I have been writing a short story about the Vandals in northern Africa circa 477 A.D. and one of the benefits for trying this obscure and somewhat overwhelming task gets at the point of trying anything creative to an audience that actually reads what you are writing.Let's look at the various parties having a part of the process. The editor, when he sent me messages about "Mass Exodus, ..err exodi," I thought he wanted "Historical" fiction, not remakes of When Worlds Collide PLUS (insert genre here)-- I was wrong there. The writers who I sit around smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee with (at least on-line, regardless of whether I smoke or not), loved the writing but were bothered by all the references, which meant that if they really wanted to know what I was talking about they would have to look the references up. Lordhed knows I wouldn't want them to struggle. The guys, and/or substitute teachers, who have history degrees who knew what I was talking about wondered if I was alluding to stuff that was akin talking about the Iroquois warring against the Aztecs in "Memphis" along the Mississippi River, as we all know Memphis wasn't founded outside of Egypt before 1600. Needless to say, throwing out inaccurate bits. And finally the English majors, who paid attention to where I placed my commas.
Needless to say the overall project has not been very fulfilling. BUT I am having a whole world of fun.
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