When Life Gets in the Way

By Mark W. Danielson

I haven’t been writing much fiction lately because life got in the way.  To write well, one must be focused on what they are creating, but I’ve been terribly distracted monitoring the construction of our retirement home.  Spectral Gallows, my latest Maxx Watts novel, which is due out this fall, may be delayed because I was severely late in approving the final draft.  In my defense, our builder sucked the life out of my wife and me.  Somehow we managed to survive.

Now that our house is finished and we are getting settled, murderous musings literally come to mind – as in how to kill a builder, and whether to bury him or make him part of the foundation.  In this regard, fiction writing remains wonderful therapy.  Whether I write Building is Murder remains to be seen, but I cannot stop these thoughts from needling my brain.

The benefit of life’s experiences is they broaden our perspective and provide us with tremendous character development.  Tangles with builders, subs, and spouses spark countless ideas for stories, settings and conversations.  You cannot put a price on that.  Even so, writing shouldn't be about getting even.  To live that way means the bastards win, and I never want that.   

Neighbors who have gone through similar problems said it takes two weeks to stop being pissed off.  I’m well past that two week mark and have yet to let go, but I’m getting there.  It’s only a matter of time before we are unpacked and have landscaping.  No doubt our house will grow on us once we hang some art work and stop to smell the roses.

Lately, my computer has been my Jiminy Cricket, keeping me sane.  After letting me pound its keyboard in anger, it will stare back at me and say, “There – feel better?  Now purse your lips together and blow.”  Suddenly, I’m whistling while I work.  Ah, yes.  Plotting murder can be fun . . .       

Virtual Resources

By Mark W. Danielson

These days, the availability of instant information has made fiction writing simple. However, it also means there is no excuse for inaccurate subject matter. Authors cannot be experts on every topic. However, unless they are writing fantasy, they must have enough knowledge on the subject to create accurate and plausible stories.

Recently, I was disheartened to read a book by a big-name author who wrote countless inaccurate and unrealistic situations that involved flying. While it would have been easy for him to contact someone in the field to review these scenes for accuracy, he apparently believed he could fool his audience. Since I fly for a living and have over forty-five years of experience in that field, I sent him an e-mail offering to proof any flying scenes on his future books, gratis. I never received a reply, but the offer still stands.

Although the Internet has its limitations, it is a priceless tool for authors. Knowing my limitations, I frequently use the Internet to link up with experts. In my last story, I contacted a federal DNA expert. In my current story, a paranormal expert and physicists have given me sufficient knowledge to write my story with confidence. I also find Google Earth’s bird’s eye and street level views significantly aid in scene description. In this regard, the Internet makes accurate writing a breeze.

But there is a significant difference between expert information and Internet articles. The down-side to the Internet is there are no filters. As such, there is no way to guarantee an article’s accuracy. Any credible fiction writer can craft a believable bogus document. My goal is to always create fictional stories plausible enough to make the reader wonder whether it actually happened. Using real events, names, and locations adds authenticity and makes it easy for my readers to identify with my story just as movie audiences do when seeing familiar landmarks.

Since I know my limitations, I write expert characters into the scene rather than have my protagonist appear all-knowing. Doing this allows professional information be presented in a manner similar to how it was obtained by me. My protagonist, Homicide Detective Maxx Watts, is an average guy with good instincts, but has his weaknesses and isn’t always right. As such, most readers can relate to Watts, and by following his thought process, can understand how he reached his conclusions. For me, this works better than a shootout at high noon where everyone conveniently gathers on Main Street.

The Internet is a tremendous asset, but must be used with discretion. While researching topics, carefully consider their sources and read as many articles from as many authors as you can find before believing the information to be valid. My experience is experts are nearly always available and willing to assist authors. Without accuracy, the author loses credibility, and loss of credibility is not only distracting to a reader, it can lead to loss of readership. Research is only as good as the effort you put into it. Getting it right means no side effects.