Katelyn asked Melanie Dickerson:

Hi Melanie, how do you write historical fiction? I've read all of your books (which are amazing and inspire me) and noticed how it is set in Medieval Germany. How much research does that take? What things do you have to consider when writing the story?

Melanie Dickerson Hi, Katelyn! I had to do a lot of research in the beginning to familiarize myself with the time period and place. I read some books. Now, I still like to check my facts with certain books, but I do a lot of my specific fact-checking online. Mainly, though, I focus on my story, the plot and the characters, and make sure my premise is plausible for the time period and location. I also sometimes get plot ideas from the research materials I read.
The Merchant's Daughter was my only book set in Medieval England. All the others were set in Medieval Germany. But I am currently writing a second book set in 1300's England. I had to pretty much start from scratch again when I researched rural Medieval England, since the political systems and the way people lived were entirely different. So it takes a lot of research, but the story is still the main focus for me. I hope that helps to answer your questions, Katelyn!

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