Researching Historic Buildings in the British Isles

Researching Historic Buildings in the British Isles

This is an amazing resource!!! Thanks to the World History Blog for pointing the way :-)

Teresa

Search engines...

Someone sent me an email the other day, asking for my help with finding more specific search engines - academic ones and the like. I went a searchin' and came up with these:

Here are a few more sites for you:

EEVL's Ejournal Search Engines

A Collection of Special Search Engines from the University of Leiden Library

Guide to Academic Search Engines at SearchAbility

Academic Search Engines at Search Engine Colussus

Montgomery County Public Schools School Library Guide to Search Engines

Academic Search Engine Links at William Woods University Library

Academic and Scholarly Search Engines at the University of Kansas Library

Librarian Robert Teeter's list of online Indexes

Academic Search Engines from the Louisiana State University Library

Those of you with a real love for research will want to poke around Robert Teeter's site a little more. He has loads of info there. He seems to update pretty frequently, always a good sign.

Enjoy!

Teresa

My Research List

The Research List is part of the First Draft in 30 Days method of outlining a novel. I worked on it yesterday and came up with lots of things I'll need to look into during my Research week:

Title: Henri's book

Material to research for the book:

1. suburbs of Paris - names, size etc.

2. Louis XV's relationship with his nobles

3. Maria Leszczynska - when she came to Paris, who came with her etc.

4. the publishing business in late 18th century France

5. Normandy and Brittany - weather/roads/towns & villages etc

6. English women travellers in France during the Revolution

7. Salons during the Rev - esp that of Helen Williams

8. education in France in the 18th century - what schools for young men existed? what were women taught?

9. clothing/furniture/food etc - you already know a fair amount, but more would be helpful

10. see if you can find anything more about spies, both English and French, during the Revolution

11. Paris in general - its neighbourhoods, who lived where etc.

12. the secret police during the Revolution - again, some of this you already know, but try to dig even deeper

13. more on feminism in the 1790s

14. birth control methods in the 18th century

15. how rich, noble orphans were dealt with in 18th century France

16. inheritance law in 18th century France - Salic law?

17. more on pamphlets and how they were published during the Revolution

18. look into the middle class in Paris during the 18th C - were they mostly merchants?


Teresa

More research musings

Today I have to make a Research List, part of my FDin30D process. Should be interesting. I've not made a list of research stuff at the start of an ms before - usually I find a lot of stuff I need to know while I'm actually writing the story, so this should be interesting. OTOH, I've already identified quite a number of things that will need researching.

I'm supposed to start the actual research next week! Not sure about that - it will depend on how Cleo is doing. I may have to put off the research process for a couple of weeks.

I'll report back tomorrow on how coming up with the Research List worked out. Maybe I'll even post some of it!

Teresa

Research wishlist

My research wishlist:

• a perfect piece of software to help me organize!!
• a library that has every book I need
• a photocopier that never jams, runs out of paper or ink
• a filing cabinet like the Tardis

So - what would you put on your research wishlist?


Teresa
Research is my obsession

Musings on Research

I LOVE to research.

Pretty much everyone who knows me, knowsthis. I've often wondered WHY, though? Why do I like to dig up obscuredetails about the past? As a writer, my obsession has proven to beinvaluable, but also a form of procrastination. I can spend hourslooking for one little piece of information. Sometimes it's absolutelynecessary, while other times it's just a way for me to avoid my story.Also, I can be incredibly stubborn about just having to know.

Andthen, once I do know, I get caught up in organizing the information. Ofcourse, that isn't always such a bad thing, because otherwise I leavethe research material in piles on my desk and have trouble putting myhands on it when I need it. So that's why you'll find binders labelled 18th Century Fashionon my bookcase. I get so caught up researching one particular aspectthat sometimes I forget to look at other issues as well. And then Iwant all the books on the topic, which isn't really practical.Especially considering we're going to be moving my library across thecountry in a few months.

In FDin30D, Karen provides six days for the research process. Six completelydedicated days. That's after making a basic list of questions in thepreliminary outline. Hmmm, we'll see if it works.

So, how about you? Do you obsess about research? Do you let it interfere with your writing? And how long do you spend doing research?

Happy New Year!!!!

Yep, it's been a while since I posted here. What with entering the Golden Heart, then a vacation followed quickly by Christmas/New Year, I've been super busy. However, I'm back now :-) And promise to post here far more frequently.

To start things off, here's a great website:

The Early Modern Women Database

I found the link to this fantastic treasure trove of info at Earmarks in Early Modern Culture - a cool blog that features cats quite frequently :-) Always a good sign in my book.

Back soon with more research links. And thoughts.

Teresa