What We're Learning Along the Way....

What we're learning along the way....

1. Having never written historical fiction before, I don't think either one of us realized how time-consuming the research would be. At first it was fun and exciting because everything we found fed into our plot lines. I have to say it is still fun and exciting, but it takes sooooooooo long. I have read about this early history of North Dakota, including first person accounts of the postal workers, the trappers, the lumber workers, the railroad workers and the ladies of the night. We have read the 35-page diary of my Great Aunt Palma Windahl, which was particilarly fascinating, partly because she frequently mentions my grandmother at ages 13-14 and my grandfather (her brother) who was about 10 years older. I know Cindi has been studying Ponzi schemes and jewels, since both tie into our plot. We have also poured over old photos, trying to beam ourselves into the past to feel what people in the early 1900's were feeling, thinking, worrying about, wearing and using for tools. The photo above is a family funeral in the late 1930's??? (Anyone know the year or whose funeral it is?) Of course during all this time, hardly a page of the book is being written.When we had worked on the book on and off for two years and had only 25 pages, it was kind of an eye-opener.

2. The easy part is developing a plot. The hard part is the writing. No matter how developed the plot line is, when you begin to actually write it, there is still so much to decide/resolve/make up. Constant character discussions and plot revisions are required along the way. You just have to blaze through it and deal with any fallout later. Did I say too much--too little? Just get it on paper and worry about that later.

3. Every website about writing a novel says to set goals. Well...that doesn't always work. But, as mentioned in #2 you just have to keep writing. My current goal, which is working out pretty well, is to write a page a day. If you haven't tried to write a book, that seems laughable. Who could not write a page a day. See above...I've almost written a page in 10 minutes. Well, for some reason writing a book is different. You're constantly thinking about where you've been, where you're going and how all the other characters are impacted by what you're writing. So, a page a day (or even 4-5 a week) is a good clip and with two authors, you have a book in a year--especially at the stage where we are--well into it.

4. While this will seem repetitive, it's really not: Don't stop. From the fall of 2013--July of 2014 we stopped. We didn't work during the winter, we didn't Skype--we stopped. That was the point at which I began to doubt whether we would ever have a book. Fortunately, this summer, we had a week to reread, discuss, brainstorm and finally resume the writing process and that's why I won't stop again. Even writing a little--or at least editing--every day, I have to go back and reread parts, refreshing my memory. Where did we leave it, what was the year, exactly what was said? I think once the book is nearing 300-400 pages, that will be even more critical. Never stop!

There are a few  more things I've learned along the way, but I guess I'll save those for another post. Time to do my real job...writing a book!