It’s sort of true. There does come a point where you have to stop editing because you can’t put the damn thing out if you’re going to work on it forever, but every story could use one more whack. Or at least us fussy artists think so.
I’m re-editing my first (real) novel right now (see Oh! Horrible writing I’ve committed). Overall, it’s in better shape than I thought it would be. There’s not as much dead wood as I worried, though there is some, and the plot is clicking along. I’m on page 30, though, so we’ll see.
One thing I am distressed about, though, is swords.
See, it’s a vampire novel. The characters get shot a few times, to no real harm. Swords and knives, on the other hand, still cause vampires grief if used correctly.
Somehow I neglected to find out exactly what kind of sword my 500-year-old secondary character, Sebastian, carries.
I took a couple katana workshops (Thanks, Jon!) from a friend who has won awards in eastern swordsmanship, so I could get a good feel for what a sword fight might be like. A workshop is not like a swordfight, but it’s still pretty effing sweet. Jon asked me what kind of sword my character had. I really have no idea.
So this is a contradiction of the phrase “write what you know.” I did not know how to use a sword when I sat down to write, and I do not know much about swords, and I do not know what kind of sword Sebastian has. Although I DO know that a katana has a curve so it may be drawn and swung in one movement, which I also know how to do. Heh.
I have heard/read lots of advice on writing what you don’t know, mainly, if you don’t know it, and you want to write about it, go learn it. Excellent advice. I shall. I just feel really, really stupid that I spent almost eight years working on this book, had several people beta read it, and not until I had committed it to print did anyone point out that Sebastian would use a type of sword, not just a generic blade.
Really stupid.
It makes me worry what else I might miss. It makes me worry that I might get too caught up in little details about what else I might miss and not work so hard at writing, but making sure my info is correct.
You know what’s awesome, though? I have now called the local police and the local hospital and asked to talk to people about procedures and protocol in assault cases, trauma victims, kidnappings, attempted murders and other heinous events, and both the police AND the doctors have spent a lot of time answering my questions very generously. A doctor explained to me that when someone who’s been choked comes in, the first thing the E.R. people do is check for stab wounds, too, because someone choking another person very often stabs them as well, and the victim’s neck is so red and swollen and obvious but the stab wounds can be subtle and overlooked. I also learned that your larynx can be broken, how that can affect speech, and how long it takes to heal. How cool is that? When you explain that you are working on a novel, people will pretty readily answer your creepiest questions.
I feel a little dumb, though, right now, because I suddenly realized I was at the Renassaince Festival yesterday and completely neglected to stop in to the weaponsmith’s and ask them what kind of sword Sebastian should carry. I bought myself a new belly dancing top instead. And a palm reading. Guess we know where my mind was, right?
I did remember to ask the palmist if my book would be a success.
She said yes.
I’m going to research swords now. If you know stuff about swords that a 500-year-old vampire might carry and you’re willing to answer creepy questions, let me know!
