Trying New Stuff

One of the aspects of writing I enjoy is trying new things. Right now I’m at writing a historical mystery, which I’ve never done before. There’s a whole new dimension to writing about a time in history. Mine takes place in 1919. I’ve been reading old newspapers and learning about what was occurring in the world, in the US and in Boulder, Colorado (where my novel is set), at that time. Much like watching Super Bowl ads, I’ve become a junky of reading ads from 1919. Then there’s the whole thing of word choice and idioms. I have to keep checking to see if a phrase I want to use is appropriate for that point in time. I’m doing a lot more research than I have for the contemporary mysteries I’ve written, but I’ve learned a lot and it’s been a kick.