Researching Your Historical Topic: Ways to Find What You Need
If you’re writing historical fiction, your story is only as strong as your research. It’s tempting to rely on a quick internet search to fill in the details, but not everything online is accurate, complete, or unbiased. Getting the facts wrong can pull readers out of your story (or worse, earn you a pointed review). The good news? There are powerful, often overlooked resources available to authors who are willing to dig a little deeper. Angel Giacomo shows you how to track down the historical details your story needs.
Even when writing fiction, research is vital and may involve reading relevant books or conducting online searches. If you use the latter strategy, be cautious, as not everything published online is reliable. Many sites omit or ignore pertinent facts. For example, information about the U.S. Civil War is heavily censored, some of it even written in revisionism, erasing or downplaying the involvement of certain individuals and groups. You risk a bad review if you rely solely on what you find online, whether because you miss information or get something wrong. Always double-check, or even triple-check, your facts across multiple websites, books, and journals.
One way to find the correct information is to use government resources. The Freedom of Information Act is one such source in the United States. There is an online site that works for most federal agencies. You could also find the information you need in the released records. Just set up an account first.
https://foiaonline.gov/foiaonline/action/public/home
I recommend the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as a first stop. It holds millions of online, searchable records. The database is extensive. If the records are unavailable, you can request them. This process takes time because the records must be researched, and you will likely have to pay a fee. Depending on the information requested, the fee can range from $20.00 to hundreds of dollars. The records here cover the military, presidents, and other aspects of U.S. history, including reproductions and microfilm.
Be specific in your request, and always include names and dates to ensure the records you obtain meet your needs. NARA has offices in many locations. The military records area is in St. Louis; the moving image and sound holdings are at the National Archives in College Park, MD; and there is an office in Washington, D.C. Because requests must be routed to the right location, allow plenty of time for receipt before the information is needed.
Always review what you receive to make sure it is correct. I received information about someone I didn’t request, and had to go through the process all over again.
This image and the one above were found on NARA’s searchable pages and are in the public domain.
Going directly to the source is another way to find records. For example, if you need information about the U.S. Navy, contact its FOIA office. The same applies to military bases, most of which have their own FOIA offices. You can send a letter by email or by mail to the appropriate office.
The letters are relatively straightforward, and templates are available online. You can use the example below.
Date:
TO: Address you are sending the FOIA or EMAIL TO: Use the email address provided if applicable.
(Example)
DON FOIA Public Liaison
Chief of Naval Operations (DNS-36)
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, D.C. 20350-2000
703-697-0031410-293-1550Dear FOIA Officer:
Under the Freedom of Information Act, I request access to the following records: [Insert a description of the documents you seek.]
For fee assessment purposes, I am making this request on behalf of {Insert one of the following options that best describes your status.} a. Myself, for personal, not commercial use. b. A company or business for commercial purposes. c. A representative of the news media for news gathering, not for commercial purposes. d. An affiliated educational or non-commercial scientific institution, not for commercial use.
I am willing to pay up to $[insert amount] for this request. If you determine the fees exceed that amount, please contact me before proceeding.
Sincerely,
Full Name
Name of Company (if applicable)
Street / Mailing Address
City, State, ZIP Code
Telephone Number
Email Address
My final piece of advice is to think outside the box. You can find the information you need in the most unexpected places.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
After a successful career in law enforcement as a field officer, explosives-detection K-9 handler, and fatality traffic investigator, Angel Giacomo turned to writing. She holds a degree in Political Science and History. A strong advocate for veterans, Angel supports several veteran organizations. Her first book, a military thriller titled The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: In the Eye of the Storm, was published in 2020.
In 2025, her book The Jackson MacKenzie Chronicles: Golden Feather received 5 stars – Highly Recommended by The Historical Fiction Book Company and was a semi-finalist for Book of the Year.
Angel has had many different careers. Her life has been a learning experience spanning more than 50 years. Examples of her experience include handling a bomb-sniffing dog, loading cargo planes, entering data into a computer, playing the trombone, washing dishes at a restaurant, and bagging groceries.
She has attended FEMA classes on terrorism, suicide bombers, and nuclear/biological threats, handled explosives, and shot various weapons, from the M1 Garand to the AR-15, as well as many different pistols.
A jack of many trades and a master of none. Or maybe a few.
CONNECT WITH ANGEL GIACOMO
Website: https://thejacksonmackenziechronicles.godaddysites.com/
Instagram: @1stbattalionpublishing
X: @Battalion1st
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angelgiacomo1972
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-g-9488b6220/
DUAL CONVERGENCE: WITNESS TO HISTORY
In Umbra, Veritas
“In the shadows, there is truth.”
Teddy, known to some as “Bull,” short for “Bull Moose,” for how he charges into battle, carries the same name. He wears the same medal.
The spirit of the Rough Rider, Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, 1st U.S.V., walks beside him. U.S. Army Colonel Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt IV (Ret.) — Special Forces, Vietnam Veteran, former covert operative, Medal of Honor recipient, and great-nephew of the 26th President—teaches the next generation of leaders at West Point. Yet beneath the calm discipline of the classroom lies a man still wrestling with the legacy of those who came before him.
