Using Your Thinker

Because I write mostly historical novels I have had to do a lot of research to understand the way things use to be.  I actually like to do the work, it is interesting to me and I find life in the old west fascinating.  I also enjoy reading historical novels of all shapes and sizes, because I have always enjoyed learning.

My current Camp Nano book takes place mostly on a ship, an old ship, and I have done some looking around and learning about ships and the process it takes to actually make on work. I have a printout of a ship taped to the wall in my writing nook for reference, and this morning as I was getting ready, my daughter asked me what the picture was. I told her I needed it for the book I was working on and she asked, "Why?"

I think a lot of people who don't write don't understand how much work goes into the book before you even really start on it. Once you learn the information it is a lot easier to write a second, third, fourth book in the same time period, but if you decide to change to something different you need to do the research all over again.  Like I said before, this is a process I really enjoy and I think it really adds to the story when you have correct facts and information in your book.

One caution I give about information though, is not to have information dumps in your book. It is cool to learn about new things but if you just dump the information in different parts of your book, your readers are going to feel like they are in a history class and loose interest. Remember that tidbits here and there are much better, kinda like those little Dove chocolate nuggets, bits of sweetness through the story.

The beauty of the brain is that we get to use it for some amazing things.  So use your thinker this week, learn something new, even work on something new, and definitely eat chocolate!