A big chunk of “The Shrieking Dead” takes place in 1981 and I researched that year thoroughly, even though I’ve only used a handful of cultural references so far (and doubt I’ll put many more in). I like research, I enjoy doing it and I think if you’re writing something rooted in the easily-remembered past, it’s worth doing properly.
At the moment, I’m reading a very good book called “Lovers And Losers” and a chapter takes place in 1977, where our two heroes go to London on the train during the summer, to buy some punk gear from Malcolm McLaren’s shop. The writer clearly knows his stuff but then mentions that a cinema on the King’s Road is showing “Star Wars”. That pulled me out of the narrative - everyone always says that “Star Wars” came out in 1977 and it did, in America. However, the UK premiere (see http://www.mjsimpson.co.uk/starwars3.html and http://www.information-britain.co.uk/famdates.php?id=1356) wasn’t until December 27th of that year. Easily checkable.
Anyway, I’m writing this because I’m procrastinating too - I need to revise “The Shrieking Dead” (officially, it’s the second draft but it’s really the third) and I’ve put together my notes (from three separate folk) and have three different viewpoints. Bugger. However, I’m a relatively smart writer so I’ll give priority from the notes my editor sent me!
No comments:
Post a Comment