What do writers and family historians have in common?

Welcome to the new Rings True Research website…

So to answer what do family historians and writers have in common…in a word, RESEARCH.

As a family historian and historical researcher for 28 years, I have learned there is no single way to do research. As a family historian, one quickly learns that family research is much more than birth, marriages and deaths and understanding the social and political history of a given local and period takes our research in directions we never thought. The same is true for authors who often begin with answering the “w” questions of who, what, where, and when. Because both groups of researchers are looking for the same answers, quickly this research leads to the all important question “why”, to understand their ancestors' lives or to give depth to the internal and external conflict of their characters.

For those of us who do family history doing research is an addiction.. “legal crack”. For many writers, although their need to write is their form of “legal crack,” research is a necessary evil for them. I began doing research for authors because I love history, especially that of Scotland and Ireland. I began doing family research in Scotland because I got hooked on history after reading historical fiction. Yes, for those who know my obsession, it was OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon. I quickly learned that many of the sources (books, archives, and records) that I used for researching my family, I would use for doing research for authors. I have found that most historical authors (historical fiction and romance historicals) want their characters to be as real as possible and researching real people in genealogical records are an often-overlooked resource.

Although my site is to promote my business of doing research for authors and family historians, I wanted it to be a place for both groups to get tips and sources for doing their own research. Authors and Family Historians beyond doing research also have in common a willingness to share resources and records with each other. That is why you will find pages of research sites useful for both groups on the site for general research, Scotland, England/Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Colonial America. These will be changing over time, so I hope you will come back regularly

So what do I do for Family Historians?

My services include helping you get started with a plan on how to begin your journey. I can help you break down brick walls by searching records beyond BMD and census records, fees are based on an hourly rate including copies of records found. Maybe you don’t have the time to do the research yourself.. I can do a single generational search for an ancestor which includes the when and where (birth/death/marriage), their parents, wives and children. No project is too small, and if I can provide a way for you to access the record, I will rather than charge you.

So what do I do for Writers/Authors?

Many of my clients want to do their own research, but at the beginning of a project, they don’t know what are good beginning broad topic sources. For these authors, I can provide a bibliography of books on the subject and what libraries locally may have the book/source. Most of my clients don’t want to take time away from their writing to research all the small details that give their story historical depth. I will research these little details, charging an hourly fee. Finally, I will provide a history-content edit, which offers new eyes to the historical content of the plot, asking the questions. Are the characters acting and speaking of the period? Are historical events or personas in the plot reflecting the history of the period? As the writer is writing fiction if the history or characters depart from known history is there a good reason for it? These edits can also be for a specific perceived problems: character development, historical conflict, or dialogue with an emphasis on the historical aspect. Please note my edits are not for grammar, punctuation or writing structure edits. If you need that type of edit, contact me, for a referral for that type of editor.

So, again welcome to the new RINGS TRUE RESEARCH site. I hope you will take some time to explore all the pages and feel free to sign up for any updates to the site.

Jody