EUREKA MOMENT

ishtar'sgate · Mar 5, 2008

Don't you love it when you get that eureka moment? When you figure out something that's been eluding you for ages? I've had such a moment this morning. Set in ancient Babylon, my current WIP culminates in the overthrow of Babylon by the Persians. My problem has been ongoing. HOW did the Persians get inside Babylon? The most recurring theories are that they diverted the Euphrates River and that they had help from inside. Help from inside makes a lot of sense but diverting the river gives them no advantage. Babylon was virtually impregnable. A bridge ran over the river connecting the east and west sides of the city but it was built in such a way that no one could scale its supports plus the planking was removed every night, making the bridge impassable. The city was completely enclosed in a succession of three high thick walls that could not be breached. There really was no way in unless someone opened the gates for them. While that COULD have happened, this morning I discovered another more interesting and plausible way for them to get in that WOULD require the diversion of the Euphrates. Eureka! I'm so excited. I can't wait to reach this part of the conspiracy. Anyway, just had to gush a bit. Okay, now I feel better.

Linnea

lkp · Mar 5, 2008

Cool!

And...when you figure out something like this in your historical novel, don't you kinda sorta become convinced that this is how it happened in real life...even if you have no evidence...I do

That's a little embarrassing.

czjaba · Mar 5, 2008

Especially when you can't easily find PROOF the way you say it happened is impossible.

donroc · Mar 5, 2008

Good for you.

DeleyanLee · Mar 5, 2008

Those are the moments that makes this work so wonderful!

Congratulations--and enjoy!

ishtar'sgate · Mar 5, 2008

lkp said:
Cool!

And...when you figure out something like this in your historical novel, don't you kinda sorta become convinced that this is how it happened in real life...even if you have no evidence...I do

That's a little embarrassing.

Yeah, I do.
Linnea

ishtar'sgate · Mar 5, 2008

czjaba said:
Especially when you can't easily find PROOF the way you say it happened is impossible.

That's probably the best part.
Linnea

ishtar'sgate · Mar 5, 2008

donroc said:
Good for you.

Thanks.
Linnea

ishtar'sgate · Mar 5, 2008

DeleyanLee said:
Those are the moments that makes this work so wonderful!

Congratulations--and enjoy!

I know what you mean and I certainly will enjoy!
Linnea

julie thorpe · Mar 5, 2008

I had one of those Eureka! moments once. I was sitting in a subway car at the time, and grinned like a fool. But it was New York, so nobody took the slightest bit of notice. I suspect had anyone reponded I would have totally bombarded them with the whole nine yards. . .

Doogs · Mar 6, 2008

I love those moments! I've had a few working on my novel. One of the pains of playing in the Roman Republic is having access to a lot of little pieces of information, but not necessarily any bridges connecting them. For instance, why was that one guy named dictator after that crushing defeat, only to disappear from the stage afterwards? Typically the more influential senators of the period stuck around until they failed miserably or were killed in battle, but this guy did neither. When I finally landed on a convincing motive, I was over the moon for a good two days.

I also had one of these moments in college. It was a Medieval History course, I was studying the Reconquista and the Almoravid invasion in Spain in the late 11th century, and it clicked - the First Crusade was directly influenced by the Christian experience with jihad in Spain! It all fit - the Bishop of Toledo had ties to Cluny, and was friends with the future Pope Urban II, several of the crusade's leaders (such as Raymond of Toulouse) actually traveled to Spain after the Battle of Sagrajas, no doubt they heard tales of jihad from Alfonso VI and others - but it was all circumstantial evidence.

Of course, if I ever write about that period, that's how it'll go down!

ishtar'sgate · Mar 6, 2008

julie thorpe said:
I had one of those Eureka! moments once. I was sitting in a subway car at the time, and grinned like a fool.

I know what you mean. I was home alone and started pacing around the house, planning out how to use the information and wishing my dogs knew what I was talking about.

Linnea

ishtar'sgate · Mar 6, 2008

Doogs said:
I love those moments! I've had a few working on my novel. One of the pains of playing in the Roman Republic is having access to a lot of little pieces of information, but not necessarily any bridges connecting them.
I also had one of these moments in college. It was a Medieval History course, I was studying the Reconquista and the Almoravid invasion in Spain in the late 11th century, and it clicked - but it was all circumstantial evidence.

Of course, if I ever write about that period, that's how it'll go down!

I'm finding that with ancient Assyrian and Babylonian history too. Lots of neat little bits but where do they fit? Some things are considered myths, others deemed fact. Who's to say? Circumstancial evidence is enough for me in a lot of cases. Historians don't agree anyway and contemporary scribes lied through their teeth so it will be history according to me!

Linnea

vrabinec · Mar 6, 2008

Actually, one of the things that worries me about my WIP is that I offer a solution to an event for which the cause is inconclusive and debated for over a hundred years. In short, it's my character's fault. The scenario is plausible, but I know there will be catcalls over my scenario.....Screw 'em; I'm writing it anyway.

ishtar'sgate · Mar 6, 2008

vrabinec said:
Actually, one of the things that worries me about my WIP is that I offer a solution to an event for which the cause is inconclusive and debated for over a hundred years. In short, it's my character's fault. The scenario is plausible, but I know there will be catcalls over my scenario.....Screw 'em; I'm writing it anyway.

Ah, yes, but controversy can also increase readership!
Linnea

EUREKA MOMENT

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

lkp

czjaba

dreaming of the day...

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

DeleyanLee

Writing Anarchist

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

julie thorpe

Doogs

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

ishtar'sgate

living in the past

vrabinec

Dipwad

ishtar'sgate

living in the past