tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post7299081978563002747..comments2024-03-27T13:16:32.943-05:00Comments on Western Fictioneers: STICK TO THE FACTS by JERRY GUINWestern Fictioneershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01683314579075461026noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-31491364148428313342016-12-18T10:36:55.772-06:002016-12-18T10:36:55.772-06:00Well gee Betty, what a great compliment. I value ...Well gee Betty, what a great compliment. I value your input highly. You have always given me encouragement and have been a very good friend to Ginny and I. I have learned from your very actions to face a new challenge by at least giving it a try.<br />Thanks again for the kind words. Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-58259890007066630112016-12-18T10:10:56.180-06:002016-12-18T10:10:56.180-06:00Thanks David. Glad you could stop by.
Thanks David. Glad you could stop by.<br />Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-32203040582296418692016-12-18T09:40:51.918-06:002016-12-18T09:40:51.918-06:00Jerry, what an absolutely great update and summary...Jerry, what an absolutely great update and summary of where you were, where you are, and how you've gotten there. As a friend and neighbor I have so enjoyed vicariously following your successes. You are the "real thing" and it shows in everything you do. Can't wait to forward this link to so many others with whom I've shared your accomplishments. Betty Sundbergnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-82482586675240421632016-12-18T08:40:10.379-06:002016-12-18T08:40:10.379-06:00Great post, Jerry!Great post, Jerry!David Cranmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04749857752139212888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-87236450613762449652016-12-17T14:43:52.508-06:002016-12-17T14:43:52.508-06:00Feel free to use it, Jerry. After all, I didn'...Feel free to use it, Jerry. After all, I didn't make it up, it's real!Andrew McBridehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09856402767418202444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-30949844101873961612016-12-17T13:20:04.684-06:002016-12-17T13:20:04.684-06:00Thanks Charlie. You are a gentleman. The best to ...Thanks Charlie. You are a gentleman. The best to you this holiday season. Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-46136635232444248042016-12-17T12:46:26.919-06:002016-12-17T12:46:26.919-06:00Hey Jerry!
Great article. So glad to see this po...Hey Jerry!<br /><br />Great article. So glad to see this post. Keep it up!Charlie Steelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16992330591519249699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-54525572791516710342016-12-17T11:32:10.694-06:002016-12-17T11:32:10.694-06:00You went beyond the expected norm and found someth...You went beyond the expected norm and found something that is cool Andrew. Just goes to show what serious research turns up. I like it.Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-41973674314481174942016-12-17T11:01:17.650-06:002016-12-17T11:01:17.650-06:00There's the saying: 'truth is stranger tha...There's the saying: 'truth is stranger than fiction' but I think you can re-work it as: 'truth is BETTER than fiction.' Early in my career writing westerns, I had to write my first scene set in that staple of westerns - the saloon. Now i could have been lazy and just re-created a cliche saloon, familiar to any viewer of western movies or TV series, with batwing doors etc. Instead I did some research, looking at the Time Life Old West series amongst others and found a frontier saloon that had this written on the wall: REMEMBER TO WRITE TO MOTHER. SHE IS THINKING OF YOU. WE PROVIDE WRITING PAPER AND ENVELOPES FREE, AND HAVE THE BEST WHISKEY IN ARIZONA. I think details like that rescue westerns from the familiar and give them extra flavour and authenticity, so that had to go in my novel! Andrew McBride Andrew McBridehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09856402767418202444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-18532573495454948262016-12-17T08:47:02.948-06:002016-12-17T08:47:02.948-06:00Well put Jacquie. Folks will not hit the buy butt...Well put Jacquie. Folks will not hit the buy button without having an idea of what they are getting. It takes time to develop a readership, something I believe that you have done with your writing.<br />Merry Christmas <br />Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-23668487720599786622016-12-17T01:55:49.035-06:002016-12-17T01:55:49.035-06:00I think the spirit of the Old West is the most imp...I think the spirit of the Old West is the most important and the most misunderstood. That said, it's a show-stopper when the basic facts are ignored. What you said about expectations is king. Ignore reader expectations, and you're dead in the water. This is one reason why marketing genre blends is so difficult--the reader doesn't know what to expect.<br /><br />Thanks for an excellent post, Jerry!Jacquie Rogershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17361793932364487636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-3492300608838527232016-12-16T20:41:02.211-06:002016-12-16T20:41:02.211-06:00
I always figured to pick a subject that was o... <br />I always figured to pick a subject that was of great interest, research anything available that was pertinent then do the best job I could to write about it. Most of my stories involve people reacting to a past violence and the Old West is a perfect setting for that. I inject actual facts when I can, at times not enough, but I am still learning. <br />Your knowledge in the medical field gives authenticity to the western stories you have written. The reader just knows what he is reading is correct and it makes an enjoyable read.<br />Merry Christmas and happy holidays. <br /> Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-71140716572307090102016-12-16T20:03:36.773-06:002016-12-16T20:03:36.773-06:00Thank you Kathleen. That's about the best com...Thank you Kathleen. That's about the best compliment a feller could get. If you were here, I'd grab a hug.<br />I agree with you about authors limiting actual facts. Too much might lead to the reader begin to yawn. Actual history stories telling of how people react under stressful situations can be very fascinating.<br />And holiday cheers to you.<br /> Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-18001065991726614852016-12-16T19:29:25.328-06:002016-12-16T19:29:25.328-06:00Good article, Jerry. I think this is where the old...Good article, Jerry. I think this is where the old writer's adage that you should write about what you know comes in. When I first heard it I thought it meant that a doctor should write about doctors and medicine, a gambler should write about casinos and poker and a plumber should write about pipes and water. I am a doctor, but I didn't want to write a medical novel. I wanted to write about the Old West. Yet I had not then been to the west (I have now) and I did not know a lot about horses, ranching or gunlore. That was when I used my knowledge of medicine and medical history to drop anecdotes and vignettes into my stories. The facts seemed to give my tales more credibility. <br /><br />Keep writing. I enjoy your books, which certainly take me to the Old West. Keith Souterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15206349930107528691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-21735991672511697792016-12-16T19:21:40.089-06:002016-12-16T19:21:40.089-06:00Jerry, you just keep right on not expecting to be ...Jerry, you just keep right on not expecting to be L'Amour, Grey, and Brand, 'cause I think you're just about the best Jerry Guin I've ever met...and you're stories are dang good, too. ;-)<br /><br />I appreciate your position on the facts. IMO, the best historical authors are the ones who play with the facts just enough to make the story interesting without tangling the timeline. (That said, I do enjoy a good alternate history now and again.)<br /><br />Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday. :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05740371055384281988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-78358664095550965752016-12-16T18:50:51.900-06:002016-12-16T18:50:51.900-06:00You're welcome, Vicky!You're welcome, Vicky! Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-44937778860403375452016-12-16T18:01:05.741-06:002016-12-16T18:01:05.741-06:00Accurate details gives a feel of realism to a stor...Accurate details gives a feel of realism to a story. I feel that most readers appreciate the fact that the writer either has the knowledge of whatever he is talking about or has spent the time to painstakingly research it. <br />Knowing when to keep it simple is an art that you obviously have mastered.<br />Thanks for the comment.<br />Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-7698265762047114872016-12-16T17:00:26.218-06:002016-12-16T17:00:26.218-06:00Being a military historian first and one who goes ...Being a military historian first and one who goes into the details on things like weapons, individual equipment, fighting positions, and small unit tactics, I tend to go for historically accurate details in fiction (and really long sentences as here ;-). I have to be careful not to go into too much detail and one of my editing steps is a review for just that. However, I feel an occasional detail of some item or practice can be of interest so long as it pertinent to the story and is brief.Gordohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17411491669023091364noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-44316832631350792742016-12-16T15:37:13.363-06:002016-12-16T15:37:13.363-06:00You are welcome Vicky. Write on.You are welcome Vicky. Write on.Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-9434244365297697432016-12-16T12:58:09.029-06:002016-12-16T12:58:09.029-06:00Thanks, Jerry, and Cheryl, too. Thanks, Jerry, and Cheryl, too. Vicky Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06351058753278492695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-81690158048996600662016-12-16T12:09:32.089-06:002016-12-16T12:09:32.089-06:00The details, though seemingly of little consequenc...The details, though seemingly of little consequence, during the writing can come back to haunt.<br />You are fortunate to have someone catch it before it went further.<br />I am sure that others, including myself, do the best they can to insure that their story is factual but things can get muddled when writing fiction. Jerry Guinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17074197803776713004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1409887812566625284.post-4532635531397847232016-12-16T11:22:52.606-06:002016-12-16T11:22:52.606-06:00Excellent post, Jerry! It doesn't matter what ...Excellent post, Jerry! It doesn't matter what time period/genre you write your stories in, you will always have readers who will be checking your facts and be knowledgeable enough to call you on it if you get something wrong. I wrote a medieval story where I had the characters eating stew that included potatoes (this was in Ireland). Thankfully, another author who is an expert and has written medieval stories for many years told me I couldn't do that, as potatoes had not been introduced to Ireland in the years that my story took place. LOL Now that would have been a real mistake that MANY people would have caught. She really saved me. It was one of those things that I just didn't even think about--people not having potatoes--since they're such a staple for us. Then I had to figure out what DID those people put in their soups and stews!????<br /><br />Thanks for this post--it's a great reminder!Cheryl Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18116526340220274282noreply@blogger.com