WW1 writing thoughts

[Javito1986 14]

So I've thought about starting some serious historical fiction short stories of WW1 aviation theme. Three things inspired this:

 

1) My various OFF campaign AARs, which are all speedily written and not that great but fun for me to write

 

2) Reading High in the Empty Blue and marveling at how amazing it is

 

3) Discovering yesterday how astonishingly simple it is to publish short stories on Amazon via the Kindle for $0.99 - $2.99 a piece.

 

Here's kinda what I'm thinking though. Do you chaps think it's best to write about an actual squadron with historical figures involved? Like a docu-story? Or have a fictional squadron, fictional pilots, but all based on the true events that captures the 'feel' of the time but gives the author more wiggle room?

Edited May 6, 2011 by Javito1986

[RAF_Louvert 101]

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Javito, do you feel like being an historian first and a writer second? If so, go with the former. If however, you'd prefer it the other way round, go with the latter. I personally prefer the former for my own works, but to each his own.

 

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[Shiloh 12]

So I've thought about starting some serious historical fiction short stories of WW1 aviation theme. Three things inspired this:

 

1) My various OFF campaign AARs, which are all speedily written and not that great but fun for me to write

 

2) Reading High in the Empty Blue and marveling at how amazing it is

 

3) Discovering yesterday how astonishingly simple it is to publish short stories on Amazon via the Kindle for $0.99 - $2.99 a piece.

 

Here's kinda what I'm thinking though. Do you chaps think it's best to write about an actual squadron with historical figures involved? Like a docu-story? Or have a fictional squadron, fictional pilots, but all based on the true events that captures the 'feel' of the time but gives the author more wiggle room?

 

Very nice idea Javito. I write about history myself (American Civil War on my website) strictly in an informational format and in layman's terms to provide people the basics so I understand your position. My suggestion would be to evaluate the type of writer you would like to be, then make a decision from there.

 

If you are not a research guy then I would suggest writing fictional accounts. You will still have to research the time period but at least you won't have to research actual people. If you do like doing research then I would recommend the route of historical perspective. Personally I would want to read about actual pilots in historical situations - that's just me. Good luck!

[Dej 17]

In my experience, writing fiction about an historical unit is fraught with peril and labour: the risk of inaccuracy demands so much research, not to mention the sheer graft of having the timelines of one's characters' stories interweave seamlessly with those of the historical unit. Better by far, imho, to create a fictional unit and interweave it with historical events and the genuine experiences of other units with whom one my interact, but only as much as you may want or need to.

 

There's a microcosm of free creation in one and a hard and fast macrocosm to dip into as and when you will in the other.

[DukeIronHand 8]

In my experience, writing fiction about an historical unit is fraught with peril and labour: the risk of inaccuracy demands so much research, not to mention the sheer graft of having the timelines of one's characters' stories interweave seamlessly with those of the historical unit. Better by far, imho, to create a fictional unit and interweave it with historical events and the genuine experiences of other units with whom one my interact, but only as much as you may want or need to.

 

There's a microcosm of free creation in one and a hard and fast macrocosm to dip into as and when you will in the other.

 

I would fully agree with the above.

 

And please Javito1986 follow through with your plan. Can never have enough WW1 aero stuff!

[Javito1986 14]

Thanks for the tips guys! Nothing says I can't do both either. We'll see ;-)

 

And I have every intention of following through! Just finishing up finals week at the Uni and waiting on an interview next week to see if I'll have a cush internship over the summer. Plenty of time to delve into my writing again and these Kindle short stories tend to be in the 10 - 30,000 word range tops. Even on a busy day I always put in 500 words on my current project, I'm not too shabby about keeping up with these things.

 

The exciting thing for me was seeing how easy it is to self-publish on amazon. This isn't like "OMG SERIOUS PUBLISHING BUSINESS", I mean I wouldn't put my novel up on there or anything. But it's a great way to get some short story output since god knows no other medium takes them these days.

[Lewie 7]

Thanks for the tips guys! Nothing says I can't do both either. We'll see ;-)

 

And I have every intention of following through! Just finishing up finals week at the Uni and waiting on an interview next week to see if I'll have a cush internship over the summer. Plenty of time to delve into my writing again and these Kindle short stories tend to be in the 10 - 30,000 word range tops. Even on a busy day I always put in 500 words on my current project, I'm not too shabby about keeping up with these things.

 

The exciting thing for me was seeing how easy it is to self-publish on amazon. This isn't like "OMG SERIOUS PUBLISHING BUSINESS", I mean I wouldn't put my novel up on there or anything. But it's a great way to get some short story output since god knows no other medium takes them these days.

 

Yeah it may be the only way to get stuff out there without going through the creative writing classes, fiction novel writer's shipping manuscripts off to be rejected multiple times,..route..

 

Have any of you watched Jim Butcher's series on becoming a fiction writer? There's some good advice given, but you have to also accept that Jim has an unusually good talent for what he does.