Beginnings
Friday, June 29, 2007
How do y'all start writing a new project?Every time I do this, I learn new things about my process, which, btw, is still utter crap.
But I have discovered that even though I pants, I still need to have some research done. Something to fall back on while I lean into the wind.
It's usually costumes or setting. In this one, it's both. I spent all day yesterday looking at Victorian clothing, getting a feel for it. Since I'm not writing "real" history, I can play around and mix up the styles a bit. Take a bustle skirt here and a hobble skirt there. As long as I'm within a decade or so, I figure I'm good.
Corsets took up a fair bit of my time, too. I'd love to own a good corset, but the good ones are wicked expensive!
Blouses, shoes, jackets. Gloves, handbags and hats.
Now that I've finally got my heroine kitted out, I need to turn to my hero. Despite it being a Western, it's not a cowboy story. More in mining territory, so it's a different feel.
Then there's the fictional town of Rock Creek, Nevada. Mountains? High desert? Is Rock Creek a real river or a dry creek bed? Is it big enough for a train station or just a stop on the stage coach run?
So I'm writing very slowly while I try to work out some of these things. Because once they're set in my head, the whole picture becomes more clear. I can write about the story and the setting will appear more naturally.
What do you need to know before you start a new story?
Labels: Writing