Writing the Novel
Not my actual writing space.
Blog 3 – 10/17/2023 Writing the Novel
So, you’ve decided to write fiction and your medium is the novel. Stay your hand over that keyboard until you familiarize yourself with the genre you’ve chosen. Are you going to write mysteries, romance, thrillers, horror, or fantasy? In my novels, I captured a culturally recognizable time set in a real place. In The Infidel and the Ghost of Moscow, I chose Washington D.C. and Kuwait in World War II. So, I write historical fiction.
Historical fiction relies on research, research, and more research. Even though I knew quite a bit about Washington and Kuwait from having lived in both places, I rounded out the details by diving into the encyclopedia (remember, I began writing before the ubiquitous internet), the library, and then online sources. Once you’ve grounded yourself in the minutiae of your setting, you’re free to let your imagination fly. Move a building or even a timeline, but don’t stray too far from the real world or you’ll have critics both professional and amateur pointing fingers. When you introduce historical figures as background for your main characters, be sure to do your research here, also.
While you’re doing your research, rest your mind by reading within your genre. I read Herman Wouk, Larry McMurtry, Kate Quinn, Tracy Chevalier, Kate Furnivall, and Caleb Carr. I enjoy works by these authors, but I also admire their styles and voices. I also found a very informative internet site devoted to new authors, called Writer Unboxed.
Just because you’re researching your period and setting while reading established authors in your genre, you needn’t waste the remainder of your time. Start writing. You can always adjust your words for accuracy in period and location as you review what you have so far written.
Do yourself a big favor by finding a critique group. These folks are not a book group. They’re usually other authors although sometimes they’re only dreamers who want to write. Keep the group small and convivial. If you can’t find a group, start one. You can refer to internet sites on how to manage a group. My critique group in Grand Junction, Colorado, lasted fourteen years. Then I moved away.
If you like do-it-yourself books, buy one AFTER you’ve researched the reviews. Use only one book because too many create confusion.
Share your chapters with family or friends if you wish, but don’t expect anything except glowing reviews. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a spouse or friend who has a major in English Literature, has read extensively, and doesn’t mind stepping on your ego, you should rely on constructive criticism from your fellow group members. My first novel underwent numerous revisions, trims, and rewrites. Writing fiction is not for sissies. You have to be open to feedback if you want to get better at it. But remember, you’re writing fiction and if you don’t have all the answers, make it up.
Okay, now, you have the interest, are doing the research, and found your group. Where and when do you write? Each one of you will establish a space and time but try to create a routine that everyone in the family understands. You’re going off to write even though to someone passing in the hall you look as though you’re just staring into space.
In both of our homes, I chose the smallest extra room in the house for my hide-away. I am more comfortable with few distractions, although I continue a habit begun in college. I always have music playing in the background. I have a recliner, a small table, and a bookcase for my research books, atlas, dictionary, and other paraphernalia. I organize email copies, drafts, and other loose material in accordion files within reach of my recliner. A printer and small television round out my equipment. The morning light pours through a small window over my shoulder and evening light comes from a floor lamp. And most importantly, just down the hall I have a Keurig. Dark roast, please.
You may find early mornings, afternoons, or late at night to be your best time to write. I write all day, but I am at my best just after breakfast and routine errands. I need at least three uninterrupted hours at my computer. I often sit down to write in the afternoon after my wife has accomplished all that she has set her mind to do for the day because it usually includes me. I have conditioned myself to close shop by 6:15 every evening. Since my novels are always playing in my mind, I keep a pad and lighted pen on my nightstand. I can’t rely on memory alone to capture that brilliant idea. Try it. It works.
Find a comfortable space to create your own magic.
In my next blog, I’ll explore the development of female characters. The Infidel and the Ghost of Moscow features several women who showcase various facets of my main themes. One is older and self-assured. One is young and uncertain. One is an office buddy who offers tender moments in a bleak world. All are bigger than life. I hope they are captivating as they circle around my hero and his true love, the married ghost from Moscow. Her conception took on a life of its own, and I’m still unsure how much I know her even though she is my own creation. My wife might understand her better than I ever will.