I think I've hit research overload. As a writer of historical fiction, research is important...nay, absolutely necessary if one wants to have any credibility, but the problem is, is that research can take over your life and cause you great pain.
I am into my forth, 400-600 page, book concerning China, the take over of the communists, and Mao Tse-tung. I know, I'm nuts, right? It is very depressing stuff and I can only take so much before my mind goes numb and my heart suffers. Also, after six hours of sitting and reading, my lower back starts yelling, "Get up! Go walking! What are you thinking! Get up!"
There are times when I really want to write children's chapter books. I'd come up with some quirky character who wants to be the world's next great pastry chef and goes to Paris to study. Nothing but fun and froth! Sounds like heaven.
Yet, in spite of the joy of that dream, my mind reverts back to the necessity of telling the story of people's lives that were decimated by the evils of communism in China, so dutifully I return to my books about Mao.
My mom always said, "Bloom where you're planted," and I guess I'm planted in the realm of historical fiction. And, in spite of the occasional grousing (and back ache), I have to say I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to tell stories of the past.
1 comment:
I love historical fiction! I've actually had people, (for lack of a better word) "sneer" at me when commenting about historical things that are true but are also in a fictional book. The comment always comes, "The author just made that up..."
I reply, that I have read comments even from authors who are not writing about a real event who do research to write their books. Sometimes people don't understand!
Sigh
Thanks to authors who research!
;^)
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