Writing Historical vs. Contemporary Fiction

Today we're honored to host award-winning author of contemporary western fiction, Paty Jager, who'll be sharing insights on writing historical vs. contemporary fiction. Please comment on Paty's post for a chance to win a prize and to show your thanks. Take it away, Paty....

 
Thank you for having me here today, Christine.
Giveaway

This is the first day of a two week blog tour. I love to give and you could be the winner! I will be giving away a $5 egift card to a commenter at each blog stop and will give a bag full of goodies to the person who follows me to the most blogs and a gift to the host who gets the most commenters. You can find the blog tour hosts at my blog: http://www.patyjager.blogspot.com or my website: http://www.patyjager.net

Is there a difference when writing historical and contemporary?

As an author of both, I would have to say yes. The easy to spot difference would be in the research. A historical requires not only the time and place be researched so the events that happen are accurate but the writer also has to know what people wore, how they lived, and the social events of the time period. A writer can’t just say I’m going to write a book set in Nebraska in 1870 and start writing. If they do and haven’t read anything about the state or the people who lived there at that time, they could be writing things that may not be accurate. People who read historical novels know their stuff and will call the writer on anything that isn’t correct. Especially if someone from Nebraska who knows their history picks up the book because of the locale and then it’s all wrong. That writer will never sell another book to that reader and they will most likely let everyone know that writer didn’t know what they were talking about.

The same goes for contemporary, the writer needs to know the area or the professions given to the characters in the book as well as the social tone and events in the area. But the good news for a person writing contemporary, there is no need to explain a cell phone, a washing machine or the everyday items that the reader is familiar with like they must be explained when writing a historical.
 
My downfall, and requires a lot of research when I write both historical and contemporary, is I tend to like to set the stories in real places. That requires I find out everything I can about the places. For contemporary, I get maps of the areas and guide books so I can write things that people know and that gives it a feel that I have actually been there even though I may not have been able to travel to the area. For historical books, I try to get a Sanborn map of the town. They actually had town maps back in the 1800’s and you can find them in most libraries or online.

With historical the writer has to also be conscious of the language used at the time of the story. There is a definite feel to Medieval, Regency, and Westerns. The proper or not so proper usage of the language is appropriate depending on where and when the story is set. The etiquette of the time also has a part in the language that is used.
 
Contemporary stories there would be a need to reflect the area or country the books are set or the characters are from, but it is easier to write contemporary language than staying in the historical atmosphere for the whole book.
 
If you’re a writer what are the pluses and minuses you see in writing contemporary or historical stories? As a reader have you ever had the feeling the writer hadn’t done their research?

Author Bio:

Wife, mother, grandmother, and the one who cleans pens and delivers the hay; award winning author Paty Jager and her husband currently ranch 350 acres when not dashing around visiting their children and grandchildren. She not only writes the western lifestyle, she lives it.

Her contemporary Western, Perfectly Good Nanny won the 2008 Eppie for Best Contemporary Romance, Spirit of the Mountain, a historical paranormal set among the Nez Perce, garnered 1st place in the paranormal category of the Lories Best Published Book Contest, and Spirit of the Lake, the second book of the spirit trilogy, was a finalist in the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence.
 
You can learn more about Paty at her blog; www.patyjager.blogspot.com  her website; http://www.patyjager.net or on Facebook; https://www.facebook.com/#!/paty.jager and twitter;  @patyjag.

Book Blurb: Secrets of a Mayan Moon

Child prodigy and now Doctor of Anthropology, Isabella Mumphrey, is about to lose her job at the university. In the world of publish or perish, her mentor’s request for her assistance on a dig is just the opportunity she’s been seeking. If she can decipher an ancient stone table—and she can—she’ll keep her department. She heads to Guatemala, but drug trafficking bad guys, artifact thieves, and her infatuation for her handsome guide wreak havoc on her scholarly intentions.
 
DEA agent Tino Kosta, is out to avenge the deaths of his family. He’s deep undercover as a jaguar tracker and sometimes jungle guide, but the appearance of a beautiful, brainy anthropologist heats his Latin blood taking him on a dangerous detour that could leave them both casualties of the jungle.
Secrets of a Mayan Moon is available at Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords

26 comments:

  1. Thank you for having me here today, Christine!

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    1. My pleasure! Great post with helpful insights, and I can see folks really enjoying it! Thanks really go to you!
      best,
      Christine

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  2. Good post, Paty. I write both historical and contemporary, although I prefer historical, where research is vital. I have a series set in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and I've made several field trips there. The fun in contemporary is being able to use modern day slang, dress, and items.

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  3. Good luck with your tour, Paty. Hope you sell lots of books. This one looks real interesting.

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  4. Hi Callie! Research is fun but I also agree the slang, dress, and technology is fun to add to the contemporary stories. Thanks for stopping in.

    Hey Chris! Thank you! This book was a lot of fun to write, I hope people enjoy it as much reading it.

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  5. Paty, I love that you are scrupulous in your research. Nothing ruins a story faster for me than realizing the author has taken the lazy way out of doing research. Readers notice and I believe it hurts sales in the long run. Our books are too much work not to make them our best.

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  6. Hi Paty. I agree with you about language. That's huge. Some authors have more of a contemporary voice. Others have a more historical feel. And some, like yourself, can do both. Lucky you. But what's your take on branding? Are you ever concerned about confusing your readers or do you find a lot of crossover?

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  7. I've heard it said that readers will follow a writer because they like their voice, regardless whether they stick to the same genre or not. Any thoughts on that?

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    1. I know that's been true for me as a reader, especially for good contemporary works. Sometimes NY books start to all sound the same to me, so a good voice in modern settings is pivota..

      Your thoughts, Paty?

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    2. I agree, I think if a reader enjoys a writer's voice they will follow them to any genre as long as the writer's voice stays true. And I know some would argue the voice changes in different genres, however it isn't the voice but the style that changes to fit the genre.

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    3. true. I used to read Glenna McReynold's loveswepts and devoured the Tara Janzen books only to find out they were the same writer. Her voice is great whether she's writing a short contemporary or rs

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    4. Vicky, you won the prize, so be sure to email Paty at patyjag(at)gmail(dot)com

      thank again for sharing on my blog :)
      best,
      Christine

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  8. Hi Paty! for your historical books, do you wish sometimes you could be a fly on the wall back in the time period you're writing about? Very nice that you write in both historical and contemporary. Keep them coming! Viola

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  9. Hi Paty,
    I always do meticulous research for my historicals, and yet I worry I still might have something wrong.

    Readers expect authenticity in specific genres and they'll let you know if you make a mistake!

    Do you find it hard to switch between the types of genres you write?

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    1. Hi Collette! I don't find it hard to switch genres because I do my best writing when I'm excited about the story. After writing all the Halsey books and the other historical westerns I was burnt out on them and needed a change of scenery. After writing several contemporaries, I have a desire now to write more historical westerns so I think the change is not only good for me but the reader gets fresh material I'm excited about.

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  10. Hi Caroline, It's true for me too. If the history or occupation is wrong it can throw me out of the story. It is lazy to know research the genre you are writing and making it true to the facts. Thank you for you kind words about my research and stopping in.

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  11. Hi Roxy, My branding is western and Native American. I use one or the other in everything I write whether it is historical or contemporary. My readers know they will have one of the elements in whatever I write.

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  12. Hey Viola! Yes, I would love to be able to go back in time when I'm writing historical. Finding people who know an area's history is almost as good because they dish out stuff you don't find in books. Thanks for commenting and having a fun comment!

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  13. Sorry it took me till Collette's comment to figure out to reply directly under the comment. Sheesh!

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  14. Hi Paty,

    Interesting post. One of the things I like about your historical novels is that I can trust you to portray things as they were. In other words you do your research!

    I'm looking forward to reading Secrets of a Mayan Moon.

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    1. Hi Sarah! Thank you. I pour a lot of time into research no mater what genre I write and I hope you'll find Secrets of a Mayan Moon is authentic as a lay person could get it by reading books and websites.

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  15. Hi Paty,
    I applaud you or going after historical matters that haven't been done to death. Good luck on your tour. Your book sounds like a winner.

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    1. Morgan, Thank you. I know they say there are really only so many stories and it's all in how the writer tells them makes them different, but I tend to like different.

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  16. Your book sounds really good. i liked the other books you wrote with the Petticoats titles.
    JWIsley(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. Hi Joye! Thank you for popping in there and commenting.

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  17. Vicky is the winning commenter on this blog! Please e-mail me so I can send you the prize. patyjagatgmaildotcom.

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