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August 15, 2003
research
Proofs away! My copyediting skills are seriously rusty. I've forgotten all the neat little symbols and such that one is supposed to use when editing things. Blargh.
In a fit of historical correctness, I went and ordered three books on medieval life in castles, villages, and cities because that's another department where I could use some polish. I know tons about life in pre-Christian Mediterranean and African cultures, but my half-assed history degree from SFSU is many many years in my past, and none of my professors really addressed how people lived anyway (a shame; I found that far more interesting than the endless political bullshit, though the Medicis were fascinating).
Not that I am strict in my research, but I like to have it. I detest writing where the author simply scoops out the guts of a research thesis and plops it into their novel. Where's the fun in that? Research should be like a backbone. It gives the story structure, but it's icky if it's actually visible.
And for the record -- as a professional games writer, I have to say that RPGs can be a useful tool for writing novels, but if I can hear the dice rolling while I'm reading your story, then you have failed to successfully draw me in and separate your story from an overly detailed explanation of the last game you DM'd.
But anyway, back to what I'm writing now -- I'm thinking China when I write the rural setting for Orobaerus, and have been thinking that for a couple years now, even though its inhabitants are relatively Franco-Anglo in appearance and speech, and the landmass is much smaller than China (hurray for imagination!). And all this just reminds me that I need to flip through my Chronicles of the Emperors of China book again; I must, I must.
And oh, here's to hoping that someday I get to visit all these marvelous countries I like to draw from in my stories. Japan, China, France, Egypt...drool.
Posted by sdshaver at August 15, 2003 05:00 PM