On Jul 12, 2014, at 2:57 AM, Brian <[email protected]> wrote: > Thank you for the criticism, Ray. I'm definitely NOT a writer, and probably > never will be, at least one of your caliber. This isn't sycophancy, which I > despise. I'm only acknowledging the fact of your 30+ NY Times best selling > novels, to my ZERO. > > My questions were to help me place in context why your main characters acted > they way they did. Which you answered. Grazing? Perhaps. I realize now I > wasn't clear on what branch of history I'm specializing in. Definitely not > military, even though I'm former military. Ancient Greece (Mycenean and > Minoan) to be exact. I have too many memories of what combat and its > consequences actually are to specifically study what happened to other people > during war. > > It wasn't my intention to make it seem like I was some authority on the > subject to just throw out random historical battles. Far from it. I gave > examples of what little military history I do know something about because of > recently studying those periods in world history. One thing I've been taught > in researching history is "Always go to the primary source, if there is one." > This is the reason I made the comment about characterization and setting. > Go to the source....you. From what I've been taught, those have to be > mastered if a writer is going to be read. As you said previously, it has to > make sense. I've seen too many writers who forget that and when I've wasted > $30+ on a novel that made my eyes glaze over after the first chapter...well. > What I'm trying to say is I've never been disappointed in your work. > Surprised? Yes. Many times. This is why I re-read your books. I find > something new every time. > > Again, thank you, Ray. If you're in the Denver area on your book signing > tours, I'd very much like to have my Chronicles signed (maybe even a few old, > ratty paper backs including Faerie Tale :D ) > > Brian >
I wasn’t criticizing the question, let me be clear. As I was saying when you write you make up stuff until you get to something you know you can just make up and then (back in the day) off to the library. I think I got all my notes on siegecraft in two afternoons in the library. Again, you don’t need to be an expert, but just put in enough stuff the experts don’t throw the book across the room. One funny bit, I sailed a lot when I was a kid; mostly 13 foot Turnabouts and crewing on old O Boats and Star Class. So after Prince of the Blood I got a letter from a guy who told me he enjoyed the book, even though it was obvious I had never sailed a day in my life and didn’t know a binnacle (compass, not Pokemon character) from a barnacle. See, that’s the there thing. If you just need enough to fake it on stuff you don’t know, you need to effectively communicate the stuff you do know. Best, R.E.F. Raymond Feist [email protected]
