You’ve done your research, like really, copious amounts of it. There are a piles of books scattered around your house and don’t even mention the hoard of URLs and downloaded journal articles clogging up your computer or other devices. What’s this?! There’s a loose end, there’s another one, and no, are they multiplying? Don’t fret.Continue reading “Let’s Research: Filling In The Gaps”
Tag Archives: historical fiction
Let’s Research: Great Resources
Resources for writers are bountiful, especially in the digital age. You can find all sorts of obscure bits of trivia online. You can also access digitized journals or books that you might not be able to access outside of a college town. There is so much that can be discovered, and it is exciting! InContinue reading “Let’s Research: Great Resources”
Let’s Research: Understanding Sources
As a writer (people, in general, need this, too), understanding sources is vital. Not all sources are created equal, and because they are created by humans, one has to look at the creator of any text to see what biases or agendas they might have. Sometimes, veracity can be impacted by creator biases or unintentionallyContinue reading “Let’s Research: Understanding Sources”
Let’s Research: Down The Rabbit Hole
Research is a rite of passage for many a writer. No matter the genre, there is usually some level required unless the novel’s world is very small and completely within the realm of what the author knows. For some, research transforms into a never-ending rabbit hole–à la Alice in Wonderland–and writing never launches. It canContinue reading “Let’s Research: Down The Rabbit Hole”
Check, check: We’re Live
I usually try to do a year-in-review post, and here it is twenty days into the new year. 2018 had plenty of ups and its share of disappointments — what year doesn’t have them? It started with my recovery from having another organ being removed (gallbladder) and ended with a giant health-related question mark, whichContinue reading “Check, check: We’re Live”
Historical Fiction Writer On The Road
I’ve never traveled for my writing before, but this September I found myself in Jasper County, IN, researching for my historical fictional novel, which I’m tentatively calling Beneath the Black Oak. Focusing on an Amish girl during WWI and rising tensions against anything considered German in the U.S., I had been trying to place myContinue reading “Historical Fiction Writer On The Road”
Life Is A Whirlwind
A lot of exciting things have been happening in my writing life in 2018. For one thing, I actually got a bite from an agent! I have been querying Heritage Lost for about 2 1/2 years, off and on. After taking a break, I’d picked up querying at the beginning of this year, and unlikeContinue reading “Life Is A Whirlwind”
The logistics of war
This post is in honor of Memorial Day. Thank you to all who have served, including those who paid the ultimate price. Writing a novel containing a war is perhaps one of the most challenging things to do, particularly if you, due to your characters, are in the thick of the conflict, which is veryContinue reading “The logistics of war”
You know what’s fun? Euphemisms
“Where’s Ol’Daisy, Joe Bob?” asked Bobby Ray upon entering the milking parlor. “She kicked her last bucket.” Joe Bob continued to squirt milk into the milk pan as he sat next to Ol’Trixie. “EH?” “You know, she exited the barn for the last time… is eating in a greener pasture on a farm upstate.” Continue reading “You know what’s fun? Euphemisms”
Partial Review: Attempting to use Evernote
I had downloaded Evernote several months ago, but had never really messed around with it until this week. So far, I’m seeing a lot of potential for this program and its nifty Firefox add-on — I have yet to use the Android app — as a writer. I’ve set up separate notebooks for each ofContinue reading “Partial Review: Attempting to use Evernote”
Blood & Ink 