As writers of historical fiction, there’s a lot of things I can’t just make up. I mean, there’s the big research: What happened in this historical event? Who was there? What were the consequences? But then there’s the intermediate stuff: How would someone insult someone else in this period? What was popular in art &…
Tag: research
Research status? Confusing, cluttered, and chaotic!
Research, both noun and verb, means to investigate for facts—explore, analyze, delve into. But what’s next? I overheard an author, I think Susan Spann, say that by writing a rough draft first, she then knew what research she needed. A quarter of the way through self-editing my final draft, I tested Ms. Spann’s idea. By…
Write What You Know
“Write what you know.” That was Mrs. Frances Toepfer’s advice on the first day of English Composition class at Abraham Lincoln High School in southwest Denver more years ago than I wish to acknowledge. She then raised her glasses from the chain around her neck and studied us for a moment, expecting, I suppose, questions….
What have I done to myself?
I’ve dabbled in many genres, but I like history. I’ve traveled and hiked Colorado and Wyoming to explore, learn, and meet new people. Sure, I like to read. I’ve seen the world from a variety of points of view. So, wherein lies my personal demise? Putting both of the above into a manuscript—a western historical…
‘Cause you got personality…
…Walk with personality. Talk with personality. Smile with personality. Charm with personality. Love with personality… Now that this song will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day, I’ll explain why it’s there. My employer decided everyone here should take an online personality test (stick with me, there’s a reason for this…