Historical quitting and returns.
In a way a follow up to the YouTube blog of previous.
This week I watched two YouTube videos of note. First, “It’s O.K. to quit,” by Kate Cavanaugh, 06 Jul 21. And “Writing historical fiction,” on Reedsy, presented by Shaelin, 07 Jul 21.
Kate was extolling the virtues of quitting a project, sometimes for good, sometimes for an undefined period. But always to the benefit of keeping writing fun and protecting your mental health. Good sound advice.
Shaelin was pointing out the pitfalls of writing historical fiction for the unprepared. Seems if you look at historical fiction, as fantasy world-building, there is a new interesting problem. The thing is, this world is quite well known. Several people will be familiar with the period you want to write about. Or at least, most people are familiar with the favour of a period.
As a quick aside. I have this theory I call, “The Da Vinci phenomena.” So, Dan Brown sold around 80 million copies of the Davini code. Evidently, Dan made a load of “facts,” up. Wow, how did he get away with that? Turns out, only a tiny percentage of the readership had a clue, he was making stuff up. Most readers know little to nothing of the reality of Renaissance Italy and the daily activities of the Vatican. Leaving Dan free to write what he wanted.
I give you; “The Da Vinci phenomena – writing for an uninformed audience.”
With historical fiction, a lot of readers buy tales set in these time periods, due to an interest in that period. Seems logical to me. Following this logic means readers would tend to have a higher than normal knowledge of the period. The near opposite, of the Da Vinci phenomena. Shaelin in her Reedsy video recommended a lot of research. She suggests, maybe write about a period you are familiar with.
All very informative but what have these professionally produced, well-informed videos got to do with me? And why mention them in this blog? In short, why did these two videos stand out for me?
Recently I revisited a two-thirds, complete, Killer Robot tale. I shelved the said Robot in 2013 because I couldn’t find my way to the planned ending. I returned to the tale in August 2020, found an end and wrapped up a quick second draft by mid-November 20. I gave out copies to my mates to read. Both of them told me where I’d got things wrong. Both agreed and I have come to agree with them. This will require quite a lot of re-writing. Giving me lots to do this coming autumn.
Around January 21, while the robot and I took a break from each other. I returned to an alternative Victorian England/Empire story I had shelved in 2018. I had a beginning, and about fifty-thousand words. Beginning of May 21; I had Forty-two-thousand words. Between those two dates, ideas were dropped, scenes deleted, corrections made.
So that’s two projects shelved for later dates, one of which happens to be an alternative history. Which is about as close as I’m going to get to writing historical fiction. Although I did write about Vikings which strictly speaking is an alternative history too.
For the alternative Victorian novel, I created two timelines. Ours A.K.A. “real-life” and an alternative one. These timelines were bear minimum stuff, dates and a label, tracking key events.
Most of the events of our, real timeline, spill over into the novel but some things get changed as we progress. In the course of the research, I discovered more facts that I incorporated into the tale. Given the learning process, I had an end long before I had a middle.
Being a 100% discovery writer, (pantser, gardener,) I cannot escape the feeling, working out a timeline is a lot like plotting.
On the subject of quitting, for good. None of this “back burner, shelving for later.” I mean actual quitting. I wrote about four thousand words of a novel, “Here, out there,” I undertook loads of world-building, created new interesting creatures to inhabit this world. Created numerous drawings of these aliens; I needed a planet full. An extended universe of notes if you like. So why bin it? A: The story had no story; other than a Robinson Crusoe vibe. I even read, Robinson Crusoe to see what could be done. Sorry to say the book bored me rigid. That effort got binned. I do love Gulliver's Travels though if we are talking shipwrecked men.
I quit writing a post-apocalyptic tale, Working title: “Post Apocalyptic tale.” Once again ideas were noted, even drew pictures of the Ant and Pro. A couple of scenes and no. I wouldn’t get this thing to work. Bin!
Not sure if this was linked to the above, but I binned a plague story, pandemic. Even read a novel with a similar idea, which shall remain, nameless. Similar to Robinson Crusoe, I found myself, bored again.
I can’t remember any other times I quit. Mostly it happens early before I’ve really written anything. Whenever an idea crops up I have to assess it. If I can’t think of how to make it work, it has to go. I’ve too many ideas I want to work on already. If from one sentence idea to 80K of words takes about two years; I have a full-time job. Then I can generate ideas quicker than books. I’m working on, the ideas mentioned above and holding more in my head. E.G. I plan to write a Matrix sort of thing and a Logan’s Run, style novel. Time will tell.
So, with the July Blog finally written, it’s time to return to the Robot Story. Expect…
I’ve decided to write, a children’s story, about a talking horse. I blame Jonathan Swift.
Well, that's the July blog wrapped up, posted, done, complete, finished. Thanks for stopping to the end, hope you enjoyed it. TJ.
This week I watched two YouTube videos of note. First, “It’s O.K. to quit,” by Kate Cavanaugh, 06 Jul 21. And “Writing historical fiction,” on Reedsy, presented by Shaelin, 07 Jul 21.
Kate was extolling the virtues of quitting a project, sometimes for good, sometimes for an undefined period. But always to the benefit of keeping writing fun and protecting your mental health. Good sound advice.
Shaelin was pointing out the pitfalls of writing historical fiction for the unprepared. Seems if you look at historical fiction, as fantasy world-building, there is a new interesting problem. The thing is, this world is quite well known. Several people will be familiar with the period you want to write about. Or at least, most people are familiar with the favour of a period.
As a quick aside. I have this theory I call, “The Da Vinci phenomena.” So, Dan Brown sold around 80 million copies of the Davini code. Evidently, Dan made a load of “facts,” up. Wow, how did he get away with that? Turns out, only a tiny percentage of the readership had a clue, he was making stuff up. Most readers know little to nothing of the reality of Renaissance Italy and the daily activities of the Vatican. Leaving Dan free to write what he wanted.
I give you; “The Da Vinci phenomena – writing for an uninformed audience.”
With historical fiction, a lot of readers buy tales set in these time periods, due to an interest in that period. Seems logical to me. Following this logic means readers would tend to have a higher than normal knowledge of the period. The near opposite, of the Da Vinci phenomena. Shaelin in her Reedsy video recommended a lot of research. She suggests, maybe write about a period you are familiar with.
All very informative but what have these professionally produced, well-informed videos got to do with me? And why mention them in this blog? In short, why did these two videos stand out for me?
Recently I revisited a two-thirds, complete, Killer Robot tale. I shelved the said Robot in 2013 because I couldn’t find my way to the planned ending. I returned to the tale in August 2020, found an end and wrapped up a quick second draft by mid-November 20. I gave out copies to my mates to read. Both of them told me where I’d got things wrong. Both agreed and I have come to agree with them. This will require quite a lot of re-writing. Giving me lots to do this coming autumn.
Around January 21, while the robot and I took a break from each other. I returned to an alternative Victorian England/Empire story I had shelved in 2018. I had a beginning, and about fifty-thousand words. Beginning of May 21; I had Forty-two-thousand words. Between those two dates, ideas were dropped, scenes deleted, corrections made.
So that’s two projects shelved for later dates, one of which happens to be an alternative history. Which is about as close as I’m going to get to writing historical fiction. Although I did write about Vikings which strictly speaking is an alternative history too.
For the alternative Victorian novel, I created two timelines. Ours A.K.A. “real-life” and an alternative one. These timelines were bear minimum stuff, dates and a label, tracking key events.
Most of the events of our, real timeline, spill over into the novel but some things get changed as we progress. In the course of the research, I discovered more facts that I incorporated into the tale. Given the learning process, I had an end long before I had a middle.
Being a 100% discovery writer, (pantser, gardener,) I cannot escape the feeling, working out a timeline is a lot like plotting.
On the subject of quitting, for good. None of this “back burner, shelving for later.” I mean actual quitting. I wrote about four thousand words of a novel, “Here, out there,” I undertook loads of world-building, created new interesting creatures to inhabit this world. Created numerous drawings of these aliens; I needed a planet full. An extended universe of notes if you like. So why bin it? A: The story had no story; other than a Robinson Crusoe vibe. I even read, Robinson Crusoe to see what could be done. Sorry to say the book bored me rigid. That effort got binned. I do love Gulliver's Travels though if we are talking shipwrecked men.
I quit writing a post-apocalyptic tale, Working title: “Post Apocalyptic tale.” Once again ideas were noted, even drew pictures of the Ant and Pro. A couple of scenes and no. I wouldn’t get this thing to work. Bin!
Not sure if this was linked to the above, but I binned a plague story, pandemic. Even read a novel with a similar idea, which shall remain, nameless. Similar to Robinson Crusoe, I found myself, bored again.
I can’t remember any other times I quit. Mostly it happens early before I’ve really written anything. Whenever an idea crops up I have to assess it. If I can’t think of how to make it work, it has to go. I’ve too many ideas I want to work on already. If from one sentence idea to 80K of words takes about two years; I have a full-time job. Then I can generate ideas quicker than books. I’m working on, the ideas mentioned above and holding more in my head. E.G. I plan to write a Matrix sort of thing and a Logan’s Run, style novel. Time will tell.
So, with the July Blog finally written, it’s time to return to the Robot Story. Expect…
I’ve decided to write, a children’s story, about a talking horse. I blame Jonathan Swift.
Well, that's the July blog wrapped up, posted, done, complete, finished. Thanks for stopping to the end, hope you enjoyed it. TJ.
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