I Can't Write That !

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I'm sure we've all heard the advice, "Write the kind of books you'd like to read." I agree with that. To a certain extent. My favorite books of all time are time travels. When I browse the shelves, if it's a time travel, it's sold. Here's the thing. I wouldn't be able to write one to save my life. Why? I HATE RESEARCH!

Sure,there are some things I don't mind researching. Lost societies, Egyptian tombs, ancient mysteries. My fave is what's really at the top of Mount Sinai? Did someone actually find Noah's ark? If not, why are a lot of the photos classified? There have to be unanswered questions. But things that have no mystery to them, like the history of Louisiana,is a snooze fest for me.

In historic and time travel romance, an author can have every historical fact wrong, and I would never know. An author once said that she hated the movie, Braveheart because the history was so inaccurate. I loved that movie. Probably would love it had it been a book. It's why I don't write anything that requires a lot of research. I'd get bored. Some authors love research, and that's cool. But give me a good story and hey, I'm all yours!

Comments

  1. Leigh CaronSeptember 30, 2011 at 9:19 AM

    I love readers like you. I'm scared that the first novel I wrote (religious horror...yeah...no audience for that) would have me burned at the stake or crucified for my lack of research. I hear your angst.

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  2. ShawnSeptember 30, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    Thanks goodness the burning at the stake days are over :)

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  3. Christine WarnerOctober 1, 2011 at 6:14 PM

    Enjoyed your post...I like a bit of research, but I'm no fanatic. And I do enjoy history (weird eh?), but if I'm watching a movie or reading a book I don't take it personally if there are in accuracies. Why? Because I'm reading or watching a movie as entertainment and who am I to tell the writer how to write their book or their movie. LOL...I want to escape for a awhile in a good story...and if their rewriting of history makes it a bit more fascinating...I'm game :)
    If I'm researching or I need to know the real facts for a paper I'm working on that requires that, then I'll go to a text book or the non-fiction section.

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  4. Amber T. SmithOctober 2, 2011 at 8:56 AM

    *high fives*

    I'm so with you on this!

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  5. D'AnnOctober 2, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    I hate research, too, Shawn. Ugh and double ugh.

    My boss is a Scot, and he told me just the other day that Braveheart is pretty accurate, btw.

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