A Writer's Final Repose

Seven and a half years have gone by since I first blogged for Seriously Write. The mission? Reach out to writers. Encourage them. Engage. Maybe entertain. But most of all, equip. Give writers tools to succeed. However, as you know, writers are freaks—their interests are so bizarre you never know what will win and what will be tossed onto the slush pile. I opened my history to see what received the most hits. 

So, for the past seven and a half years of my column, what have you freaks been interested in? 

The Obsessed Historical Fiction Writer

My history professor was agog that fact checkers looked over my manuscript before it was published. 

His arms flailed about in frustration as he spoke. “It’s fiction. You’re making it all up. Why do you need fact checkers?” Rather than push him out the second story window, which would be unkind, I explained the three kinds of historical fiction writers. 

The Flavor Writer 

This historical fiction writer wants the flavor of the past without being burdened by accuracy. In other words, this writer drives up to the fast food window and says, “I’ll take the swords, armor, countries, political structures, generalized living conditions, but leave out the historical facts. And a small diet Coke to go, please.”