WRITING A WESTERN BY GEORGE G. GILMAN PART 3

Writing Western by Terry Harknett Part 3


PART ONE

PART TWO

RESEARCH - What about research? Which brings us back to my early point about writing of what one knows little.

When I wrote the first two Edge titles my only sources of reference were a map of present day United States and my recollections of movies I had seen. Since then, I've built up an extensive library of reference books on the Old West. But I use them sparingly, and only when I'm engaged it writing an outline of a book. Thus, if I should need to set a scene in a train or a mine, in an actual town or perhaps feature people who actually lived, then I will pull the necessary books from my shelves. Doing research on the hoof, as it were, keeps me from padding out my westerns with unnecessary detail, which almost strikes me in a lot of other books, a pretentious airing of knowledge that only serves to slow down the story.


On my desk when I'm writing are a half dozen dictionaries, because my spelling is bad. Also Roget's Thesaurus, because although invariably the first word a writer thinks of is the best, there are times when no one can delve deeper enough into the memory to find the right word.

I did finally go to the United States, to the Southwest, where the majority of my books continue to be set. And what did I get from the trip that will be of use to me in writing my westerns? A whole pile of source books to add to my library. Plus, I have to admit, a sense of the vastness of the place; first hand knowledge that the big sky really is big.


Now it may seem that because of the facile methods of my researching and writing, the quality of my work would be higher if I researched at great length and depth and took three months to write the books I produce in three weeks. That may well be so. But I subscribe to the school of thought that if one takes one's produce to the marketplace and it sells, one would be foolish not to return as soon as possible with the same brand. Crass commercialism and now the view of an artist? All I claim is that I am successful because my products sell on a free market and that I work as hard as I can to do the best I can within my known limits.

PERSPIRATION: - Should you wish to tread the same path I do, I cannot teach you. All I can offer are the following rules:

1 - If you are in an ivory tower about getting published, climb down out of it. Writing books is a public service job. And if you want people to pay good money for what you are producing, you have to give them what they want and not what you think they should want.

2-Do not only write in a field you enjoy reading, unless you can totally forget what you have read before you write. It is impossible for me to be this objective and I guess for most people.

3-Polishing is something you do with wax and a cloth. Writing is not an exact science, so forget about trying to write the perfect sentence, let alone the perfect novel. If what you first put down makes sense and advances the story, your readers will not mind half a dozen split infinitives.


4-Research as you write. That way you do not overload your story with too much irrelevant material just because you spent a great deal of time digging for it.

5-Write each novel as if it were the first one in a series. Which simply means leaving it open ended. If you are doing a series or serial, allow your central character to develop a little with each story.

6-Pay no attention to other people. Ignore people who look down on you because you write westerns. Just enjoy your royalty cheques. These will not be for large amounts but they will be regular. Western readers are very loyal.

7- Never set a Western in the East. Never set an entire series during the Civil War.

8-Write fast. That way the action comes fast.

9-Write - to apply that first cliché I mentioned - apply the seat of your pants to the seat of your chair and write.

10 - Not a rule, but I wish all of you to be visited by that very important percentage of luck.



ORIGINAL ARTICLE TERRY HARKNETT (c) 1979
This revised edition 2010