  Action/Adventure
This week: Observations and Experiences Edited by: Legerdemain  
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Observations and Experiences
I was camping earlier this month and part of the hiking trail I was following was along the side of a country road. Now you'd think nothing much happens along a country road, but apparently the critters who live on either side of the road are always running across to visit their neighbors. And sure enough, a few of them picked the wrong time to dash across.
I came across a dead deer in the weeds, which was sad. Such beautiful creatures they are. And of course the writer in me had to make some observations as I lumbered by. One, deer are very spindly. A lot of spindly legs had gone every which way. I tried to analyze how each one got that direction. It was too much of a puzzle. Two, apparently dead things have a problem with keeping their tongues in their mouth. I decided this when I passed the raccoon, also on the side of the road.
As I got back onto the wooded path and away from the death and destruction, I thought, I'll have to remember these things, when I kill off stuff in my novels. The point of this newsletter is this; even when you encounter something unpleasant and are experiencing it, remember the details, they'll come in handy later. That, and breathe through your mouth. Write on!
This month's question: Do you incorporate even your unpleasant experiences in your writing?
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Excerpt: The greatest danger for any wizard lay in the perception of other wizards who acted like sharks, devouring one another. His current apprentice Fenton displayed all the signs of a predator, asking too many questions and keeping to close of an eye on Anton. Even at this moment, Fenton was using an invisibility spell to conceal himself in the far corner of King Worag's room. Anton chuckled to himself. Fenton was smart, but he lacked imagination. Fenton's sandals had a small piece of spelled thread woven into them. Anton always knew his location.
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Excerpt: He was eating a brain sundae as she walked in. They made eye contact, and his face lit up with joy! “Blargg,” he said, pointing to himself. Vera smiled.
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#2000205 by Not Available. |
Excerpt: For a man that might soon be rich as a lord, Tenry was very unhappy. He had come far into the west mountains chasing a rumor of wealth. So far all he had found was tedium and irritation. That was fine, as an outlaw these past decades, Tenry had been long acquainted with both. His traveling companions, accomplices really, were new to him, and each was a unique trial. Belk was hardly more then a boy; freshly fled from his fathers farm and completely without an original thought of his own. Still he could cook some and carried more than his fair share, which was a blessing to Tenry's aching back. The lad was forever humming a warbling tune under his breath as he worked, but Tenry had put up with worse habits from worse men in days past. The other man, Markon, was a different matter.
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Excerpt: Disclaimer: The content of this story is for entertainment purposes only and is not meant to offend any alien race, regardless of color, creed, gender, planet, or galaxy. So vaporizing our planet would be an overreaction.
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Excerpt: My wife and the kids have always been there for me. I can't understand what's happened. I keep asking why they haven't come, but no one will answer me. All day long strangers surround me and at night they lock my bedroom door. I don't like this place. I want to go home.
Now they've put me in this room again, with just a table and two chairs. I don't like this room, I always feel as though I'm being watched. There's a very large mirror on one wall. I don't like what I see in that mirror. I don't look like myself. I need a shave, but no one will give me a razor.
The door, it's opening and someone's coming in. It's a man wearing a white coat and carrying a clip board. Maybe he can help me.
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Excerpt: He sat in an end seat in the waiting room. Thomas lay curled up at his feet. It was reminiscent of a thousand evenings when the black Lab curled up at his feet. No matter where Dan sat, Thomas found his place near him. For fifteen years, Thomas slept soundly knowing his closest friend was near. Only this was not like all the other times; occasionally Thomas jerked and twitched slightly and emitted little whimpers. It was difficult to get old, even for dogs.
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This month's question: Do you incorporate unpleasant experiences in your writing?
Last month's question: Do you believe a lot of historical research is necessary to write historical fiction?
billwilcox admits: I used to just wing-it, but now I've become a big believer in researching for information. In my tale called"The Peskadot Warrior" , I knew nothing about Guam, but when I did some research, I was confronted with multiple ideas on where to take my story and what to write about. 
allenalien  replies: I think exhaustive research is required for any 'real world' fiction of any period that takes the author out of his/her area of expertise. I always end up with hundreds of links and references for a story of any length. I spend much more time reading and researching than writing when I write. If the author doesn't care to get it right, I don't care to read it. And you can't possibly capture the look and feel of an era without diving deeply into it yourself. Plus it's half the fun.
Quick-Quill  tells us: Research is a must in historical fiction. No matter what I write I try to add something a person can relate to. In my novel I added real cities. I didn't have to describe them much as they were just mentioned as geographical notes. If someone looked them up or lived near them they'd know the terrain. I just called a woman from one of those cities and mentioned I used it in my book. She said "I'll buy it!" Real facts are what the reader connects to and makes your story more believable no matter the genre.
Jaeff | KBtW of the Free Folk  responds: I don't think a ton of historical research is necessary to write historical fiction... just enough to convince your reader that you're familiar with the time period. The word "fiction," after all, is in the genre title so it's not like you have to make every nuance and detail 100% factually accurate. But you shouldn't take so many liberties that it becomes unrealistic. My general goal with historical fiction is to include enough research to show the reader that I did more than just guess at what the period was like... but stop well short of making it a technical manual filled with research materials.
JACE - House Targaryen  answers: Hi, Leger. Great newsletter. I do believe historical fiction is much more interesting when historical facts are weaved into the story. Of course, I love research.  My problem is often curbing my enthusiastic use of those facts.
BIG BAD WOLF is hopping  advises: It all depends on what you are writing. Obviously, research is needed when setting a story in the past. Of course, one doesn't need to put in all of the details - if you say that the right side of a codpiece has five holes, while the left has four, you're going beyond what's needed for Medieval Undergarments. 
Elle - on hiatus  says: Yes, historical research is necessary to write historical fiction. The ultimate example of this for me is Jean M Auel and her Earth's Children series. The sheer amount of research that went into those books to make it so the reader could believe in the characters and picture the scenes (set in the Ice Age)... Phenomenal.
Dhu-Glas sends: If one does not know the time period or mood of the era, then yes. Research to keep the action believable and historically accurate is a necessity. To have a buccaneer of the era of pirates using a repeating weapon such as a Colt would be so far out of context as to destroy the piece. It is also vital to know the mindset of the characters, the morals and mores of the day to keep the speech and within the time period.
So. Yes I say again.
Thanks to everyone who responded, your replies were helpful and insightful.
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Action/Adventure: July 23, 2014 Issue [#6451]
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