I find myself looking forward to 2011. This year marks the beginning of the sesquicentennial remembrances of the Civil War. States have put together a lot of plans that will be unfolding over the next four years to remember their roles in the war and the battles fought in their states.
For a writer who enjoys writing about history, it looks like it will be a boon for my business. I’ve already picked up two article series that will span at least a year and a number of stand-alone articles that I will be writing about the Civil War. I will have one, maybe two, Civil War-theme non-fiction books published in the next four years. Plus, there editors still considering other Civil War ideas I submitted.
One thing is for sure: I will know a lot more about the Civil War by 2015 than I do now. I mean I know the overview of the war and some of the stories that I’ve written about in the past. I’ll be digging a lot deeper now, though. I’ll be writing about the soldiers who fought and the people who stayed behind. I’ll give familiar battles new perspectives and find out more about little-known skirmishes and battles. I’ll even look at modern-day ties to the war.
It’s one of the reasons I like my work. I never stop learning.
Since I live in Gettysburg, I imagine I’ll also get an interesting perspective on life during the Civil War. There will be more re-enactors than usual in town in the summer, particularly in 2013 when the Battle of Gettysburg is re-enacted on the 150th anniversary of the battle. Living history is always interesting for a history writer to see.
2 comments
Comments feed for this article
May 24, 2011 at 12:33 am
Christine
Mr. Rada, Hello! I am so happy I found you. I saw your name in the HACC non-credit courses for all these great classes I would love to attend. However, sadly, the HACC near me isn’t Gettysburg.
I was wondering if there were any books you could recommend instead for me. I’ve been wanting to write a novel for such a long time. I’ve also considered doing freelance work, writing for magazines, etc., but have no idea how to get started. Any information, books to read, anything would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Christine
May 28, 2011 at 10:50 am
jimrada
Christine, you might try “Writing the Blockbuster Novel” by Zuckerman or “Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing” by Morrell. You can also look for a genre-specific book like writing science fiction or writing romance, etc. Take a look through the Writer’s Digest catalog at their web site.
The best thing you can do is get your novel down on paper. Then you’ll have something to reference when you’re reading one of these books. Right the story the way you want it and the go back and compare what you wrote with what the books talk about. It will allow you to see if you instinctively know certain things already and need help in others. For instance, you may already be doing the things advised for a first page, but can see that your characters need work.
Also, don’t take everything as gospel because it’s in a book. You’ve got to find what works for you to create a publishable manuscript. That may be taking a bit from one book, something you heard in a class and something that another author told you about and then combining them to make them your own.
Freelancing is more involved because there’s so many ways you can do it. To get started, I would look for a regional magazine that you like (Pennsylvania, Central PA, Susquehanna Life, Harrisburg, etc.). Take a look at the magazine’s web site to see if it has writers or submission guidelines. Then write a query letter proposing an idea for an article along with your qualifications to write it. Maybe you know the subject well or you have the writing credentials. Then wait and see what the editor replies.
Regional magazines are generally open to using freelance writers. Plus, they have a niche so if you are writing about a regional magazine in your area, you will be familiar with the people, places and things the magazine has articles about.
That’s a real basic overview on your questions. Hope it helps. Good luck.
Jim