On the way home from my Skyline meeting, I pondered the difficulties of writing a 'current' piece. I've never attempted writing something in the present day.
I thought about writers who have been writing Sci-Fi books about the space shuttle program. Books usually take a few years to write. So they start this little venture about three years ago and the President up and stops the shuttle program. I think I would pull my hair out.
Another thing - the Bruno Mars song sings about doing the 'dougie.' Now, you and I both know a book with that in it will be dated in three months. Or less.
Dialogue changes daily. Technology (iPad, Kindle, etc.) will change by tomorrow. Something new will come out as soon as I close my eyes. I'm waiting for HP's newest entry, the Touchpad.
Fantasy gives me the freedom to write plot and characters without having to worry about being dated the day before I am published.
That doesn't mean I don't have to research everything. I do. I'm just glad my Muse happens to be a fantasy muse. Of olden times. Of other worlds. I can create my own languages, my own countries, my own slang. It's fun.
A couple years ago, I read a re-release of a Nora Roberts book where the hero, a chef, brought his knives with him, on board a commercial airline!! I laughed. Talk about a telltale.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what I was talking about, Judy.
ReplyDeleteFor movies, it's not as bad, I think. But for a book - takes you out of the story too quickly.
Even writing an article is difficult if you want to be sure it's going to not date itself in no time by the language you use. It's definitely easier to write in the past (and in another world) where one can get things right through research and you don't have to worry about it changing faster than you can keep up!
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