Ask the Author: Jeffrey Marshall
Answered Questions (6)
Jeffrey Marshall
I got intrigued with writing about the life of Annie Oakley after first considering a historical novel about Buffalo Bill Cody. But I discovered that there are a ton of books about Cody, both fiction and non-fiction; in comparison, there were far fewer about Annie, even though she was the star of his show and a pioneering woman performer who became famous around the world. I also thought that her story, about overcoming a poor upbringing and succeeding in a sport ruled by men, would be especially meaningful to women readers.
Jeffrey Marshall
Often it's after I see or read something, and I want to react to it. Maybe that's just my background as a journalist and former editorial writer. In writing fiction, however, it's about mastering the challenge of putting something down that I think reads well and would be satisfying to myself and to a reader.
Jeffrey Marshall
Researching a real person for a historical novel
Jeffrey Marshall
Read a lot, and think about what moves you and how you can begin to emulate some of what you've read. Make time to lose yourself in thought, and start small - write a couple of sentences, then paragraphs. Don't be caught in "paralysis by analysis" - it's too early to be second-guessing what you're doing. It's a bit like training for a marathon - you have to start by jogging slowly and gradually increasing your time and effort.
Jeffrey Marshall
The ability to move yourself and others with the words and images you create; the ability to make arguments and link ideas in ways that others can understand and appreciate.
Jeffrey Marshall
Don't just sit in front of the computer and try to imagine the perfect sentence. If you're a novelist, think about the scene or the character you're working on and sketch out a few words or phrases. Picture the scene or the character's emotions and "write around" those until the writing starts to flow.
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