Golden rules for Historical Novels?

Doogs · Jan 20, 2009

Puma said:
Okay - After pdr posted her tremendous crit of a recent post in historical SYW, I told her I'd like to see the nitty-gritty of her crit posted as a sticky in historical genre.

In that case, may I suggest renaming the thread "pdr's Golden Rules of Historical Novels" and letting her draft it herself. I would have no problem with that.

But I think this thread has already shown the high degree of subjectivity inherent in approaching and writing historical fiction, and the impossibility of drafting a comprehensive set of "rules" without resorting to potentially endless exceptions, addenda and corollaries.

Better, I think, to have one person put forward their take, so long as it is made clear that is exactly what it is.

Puma · Jan 20, 2009

I'd go with that too, Doogs. In fact, that's sort of what I had expected - a pdr solo as a guideline for everyone else to read and use as the guidelines apply to what we're writing. Obviously we all have our strengths and weaknesses - I don't need to pay as much attention to guidelines about doing research, but I do on involving emotions and conveying those emotions to the reader. So I'd be very happy to have an available checklist for me to look at and see where I'm falling short. And, I'd be happy to have pdr put it all together. Puma

c.e.lawson · Jan 20, 2009

Puma said:
Okay - After pdr posted her tremendous crit of a recent post in historical SYW, I told her I'd like to see the nitty-gritty of her crit posted as a sticky in historical genre.

Why? pdr teaches writing. She has the essence of what we all need to know at her fingertips. pdr is also one of the group who always spend time critting and helping other writers in SYW - something not all of you complaining can say. She knows the mistakes we're making. pdr is also a member of the Historical Novel Society, again something not everyone on historical can say.

From the logistic standpoint - having a thread with a good point here and an off the wall following is not easy for someone trying to extract the essence to follow. Having one person put the thread together into one cohesive post makes a lot of sense. If you look at the Newbie Guide to SYW in the main forum up there, you'll see that I put that together from the close to 100 posts that were put in a collection thread. The collection still exists, but instead of having to read through six scattered posts saying "say thank you", it's there once.

Instead of berating pdr for starting this thread, I think thanks are in order instead for her willingness to spend her precious writing time helping the rest of us. Puma

Thirded.

PastMidnight · Jan 20, 2009

Puma said:
Instead of berating pdr for starting this thread, I think thanks are in order instead for her willingness to spend her precious writing time helping the rest of us.

I didn't see it as anyone berating pdr. Some of us disagreed with what we saw as the intent of this thread, but nothing was directed at her personally.

I do, however, want to point out that ALL of us use part of our precious writing time here, posting crits, offering advice, asking questions, sharing research.

Everyone gives as much time as they are able, so please don't insinuate that anyone's time spent here is more important than any other's. We all are here to help and to learn!

Puma · Jan 20, 2009

Point taken, PastMidnight. But there are two sides to the coin. Puma

Doogs · Jan 20, 2009

Puma said:
Point taken, PastMidnight. But there are two sides to the coin. Puma

Possibly just me being dense (brain has been addled by battling w/ MS Word over formatting a partial for submission), but I'm not entirely sure what you mean by the last. PastMidnight's post seemed quite straightforward and level-headed to me.

lkp · Jan 20, 2009

I don't think anyone could reasonably have an objection to a "pdr's rules for historical fiction" thread.

But I would advise following Uncle Jim (McDonald)'s model of humility: although he is a (very well) published author, he refuses to let his extremely popular "learn to write" thread be stickied because he says that if people find it useful, it will stay at the top and if they don't find it useful, it shouldn't stay at the top.

pdr · Jan 21, 2009

Oh bugger...

the lot of you! I had no intention of starting a furor, and was disappointed by the tone of certain comments. When you have your novels accepted I'm glad I wont be your editor, you objectors, and have to fight you every inch of the editing process.

And as for you, Lucy, really, put your claws away pussy cat! I don't know you from Eve, but your posts to me always seem to come across as spiteful. I don't know what's bugging you - as you Yanks would say - did I do a serious crit for you and you didn't like it? But I think you should get over it.

The reason I suggested incorporating everyone's ideas was because I was not comfortable about a thread labelled as my own. I never have, on this board or anywhere else, blown my own trumpet. Both the British and NZ sides of my heritage are against that behaviour.

GirlWithPoisonPen · Jan 21, 2009

pdr said:
the lot of you! I had no intention of starting a furor, and was disappointed by the tone of certain comments. When you have your novels accepted I'm glad I wont be your editor, you objectors, and have to fight you every inch of the editing process.

And as for you, Lucy, really, put your claws away pussy cat! I don't know you from Eve, but your posts to me always seem to come across as spiteful. I don't know what's bugging you - as you Yanks would say - did I do a serious crit for you and you didn't like it? But I think you should get over it.

The reason I suggested incorporating everyone's ideas was because I was not comfortable about a thread labelled as my own. I never have, on this board or anywhere else, blown my own trumpet. Both the British and NZ sides of my heritage are against that behaviour.

I don't think your response to Lucy is warranted or appropriate. Nor is insulting the people on this thread who have disagreed with you or Puma.

Memnon624 · Jan 21, 2009

The objection isn't about having a sticky with someone's name on it, it's about having a sticky labeled "golden rules" when the only rule is to write a damn good book. Everything else is but mere suggestion, advice that may or may not work, and IMO not really worth being stickied.

Best,

Scott

Jerry B. Flory · Jan 21, 2009

Memnon624 said:
The objection isn't about having a sticky with someone's name on it, it's about having a sticky labeled "golden rules" when the only rule is to write a damn good book. Everything else is but mere suggestion, advice that may or may not work, and IMO not really worth being stickied.

Best,

Scott

Hear hear.
The people who claim to know it all are the last ones I'll listen to and the first ones whose "golden rules" I look forward to breaking.

JenNipps · Jan 21, 2009

The golden rule of everything: Treat others as you would like to be treated. And respect your fellow writers.

From what I've seen, neither one of those has been taking place much here. Regardless of whether disagree with someone or not, insulting them is never acceptable.

I'm sorry I've let this go on so long. I've been in & out sick for much of this week.

Golden rules for Historical Novels?

Doogs

Puma

Retired and loving it!

c.e.lawson

PastMidnight

Oponionated

Puma

Retired and loving it!

Doogs

lkp

pdr

GirlWithPoisonPen

Mata Hari

Memnon624

A Boy and his Orc . . .

Jerry B. Flory

under the Milky Way

JenNipps

Have you JHS today?