I once had a reader who told me that my protagonist had got on the wrong platform for his destination on Glasgow's Subway. So, one day, book in hand, I traced the route I'd written about. Walked into Buchanan Street station, down the stairs and onto the platform in question, and yes, they were right, I'd put the hero on the platform that would have taken them the long way around to where they were going. At least the reader was paying attention.
Thanks for sharing - I always find that sort of thing interesting. When I wrote LAND GIRLS we got letters complaining about the rust on a plane door (as of course it would have been fairly new if it wasn’t being made 70 years later!).
My favourite was a complaint about an actress wearing contact lenses. We had to point out that wasn’t actually part of the character.
My producer went on Points of View to defend one issue about church bells not ringing during war time.
However on the whole, such corrections are much appreciated and help the realism of the story. And as you say, there is always someone who knows more!
What you know about guns is probably encyclopaedic compared to what I know about cars – hence the comment from an old friend (and car lover) following an action scene in my first Brigitte Sharp novel, where he pointed out that "removing the starter motor" is not something you can do by snipping a few wires, but rather a major operation that requires disassembling part of the engine… 😬
The Bargello has got a very complicated history with its name, function and who is based there. When even the historians disagree or contradict one another, it's time to say: this is disputed history and move on!
In my novel ‘Truestory’ set on a Lancashire farm (like the one I grew up on) I wanted to include a haymaking scene. I asked my dad (over eighty, but still a farmer) whether farmers still made traditional rectangular bales (as opposed to the plastic wrapped round ones you see everywhere) He assured me they did. After the book came out I was invited to a private book group in someone’s kitchen. After sitting through an hour of their non-book related chit chat, the hostess stood up to introduce me with words something like: ‘This is catherine Simpson who set her book on a Lancashire farm where they make rectangular bales even though they don’t exist anymore.’ I assured her that my farming consultant (!) said they did. Then asked if she was from farming stock to which she replied: ‘no, I used to go on holiday to a farm as a child.’ I managed to remain polite, but I rather regret it.
As a fellow historical writer I feel your pain. Try as we might I think there are always going to be tiny details that will slip through the most assiduous inspection, only to be leapt on by a reader with more knowledge about the subject.
All historical fiction authors should just put MEA CULPA at the start of every book and have done with it. Until some Latin expert explains why that's incorrect too, of course...
I once had a reader who told me that my protagonist had got on the wrong platform for his destination on Glasgow's Subway. So, one day, book in hand, I traced the route I'd written about. Walked into Buchanan Street station, down the stairs and onto the platform in question, and yes, they were right, I'd put the hero on the platform that would have taken them the long way around to where they were going. At least the reader was paying attention.
But they would have got there eventually, so you were mostly right...
Yip they would, but who works out the right platform - not me obviously.
Thanks for sharing - I always find that sort of thing interesting. When I wrote LAND GIRLS we got letters complaining about the rust on a plane door (as of course it would have been fairly new if it wasn’t being made 70 years later!).
My favourite was a complaint about an actress wearing contact lenses. We had to point out that wasn’t actually part of the character.
My producer went on Points of View to defend one issue about church bells not ringing during war time.
However on the whole, such corrections are much appreciated and help the realism of the story. And as you say, there is always someone who knows more!
You cannae please all the people all the time, and certainly not all the experts!
What you know about guns is probably encyclopaedic compared to what I know about cars – hence the comment from an old friend (and car lover) following an action scene in my first Brigitte Sharp novel, where he pointed out that "removing the starter motor" is not something you can do by snipping a few wires, but rather a major operation that requires disassembling part of the engine… 😬
My knowledge of cars: it goes if you do this.
Oh I feel your pain!
It was actually one of your first Aldo books that made me realise a mistake in my first novel, The Rose of Florence.
While the Bargello was there, and functioning as the home of the magistrate in 1478, it wasn’t actually called the Bargello. Oh, foolish one!
But if that’s all I managed to get wrong, then I’ll be a happy girl!
The Bargello has got a very complicated history with its name, function and who is based there. When even the historians disagree or contradict one another, it's time to say: this is disputed history and move on!
In my novel ‘Truestory’ set on a Lancashire farm (like the one I grew up on) I wanted to include a haymaking scene. I asked my dad (over eighty, but still a farmer) whether farmers still made traditional rectangular bales (as opposed to the plastic wrapped round ones you see everywhere) He assured me they did. After the book came out I was invited to a private book group in someone’s kitchen. After sitting through an hour of their non-book related chit chat, the hostess stood up to introduce me with words something like: ‘This is catherine Simpson who set her book on a Lancashire farm where they make rectangular bales even though they don’t exist anymore.’ I assured her that my farming consultant (!) said they did. Then asked if she was from farming stock to which she replied: ‘no, I used to go on holiday to a farm as a child.’ I managed to remain polite, but I rather regret it.
Ahh yes, the expertise of personal experience, as opposed to actual expertise!
As a fellow historical writer I feel your pain. Try as we might I think there are always going to be tiny details that will slip through the most assiduous inspection, only to be leapt on by a reader with more knowledge about the subject.
All historical fiction authors should just put MEA CULPA at the start of every book and have done with it. Until some Latin expert explains why that's incorrect too, of course...