blending history with fictional stories allows you to breathe new life into old sagas and bring these incredible topics to a new audience. As I write for young adults, I wanted to show this age group how diverse our culture was and how exciting historical tales can be.

I’m a huge fan of genealogy and have traced my Wilson line back to 1805 and my great-great-great-great-great grandfather, Thomas Wilson. I was so intrigued with my roots that I did the ‘spit in a tube’ test via Ancestry to see what my DNA would reveal – it was quite a surprise for this Yorkshire lass who lives in the West Midlands!

My results were:

1% African

5% Great Britain

8% Iberian

40% European West/Scandinavia

46% Irish

Along with your test results, you receive huge amounts of information about the regions you come under including a comparison to a typical native from that area. The pages and pages of documents contain in-depth historical facts, maps, and images.

When reading the 5% Great Britain section, it points out that the history of Great Britain is often told in terms of invasions (Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans). My result clearly shows that my ancestors weren’t part of the existing population. When I dig a bit deeper, I see that the likelihood of my ancestors being one of the invading tribe’s increases.

Were my kin part of the Germanic tribes who seized the opportunity to invade Britannia in 410 A.D when the Romans left? Or were they seafaring Vikings from Western Europe/Scandinavia/Iberian Peninsula who settled in Britain and Ireland?

There’s every possibility that I’m reading what I want into the findings, but every section of my report points to a Viking invasion at some point, so the writer in me is claiming it as the truth.

Mix together my fascination with the Viking Age, the possibility I’m descended from a warrior/invader, my need to travel far and wide, and my love of writing kick-ass female characters, and we have the making of a novel packed full of battles, loyalty, friendships, love, and plenty of axe wielding.

Writing about a specific point in our history means I can’t just make stuff up this time. There needs to be an authentic timeline that includes realistic Anglo-Saxon places and people. Clothing, weapons, and customs need to be investigated thoroughly. Although my manuscript is entirely fictional, I’ve had great fun including a few cameo roles for larger than life historical figures, real-life places that played a huge part in the Viking Age such as Hedeby and Bamburgh, and I’ve opted to use Anglo-Saxon/Viking names from the era for my characters.

The research part of this book was great fun. I visited the JORVIK Viking Centre in York to see first-hand what my characters would have worn, used in battle, cooked with, and also to smell an authentic 9th Century street – cow dung and rotting meat in case you’re interested – luckily I went before lunch!

I also took a research trip to Bamburgh Castle so I could stand on the volcanic rock and look out across the North Sea just like my main character would. Standing on the beach looking up at the embankment that my invading army would tackle took my breath away a little. I’d already done online and book research about the area but to see it in all its glory was incredible. The areas I’d imagined and wrote about were spot on, and the terrain, although obviously changed considerably since 799 AD, still captured the windswept dunes, long grass, and wild seas that I’d written about. Some of these experiences might not make it into the book, but for me, it brings the story to life in the best possible way.

Writing historical fiction, although still for my YA audience, is a huge leap out of my comfort zone, but writing The Last Princess was the most fun I’ve ever had writing one of my books. Perhaps it was the ‘real life’ link (yes, I’m still holding fast to that Viking theory), or the fact that I’m writing what interests me, but delving into historical research brought my story and characters to life more than my fantasy fiction ever had. Is this the start of a new writing journey for me? Who knows? I’m leaving myself open to receive a sign from Odin, Thor, or Freya – then I’ll know for sure!

I’d love to hear about your research stories. Which resources do you use? Do you stick to literature and the internet or do you travel to discover what you need to know? What genre do you write for and how important is research to your story?

—

Shelley Wilson is a writing mentor, a multi-genre author, and an award-winning blogger. She writes non-fiction self-help and young adult paranormal/fantasy fiction. In 2016 she won Most Inspirational Blogger award, and her Motivate Me blog was named as a Top 10 UK Personal Development Blog in 2018 by FeedSpot. In the same year, Shelley rushed off to Los Angeles, CA to attend a glitzy award ceremony when her YA novel was a finalist in the RONE Awards for Best YA Book of the Year. 

Her first book, How I Changed My Life in a Year, was self-published in 2014 and became a best seller in self-help and women’s biographies. She signed with an American publisher in 2017.

Shelley lives in the West Midlands with her three children and a crazy black cat called Luna. Her passions (other than writing) include travel, visiting castles, Viking and Tudor history, Netflix binge-watching sessions, solo trips to the cinema, and pizza!

https://shelleywilsonwritingmentor.com/ 

bIf you want to find out more about Shelley and her books, please feel free to visit her author blog https://shelleywilsonauthor.com/ or book page on her publisher’s website https://www.bhcpress.com/Author_SL_Wilson 

You’ll also find Shelley on Twitter https://www.twitter.com/ShelleyWilson72 or Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FantasyAuthorSLWilson 

Shelley’s latest book releases include HOOD ACADEMY, a YA novel about werewolves and a school for werewolf hunters, and MEDITATION FOR CHILDREN, a practical guide for parents and teachers to guide children (5-9 years) through the meditation process with ease.

HOOD ACADEMY – https://www.bhcpress.com/Books_Wilson_Hood_Academy.html

MEDITATION FOR CHILDREN – https://www.bhcpress.com/Books_Wilson_Meditation_For_Children.html

 

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: How To and Tips