Writing Historical Fiction Archives - Page 5 of 33

Go Ahead – Open Book Blog Hop #483

June 30, 2025 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #483

You have been chosen to participate in a time travel adventure, (You’ll end up the same area as you are now.) You get to choose between traveling 150 years in the past or 150 years in the future. Which do you pick?

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop, Friend! The authors included in this ongoing learning series wish to thank you for your reading. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writing with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

Definitely, I would pick the future ahead, and hope that things aren’t worse than they are right now. Women and feminine presenting individuals were traditionally treated poorly throughout history. A 150 years ago would be 1875 in New York. Let’s be real about this. It might be fun for a man, but I have no interest in the septic society of a Victorian era town.

steampunk design of clock and gears in the clouds with a skull sepia tones — ^{DarkSouls1 ox Pixabay}

People were very superstitious back then. Medicine remained undeveloped, though better than medieval airs. If anything went wrong, let’s say, I do not want to be left at the hands of a town doctor in 1875. Forget having anesthesia! Women traveling were seen as potential victims by thieves and other ne’er-do-wells. You were to be escorted. And, if my ankle shows, I’d be a scandal who deserves whatever the man who grabs me dishes out.

With my mouth and a sense of personal value, there is no way I would mesh well. Sure, I would love the clothes, if I can get them arsenic free. The decor is fabulous, if you can get that arsenic free, too. There were numerous dangerous things to avoid–too many unknown and known to track. What were the laws to be wary of, especially as a woman? There was no right to vote and female healthcare was precarious in the law. Women’s rights evolved in this time, but the issue still counts socially repressed and backward in comparison to today’s standards. No, Thank You!

I’d love to instead look ahead. 2175 would be the year. I’d hope we’d have resolved the repressive regimes of our world, who sought to control people based on gender or skin tone. But, maybe it wouldn’t be so hot then either. It’s a complete unknown. Things can go backward in a flash, as we see throughout the end of the 20th century to today. Be mindful of who you support, or you could end up selling your soul for oppression. It’s incredible!

With the burgeoning push by the wealthy to wrest control from democratic governments (or any government), there could be a technocracy in this time. Sometimes, evil can last a long time. Then again, humanity is an amazing species. We bristle at the idea of oppression. I imagine a major revolution is in the works in our time, and it will result in the society would exist in 2175. Egalitarian? Socialistic and libertarian? I don’t know. I just hope we get wise to needing regulations on those who will poison our water, air, and soil. That we will get wise to the idea of respecting the usage of resources.

I have a lot of hope for what lies ahead. Many malign the next generation, in step with the generations before them–ignoring, that they raised them, so if they’re failing you failed them. Kids are remarkable, as far as I can tell. They’re casting off archaic ideas of superiority and outdated spiritual practices that often support bigotry. Mental health is being take far more seriously, along with it’s effects on physical health. That should help a lot with such issues, as I believe much of it stems from personal feelings of inadequacy and unresolved emotions.

The hope that we evolve into a society with a beautiful level of freedom that reflects do what you want, but harm none is quite popular right now. I think we could do this, if we start now. However, this trusts that people are inherently good. From historical perspective, nothing could be further from the truth. Why? Because we need to plan for the worst case. If person A decides they don’t care, they will inspire person B and C to also not care. Then person D gets angry, but they don’t listen to person E who want to enforce rules on A, B, C–no they want to revenge ignore the rule or ethic. Person F gets angry and pushes back to protect G, H, and I. E is screaming for reason, joined J, K, and L. M says that won’t work and mutters away pointing out all the issues on all the sides without solutions.

And, here we are all over again, just because A felt an entitlement to act as they felt and ignored all the repercussions because thinking is for the weak or something, not giving them them credence is somehow strength. I haven’t even mentioned the Sociopathy of N or the Psychopathy of O, or the narcissism of P, Q, and R. May the powers that be help us all. You name an issue, and you’ll find it always goes like this. Humans.

Thus, 2175 could end up a legal battleground in which none of us want to be involved in. I’m sitting here wondering why any of us have children, when this is the reality they face ahead. My kid will be around in 2075, and I will likely be gone. 100 years after my birth, the world will have changed technologically and socially. We can only hope it changes for the greatest good. Watching the defunding of research tells me that we may become a very dead end nation, backward and unevolved. I am not certain I want to visit a world that results from such policies. Not to mention, I might get scooped up and detained interminably.

Maybe watching it on a screen from a safe distance is the best bet. 150 years is enough time to create a hellscape, even one that looks like a utopia. I’ve watched enough Star Trek to know not everything ahead of us is good.

I do have one question, though: Will there be aliens? Will they finally show up? That I gotta see!

Click on the links below to see how the other authors answer. There are a lot of perspectives among our writers, and I bet some will see things differently from me. I, for one, want to read those ideas and see the world through their eyes, whether it is 150 years ago or 150 years ahead. Don’t forget to subscribe before you leave, so the hop arrives each Friday in your inbox. See you next time!

Plot Untwisted – Open Book Blog Hop #480

June 9, 2025 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #480

What are your triggers for writing? (For instance, what gets you
hyped or starts the story in your head). What chills your drive to write?

Plot. Let me tell you about epic plot! Growing up in the great 1980s film period, I have to say, proved a blessing. These creators fed my drive toward art. Not only was I witness to some of the greatest films of that time, but also all the greats that came before. I didn’t have to wait for Orson Welles to complete his life’s work. It was pretty much done. Same with writers, such as Tolkien.

a map lies on the table with books and writing implements, as a person takes notes. Photo by Oxona on Unsplash

Today, I look at my daughter, and I can tell she’s not likely to be an artist. For her, there’s no draw in the media that created the drive within me. She does love animals and goofy cartoons, though, which we share. Of course, there is still time for her to discover such things. By her age, I already liked a great many pieces of literature, film, and art. It was just who I was. Sure, my parents encouraged it, but don’t be fooled. They didn’t have a lot, so what fell in my lap is what was available. The reach limited. They didn’t seek to bring it to me. I sought it. My daughter prefers playing with dinosaurs as a veterinarian. Reading, not so much. She’s okay with drawing, so long as it’s not too involved–and despite herself, shows reasonable talent.

At her age, I was an explorer, and loved encyclopedias. I read a lot! I watched a lot, too. So, with that science minded brain full of literature, I think the dissection of plot came natural to me. That said, M. Night Shyamalan fooled me pretty good with The SIxth Sense. However, you only unbox that film once. It’s brilliant how the idea rolls out, but one watch reveals the secret. That’s it. So it goes with the plot of most films and movies.

Do we go back to them anyway? Yeah, we do! There’s a delight in being on the inside, too. You can never get the feeling of being shocked again by the reveal. However, being inside, you have a lot more to look for. The treasures you uncover in a second look are numerous, then it becomes an effort to dig up the remaining jewels. Plot is like puzzle. Sometimes, numerous watches are required before unpakcing the full treasure. I’ve never felt a book or film spoiled by knowing the ending. The trip from the start to the end is the point. I love seeing how an author does that.

At my experienced age, my focus on writing and film, the fun is in viewing how another artist achieves the whole deed. The craft, is in the plot. That’s why I often laugh when a young person is out here decrying the contrived plot of some new film. What I hear them say is they didn’t like how the end turned out (proven in the responses they give when asked why). They may say, they wouldn’t have written it that way. Why haven’t they attempted it, then?

An appreciation for the execution of film or fiction goes deeper than individual taste. I didn’t like Pastoral. There wasn’t anything there for me. I found it dry and terrible. Women vying for a cheater is life, certainly. However, it was pathetic and shouldn’t have been a story past the young woman finding out her fiancé was being unfaithful. If the problem is you desire monogamy, then that is not the right relationship, and you deserve better. If he wants a poly situation, he should have been honest. He was being a terrible person, and proves he is untrustworthy and selfish. No one needs that. The whole thing was high school drama on hot dry sand. Give me water! That’s a lazy plot.

The reason I disliked Pastoral more was its overall predictability and copy paste story. The author didn’t bring anything to the table I have not heard a million times. It didn’t evolve with any revelations already reveled. I wasted a couple days floundering in the pages. Interestingly, I felt the same with The Alchemist. However, the latter was a far better story. It just never got off the ground in any spectacular way. Each crescendo felt anti-climactic. I’ve always said, a bit more needed to be there. Perhaps a rewrite was needed. It felt too lean. The overall idea is cool, but the execution lacks.

I’m spoiled by the brilliant word smiths I grew up reading, and I expect authors to improve upon those examples–I guess. The same is true for movies. In more recent decades, I have been able to predict the meter of a film by who is in it. The character actor is overshadowed by the idea of the film star. That’s a tragedy. Character actors lend a depth to film that stars cannot. Hollywood, at least, really took the idea of star power to a level that turned every film into over-produced and empty discardable junk. It’s window dressing no substance. The worst part of that: the stars, in most cases, are quite capable of doing amazing work. Yet, they’re not allowed. It’s all face-time, not performance.

Looking back, you’ll see stars like Marilyn Monroe complain about this. She tried so hard to escape the machine and role of Marilyn. She was a brilliant woman who deserved far more respect for her ability and her mind. It makes me sad to see how undercut she was by the studios, because all they wanted was her physical form. Something that grossly remains after her death. Film is more than this!

So, yes, I often do find it super easy to unwind a plot as a film plays. A book called Save the Cat has truly ruined film and screenwriting. It’s been hawked to me as the key to opening doors. I need to produce less creative work and more derivative stories that follow a mad-libs outline. That’s not creative. That’s predictable and it’s trash. The art is gone from these kind of films, fully turning movies into a commodity. For real. The whole point was to make the movie more easily sold to the public for a quick buck. Gone are the days of epics. Very rarely does the formula option work. But, the machine is okay with that, because they’re able to fool many into a ticket, and don’t risk losses so much anymore.

When there is no risk, there is no real payoff. Viewers have said for a few decades that every film feels terribly predictable. The rise of independent film has also given rise to independent books. The art is going back to its roots, while the commodity form withers. It’s only going to work so long. People know quality and will respond to it. The studios have responded by clamping down on distribution, to make it harder to get your work out. They’re not above sabotaging artists either.

this way? That way? direction signs in a woodland crossroads, choices

The start of streaming services hasn’t created a loss for cinema. At first, it served as a place for lesser known artists to bring their films. It continues to be that. Of course, the services are creating their own pieces now, and they’re not vibing so much with the Save the Cat formula. Sometimes, that is exactly what they give you, and the views of those releases show the difference. Well thought out stories are still rising. Yet, they’ve become like their larger studio counterparts and exploit the independent artist.

I have hope that film and books will continue to be great in the independent sphere lessening the focus on big studio and publisher pieces. Their shift to more indulgent star driven work reflects that demise. Eventually, not even a known face will be able to bring in the profits. Artists now have the ability to produce their work on their own, and that is increasingly the way it goes. Whether their plots are predictable or not is not going to matter. The way in which they craft them, without formulaic ideas, will be the winning work. The fact that stars are attracted to this form because they can do roles of depth, further exposes that truth. A well-planned plot will give them something to perform.

A film that hits each point amply and creatively is a joy, even if I saw where it headed. After all, driving to Disney World as a kid was just as much fun as getting there. The road was full of things to experience and see. Two days of car born joy. Writers, take us on a road trip. Enjoy the view from your small window and don’t worry so much about the known destination. That’s just the cherry on the top of the sundae. And, if you think you can do better, get crackin’!

Click on the links below to see how the other authors in the hop answer this question (the InLinkz box scrolls). Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog by dropping your email in the box (top right on the pc, scroll down on your phone). See you next time.

Oh, Don’t Say That! – Open Book Blog Hop #476

May 12, 2025 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #476

We’ve talked about our favorite words. Is there a word
you despise? One you refuse to use in your writing?

Welcome back to another Open Book Blog Hop, Friend! The authors included in this ongoing learning series wish to thank you for your reading. Even more so, we appreciate that you share our writing with friends. If you’re new to the series, welcome aboard. The authors engage and impress weekly. Prepare to become a regular reader.

In my twenties, to say the word RAW would make me crazy. I have no idea why. The sound of it straight grated on my ears. The connotation of discomfort or uncooked food, or both! It stands for some uncomfortable things. I guess, in my twenties, there was something going on that made the word so abhorrent for me. Today, I can’t even explain that. Thirty years have passed, and the perspective and situations of life are all worn.

There’s a list of words I have heard others say that are uncomfortable for them. Topping that list is moist. So, I internally giggle whenever I hear that, knowing someone is losing their mind like I had over my word back in the day. I understand it, and it makes me smile in solidarity.

If there are any words I avoid in my writing, it is slurs. I don’t say things I wouldn’t say to another person’s face. That is out of respect for my readers and myself. I do not feel any need whatsoever to exercise a right to free speech around abusive language.

Look, It should be well understood that while we have free speech, there is no freedom from the consequences of its use in public spaces. Should you chose to use a harmful slur (and the like), then you deserve everything you have coming to you. If history of social issues taught nothing, you’ll learn that day. In the very least, exercise caution for yourself–self respect and self preservation, if you can’t manage to be respectful of others. You call it freedom, but the rest of us see it as abuse.

There is no need for it. Frankly, only abusive individuals find a need. As such, the usage of these words reflects on the user alone, and all the history that your social capital builds with it (origins, gender, class, and so on). There’s a reason there exists the saying: the pen is mightier than the sword; or, words can hit as hard as fist (if you’ll recall that abuse public service announcement).

In addition, yes, there are words a historical figure would say. So, you’re writing a historical work of fiction. Is it truly necessary to say such, even in dialogue? How many works from those times do we have access to that contain those words? Okay, and how many of those works were written by disreputable individuals for terrible ends? Which were written containing those words seemingly oblivious to their harm? How many did so to bring awareness?

So, following that exercise: awareness and harm have both been wrought in numbers. Do you need to copy this activity with your work? Why do you feel this way? What does it add to the conversation? Is it better that you listen to those who have been harmed by such language in the past, and support them and their ideas about its use? Are you cherry-picking for consensus? Does your self-respect remain unscathed?

Outside of abusive language, at my age, there’s not much vocabulary I won’t use. I quite frequently speak the f-word, the c-word, and so on. That said, I adjust in company. When you respect others, and yourself, you’ll adjust your mouth to match their flow. My mom hears me swear, but my great Aunt does not. Self-censoring is necessary in a multitude of situations between work and life. That’s not dishonesty, or a breach of freedom. It’s, as I said, a show of respect for others and yourself. Much like donning formal wear or casual wear.

Avoiding toxic language in writing is just as situational as life. Is it necessary? Truly, necessary? In one of my writing classes we had a discussion with the instructor on the matter. If this is the character you’re trying to portray, and the language is tightly twined with that characterization, then it makes sense. That said, we all agreed, the consequences of its use still prevail. There will be readers who do not want to read that. There will be others concerned that the word takes any kind of power. And, then there are those who believe it is their agency to reclaim this word and it should not be in use by those outside the group.

If you insist, just be ready for what will come. Understand that your justification is yours, and it likely won’t hold water for many. Is it useful? Necessary? Kind? What are your goals? Why does your perspective require airing? Did similar perspectives already take center stage on this numerous times? Are you opening a wound you have no business picking at? Should you listen more and talk less on the topic?

neon sign that reads: All we have is words. All we have is worlds. Words need a reader. A writer creates worlds. — ^{Photo by Alexandra on Unsplash}

Whatever your answers are to the above, if you get too emotional in thinking about them, I suggest journaling and coming back to it, but also leaving it out of your writing. You must ask yourself: if I have such a visceral reaction to a request to refrain, why am I having such a visceral reaction to hearing no? You may feel it is your right to do as you please, but then I’d refer you back to situation and respect, and consequences.

Perhaps, it’s not being told no so much as a caution of what will come, and the fact that others have rights, too, not just those wishing to use harmful language. We really must consider more than ourselves when opting into language that carries history. Cussing aside, historically abusive language really is just leveraging that historical abuse for a reaction. There’s no other point to its existence. That history includes who is speaking it and who traditionally spoke and why. A write may think they’re helping. Are they?

Did you know that sensitivity editors exist? They do. I suggest hiring one, if you chose to use certain language to find out more. Also, remember, one person backing you isn’t an entire group. No group is a monolith. Consider your future in writing, if you want to go down that road, and does it feel empowering to those who have had to suffer under it in the past as well as currently?

Sometimes, we get super bogged down in our perspective, forgetting that our lived experience isn’t that of another. It can be unconscious or conscious. Either way, ask yourself the deeper questions. If you have any doubt, don’t use it. Your gut is supplying that necessary warning, to protect yourself and your community (community being family, friends, peers, society).

Anyway, i hope we do our work with consideration for more than ourselves when it matters most. Let’s check out the other author answers and see what words they won’t say. Add your address to my newsletter box, and the hop will arrive each Friday without searching for it. See you next time!

open book blog hop, camera and a notebook on a vintage map

Who to Diddle from my Books – Open Book Blog Hop #475

May 5, 2025 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #475

Which of your characters do you have the biggest crush on?

Spoilers ahead…

Who to diddle in my books? I mean crush on. Either way, this isn’t something I have given much thought to, so it stops me in my tracks a bit. If you know, then you know I’m a demisexual, which means I don’t think about the diddle or even crush much at all. I’m on the ace spectrum, if you will. While I know that I would date anyone that strikes my fancy should something manage to bloom, making me essentially pansexual, the fact is the likelihood of that is super low.

Can a crush be platonic? That opens up the field a bit more. Keep in mind, as you know, writers spend a great deal of time getting to know their characters. Although I’m demi, there is an element to us that will muse on relationships. Writers have to imagine it because they want to write what the love interest, if one exists, feels. You’d think that was beyond me. In fact, it is said that fantasy is more appealing to us than the reality. So, I guess, it makes a bit of sense. I can muse my heart out if my mind is put to it.

So, which character would I gravitate toward? Let me think about those feelings I had regarding these folks throughout the writing process…

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AI rendered image of character from Blue Honor, Evan.

Most readers would probably surmise that Joseph (Blue Honor) is premium diddle stock. Being demi doesn’t incapacitate my ability to describe beauty. It’s wholly just my non-sexual approach to such. Aesthetics, after all, aren’t inherently sexual. Sure, I described him pretty and accomplished, swaggering at times, but respectful of intent. He’s ideal, including the purse, I guess. But, there was something just too claimed about him. So wholesome. He was wholly unto Emily, and that sweet girl shouldn’t have to give up her beau.

So that leaves Michael and Evan. Michael is too boyish and elicits auntie feelings, not a blush. Evan, however, the tall dark, predictably unpredictable, equally as accomplished, driven, but unwealthy guy, elicits other feelings. He seems to be diddle material to me. While I find him the most attractive, as he doesn’t have a path forged by ancestral power, he still is problematic. Will he struggle to remain faithful? Will he do things that endanger himself and those he cares about?

Although I would pick Evan if only given this book to choose from, in reality no one from Blue honor is it! Evan carries more of an endearing sentiment for me. He’s a rapscallion to adore at a distance.

Next…

OP-DEC boasts a couple of interesting characters. There’s Sarry (Saraid Kelly – pronounce sah-ray), Marcel, and Carsten. So who hits best in the diddle department? Sarry is a total brat who comes from too much money. Her attitude thus isn’t the best, but she’s a very loyal friend and a lot of fun. She’s beautiful, too. So what to think about that? The money and glitz might seem like a ball, but there are views I wouldn’t be able to get around. The arrogance and flippance would make me crazy in short order.

What about Marcel? He’s a good man. He speaks several languages, knows how to run a solid business, surviving in wartime despite occupation. Thos skills include knowledge of a few languages. Marcel keeps himself well: a handsome older gentleman built like a bear. I can picture his moustache and grin right now. He’s a bit loud and quite passionate. Being so quiet and introverted, and probably nowhere near passionate, this would not work. Besides, he likes women like Noreen, someone of his age (which is weird because I’m of his age but don’t feel on the same page), with a full figure, and extroverted. He’s a great man, but not for me.

That leaves Carsten. All I remember about writing him is how breathless some of the scenes could leave me, thinking about standing in Claire’s shoes. He’s bold. Maybe, too bold. His intelligence is unrivaled. A language master. Critical thinker. Puzzle breaker. The handsome features are a nice addition. But, there’s the little issue of who he really is. That’s somewhat up for debate. Then, remember, this man kills without remorse, even if it is for the greater good. He’s very strong willed, not just strong physically. He enjoys needling others. I suppose one must be like this to be in the clandestine services. Emotionally hidden.

As intriguing and noble as Carsten is, something lurks in the recess of his shadow. I am not comfortable with him enough to diddle. I could maybe entertain a crush. Regardless, I’m glad that Claire trusts him implicitly, though she doesn’t know why. She’s stuck with him!

Hmmm, that leaves the trilogy…

Trailokya offers a bunch of lovable characters on which to crush. To me, they’re like family, though. My emotions run in the friend zone for 99% of them. No diddling! If I could, I would spend my days in this world. The love and true friendship is worth every hardship. Besides, I’d get to kick demon butt. Who doesn’t want to fight and defeat evil?

So, who is on the possibility list? We have Luthias, Reyes, Caleb, Zaajah, Cal, Gediel, and more. I don’t know. Like I stated above the feelings of friendship pretty much rein. Zaajah is fantastic. She’s Maiel’s best friend, and many thought Maiel and she would end up in Ketu together. That kind of friendship is special, but it doesn’t cross the line to crush. They’re sisters in heart. Same with Cal. Our stunning second in command may radiate like the moon, hold a humility that is deeply endearing, but she’s not crush worthy (unless you’re another 7 foot plus redhead).

Caleb is a watered down human version of Gediel. So let’s just establish that and move on. I’d date him, sure. But he doesn’t hold a candle to his higher version.

Then, we have the other human, Reyes, who happens to be a gray (or wayward soul-a ghost). He’s sweetheart and his backstory is absolutely tragic. His attention leans toward helping his friend Holly, and protecting her as much as possible from the abuse she experiences at the hands of her boyfriend. Not having much in the way of a body, that’s a problem. However, after being taken by the bad guys, his powers grow. And, in his return, he proves that, also supplanting the abuser. The thing is, Holly can’t keep him. His life is over, and he has to move on. His last act is to show someone the truth of real love. And, oh, boy is Reyes a loving and loyal human being. Very romantic! But, this guy is an absolute best friend, not a partner for Holly or me. There’s just something too sacred in him.

Gediel probably is the winner of this. I honestly can’t think of a problem with him that would drive me away. Give me more time, I might come up with it, though! He likes to be on his own, and only peoples when necessary. He hangs out with canids in the wilds of his world, in a home sculpted from mud and stone. He’s not ostentatious, but he does have a touch of arrogance. He believes in himself, for the most part. Additionally, this guy would lay down his life for a friend with no second thought. The best part is he never gave up on his best friend, just gave her the space to do what needed to be done. Lastly, he gives puppies as gifts!

The goth aesthetic goes a long way to catching my eye. What keeps it is the patience, quiet strength, and love for his friends (most of whom are canids). He doesn’t buy his own hype. While he’s a celebrity among duta for his accomplishments in honor of his world, that type of arrogance doesn’t spoil him or his attitude like it does Sarry. If Sarry could learn about herself, I bet she’d be a lot more like him, but an extroverted version. Sure, there is a sacredness to Gediel as well, but it arrives at another realm of feeling.

I guess that answers the question about who I’d choose to diddle. Everyone else listed would likely fall into platonic sentiments similar to a crush, but not with the zing.

Hmmm, I wonder if Sarry would ever consider her privilege and come back to a more thoughtful mindset… Anyway, click on the links below and find out which characters, if any, the other authors have a crush on. Please subscribe, so this hop arrives in your inbox each Friday!

Linear Thinker – Open Book Blog Hop #473

April 21, 2025 By Captain Maiel

♦Welcome to another edition of the Open Book Blog Hop!♦

Topic #473

Do you write your stories start to finish, or do you write scenes
out of order and then assemble them in the proper order?

The writing process is unique to each work and each author. While I tend to follow a predictable track, linear writing from beginning to end, there are deviations to each project. That is simply the nature of the process. In fact, it may be a later scene that inspires me to write the book in the first place. Therefore, I’m building out around that scene. Sometimes from that scene ahead. Other times, I’m picking up before it by some chapters. Then there are those times it feels like a radiation from the central inspiration.

To avoid jumping around, something I have found gives rise to the worst plot holes and missed opportunities, I mull over the story in my head for a clip of time. I won’t set pen to paper until I am certain I have something with which to work, in a linear fashion. After all, putting energy into a story to nowhere is wasted energy. Sure, it might flex my writing muscle, but I’d rather flex on something I’m going to finish. If there is no clear end, I cannot find the start let alone the point.

To answer the question straightforward, I write as linear a story as possible, once my brain has gone through it multiple thought sessions. It’s a lot easier to write from beginning to end in this manner. That said, like I mentioned above, each project has its nuances. The start isn’t necessarily clear, so that could come in a future edit. The ending takes time to build to with care. Of course, I am also thinking of all the ways that edits send you in different directions in different points of the story. But, if we are talking first draft, I try my very best to not start until I have something of a start and an end point to aim toward.

Edits are also where I detect the tidbits needed for breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs often take me away from the linear process. They can become something of a sidequest. A new character may emerge, and then that initiates debates on bothering to flesh this individual out and using them later. Perhaps, they’re someone in disguise that already exists in the tale. There are so many moving parts to weave together!

Then, there are also those epiphanies. I have thought through this story a multitude of sessions, envisioned scenes just right. Suddenly, a glimmer of an idea percolates from the depths. Something I missed? Will this enhance the story? I’m on the third draft or, even worse, nearly ready to send it on to my editor! Great. Now, I have to go back and determine if this is worthwhile. Work halts, scene envisioning begins. Does this add anything? Is it necessary? Good lord, now I have to go back through and weave it into the whole project.

So, sometimes, as linear as you think you work, there are bubbles of non-linear ideation–so to speak. I am a pantser, in that I don’t make a formal plan. There is no point, in my mind, to do so. The plan will always be disrupted, and once I have the story solidly in my mind, I stick with it as close as is possible with the actually construction of the project. There are just always deviations. If I were too rigid, I’d miss these things, and I think my work would not benefit from that type of austerity.

Planning does work for many authors. Because of that, they can go ahead and construct any particular scene they wish without the other pieces present yet. Also, this gives them an outline to hand to those publishers and agents who request them. I have to write mine after the fact. Yes, they want this even in screenwriting, because I adapt books. If each chapter provides an episode, you have a viable track to pen a series (give or take the total number of chapters depending on the size of the work).

Linear writing, in the context of the question, is essentially what I accomplish and it has always worked for me to get the job done. It allows me the freedom to insert pieces I think of later, but also to weigh them against the overall work–consider them smartly, and fully realize their potential in accomplishing the goal. If the scene is just extra brain scatter, I don’t bother, because it has to pull its weight for the plot. There are so many ideas and scenes that never made it into Trailokya. Maybe they’ll serve later visits to that world?

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