Helena Schrader’s Historical Fiction Blogpost

Today, I am having a quick chat on Helena Schrader’s Historical Fiction Blogpost about why I write Historical fiction. My piece there explains my thinking behind the creation of the Clearwater Mysteries, and how I set out to write characters in a world where being gay was illegal, as, sadly, it still is in many countries around the world.

Understanding ourselves by understanding the past

Dr. Helena P. Schrader is the author of 24 historical fiction and non-fiction works and the winner of more than 53 literary accolades. Click Here.

Current Work in Progress

At long last I am able to read through the first draft of Follow the Van. This has been a work in progress for some time now, thanks to various interruptions, such as putting together ‘1892’, Christmas, a trip to Athens, Covid, trying to find some work, but it’s here at last, draft one. Almost.

I have to write two more chapters to finish things off, but before I can do that, I need to go right back to the start to make sure the story works, everything ties up, the clues are there but not too obvious, and I know what I have to explain at the end. I have already started weeding out stray threads that I put in thinking they would be a good idea, only to find out they didn’t work, or they led nowhere. Once that’s done, I’ll have a clear second draft on which to work, will know exactly what the main story and emotional threads are, and I can start polishing the thing.

The best thing about writing every day is that I get better at first drafts. I often reach the end of one thinking the thing is terrible, then go back and read again, only to think it’s not too bad. I don’t just mean the writing style improves every time, but the storytelling too. I know instinctively when something will work, when to leave out unnecessary observations or details, and how to make every sentence about character development or plot. (Well, not every sentence, as I also like description and atmosphere, but seen/described from the character’s perspective.)

So, that’s where I am today, but I am also on Helena Schrader’s Historical Fiction Blogpost, so please click over and take a look.

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