: Re: What is a good methodology for researching a historical novel? I'm having difficulty with the research aspect of my historical novel. This question was originally going to be "how much research

@Bryan361

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My advice would be to just ignore this and write on. In your spare time, do gradual research. Now hear me out.

Read:

Other historical fiction set in, or around your time period. No matter what themes or subjects it addresses, what social classes it follows, you will inevitably learn a lot about every aspect of life, as well as story structure and plot specifically set in that time.
First or second hand accounts from the times. These are likely very boring, so it could be done a bit at a time, but will give you an idea of how people talked, acted, and thought in general. Plus you will find sparkling gems of all sorts hidden in the drudgery.
Historical analysis books.

Write

Write your whole first draft doing as little research as possible. Just tank through the thing, and in your spare time, work through the reading above.
Pause your writing for only easy-to-find, relatively trivial details. Trust wikipedia.
Every time you come across a detail in your reading that alters something you've already written, make a note of it, keep in mind the repercussions of any necessary changes, but do not go back and rewrite.
By the time you've written your first draft, you will likely have done enough research to fix all your mistakes the second time through, and you'll have a list of things to fix.

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