Making research timelines
Doing some research for my next book.
'Making Saigon' timeline
'Nguyens in the south' timeline
Well, book two is off doing the rounds of the publishing houses in the UK.
I could take a break and sit around and worry about the publishing house results (and go crazy),
or I could start my next book. I opted for plan ‘B’.
I could take a break and sit around and worry about the publishing house results (and go crazy),
or I could start my next book. I opted for plan ‘B’.
But let’s overview the big picture first.
I have always planned to write four books about Vietnam.
I have always planned to write four books about Vietnam.
Book one: My Vietnam Stories. An easy to read and easy to understand book for tourists visiting Vung Tau, Vietnam. Travelers who visit Vung Tau might want to know a little more about what they are seeing. To keep the book light, I opted for telling ten or so short stories which all involved Vung Tau in some way. A niche market book. Over time this book has proven to be very popular. |
contact [email protected]
|
Book two: Viet Nam: ancestors and ATMs. A deeper look at Vietnam, its culture and its people. Vietnam is a complex place in most regards, and writing about it can open an endless can of worms.
I intentionally went out of my way:
* to simplify as much as possible (without losing accuracy),
* to shift the focus away from the Vietnam war,
* to add new information,
* to highlight how easy it is, as foreigners, to misread Vietnam
* to add humour wherever possible, and
* whenever criticism of Vietnam occurs, it is from the mouths of Vietnamese.
Book three: Historical faction. History mystery. Murder mystery (if I can add this element). Set in present day Vung Tau, but the story-line goes back to Lord Nguyen Anh (first Emperor of Vietnam) and his battles with the hissing armies of the Tay Son Brothers (the monsoons war). Then the plot continues into the French colonial era.
Book four: Human trafficking and Vietnam. I have been collecting info for this for five years now, and I feel as if I have enough research to push on and complete this book. The first chapters are written. Book three will have priority over book four.
I intentionally went out of my way:
* to simplify as much as possible (without losing accuracy),
* to shift the focus away from the Vietnam war,
* to add new information,
* to highlight how easy it is, as foreigners, to misread Vietnam
* to add humour wherever possible, and
* whenever criticism of Vietnam occurs, it is from the mouths of Vietnamese.
Book three: Historical faction. History mystery. Murder mystery (if I can add this element). Set in present day Vung Tau, but the story-line goes back to Lord Nguyen Anh (first Emperor of Vietnam) and his battles with the hissing armies of the Tay Son Brothers (the monsoons war). Then the plot continues into the French colonial era.
Book four: Human trafficking and Vietnam. I have been collecting info for this for five years now, and I feel as if I have enough research to push on and complete this book. The first chapters are written. Book three will have priority over book four.
So at the moment I am researching for book three.
I am researching two things.
1. the history, and
2. how to write a murder mystery which is actually a history mystery.
Researching the history turns out to be a lot more fun than researching the writing formula.
......
If book three is to span nearly 400 years and skip back and forth to the present, then I had best have my historical facts recorded in a very manageable and accessible medium.
I opted for a timeline. I found soon enough that I actually needed two timelines recording across the period. So I have spent the last couple of weeks constructing two 2.5 metre long timelines. Making Saigon timeline and The Nguyens in the south timeline.
The Making Saigon timeline gives me a place to write about. What houses, buildings, roads, canals were in Saigon when. And who were in Saigon when.
The Nguyens in the south timeline tells me what was happening when.
If history is about people doing stuff in time, then I have enough information on my two timelines to formulate a plot.
I have always been a great fan of timelines. I have timelines for everything. They suit my learning style. I need to be able to see things neatly laid out in a logical sequence – then I can remember that information. I can also spot flaws in historical records this way.
I am researching two things.
1. the history, and
2. how to write a murder mystery which is actually a history mystery.
Researching the history turns out to be a lot more fun than researching the writing formula.
......
If book three is to span nearly 400 years and skip back and forth to the present, then I had best have my historical facts recorded in a very manageable and accessible medium.
I opted for a timeline. I found soon enough that I actually needed two timelines recording across the period. So I have spent the last couple of weeks constructing two 2.5 metre long timelines. Making Saigon timeline and The Nguyens in the south timeline.
The Making Saigon timeline gives me a place to write about. What houses, buildings, roads, canals were in Saigon when. And who were in Saigon when.
The Nguyens in the south timeline tells me what was happening when.
If history is about people doing stuff in time, then I have enough information on my two timelines to formulate a plot.
I have always been a great fan of timelines. I have timelines for everything. They suit my learning style. I need to be able to see things neatly laid out in a logical sequence – then I can remember that information. I can also spot flaws in historical records this way.
Making the timelines.
I needed a thoroughly researched academic document to base my research on, so I opted to primarily use The Making of Saigon from the Nguyens Lords to 1954, by Dr. Vu Hong Lien. Her research is very current – 2013. It is also a riveting read! |
I made the Nguyens in the south timeline first.
Step one: I printed out the 36 page article and headed off to my favourite coffee shop. I then read the article and highlighted in orange highlighter any parts that would be relevant to my timeline. I worked on the Nguyens in the south timeline first. The reading was fascinating!! I spent a thoroughly enjoyable two days (and many coffees) collecting what I needed. |
Step four: I glued together five A2 sheets of white paper into a long scroll.
Step four: I glued together five A2 sheets of white paper into a long scroll.
Step six: The fun bit. Each post-it sticker was placed in its respective position along the timeline. This took more sorting out than you might think, because a lot of the action that I needed to know about happened across only an eighty year period, and all the post-it stickers took up too much space. Eventually, after rewriting the notes (in pencil) the notes fitted neatly onto the timeline. |
The Nguyens in the south timeline – done.
Next I made the Making Saigon timeline.
I refined my timeline making method for the second timeline.
The Making of Saigon timeline - done.
The timelines at this stage are not finished yet. I need to add maps, plans of French forts and Nguyen dynasty citadels, Gia Dinh, sketches of on-off housing, photos, the Saigon River, etc.. Anything that makes up the montage, which might give me a sense of the times and the atmosphere.
Already the timelines have taught me so much that I need to know for book three. When I use the timelines I position the timelines parallel to each other, with the dates matching. I find the event needed on one timeline, then I look to the other timeline to find the setting. Easy.
One day I will make the digital version (XL document) of these timelines, but not now, I have a book to research.
To find out more about the Tay Son rebellion and the monsoons war, I will next read The Tây Son uprising: society and rebellion in eighteenth-century Vietnam by George Dutton. The Tay Sons will probably need their own timeline. |