Writing an article for HMAS

Plenty of Wonderful Ideas for An Article

"I Don't Know Enough to Write about That!"

Sure you do. And if you don't, just think of all the fun you'll have, and all the things you'll learn, doing the research.

Book reviews are essential, but articles are the heart of any good journal. It gives space for creative ways of linking together various things you've read, or establishing a context in which to place some stories, or examining themes, or deconstructing (if you're a deconstructing sort -- I'm not), or basically doing whatever happens to tickle your fancy.

How about

How Richard III has been treated in historical mysteries? You can throw in some mainstream historical fiction, refer to some good reference books, annotate some interesting web sites.

Examining the treatment of women through the ages as portrayed in historical mysteries?

Comparing and contrasting (English teachers hark!) early and late Victorian England? Or Victorian England with the same period in America?

Expounding on the differences between Davis' Rome and Saylor's? Throw in a little Burns and Roberts to spice it up.

A look at Faye Kellerman, Sharan Newman and Maan Meyers for some insight into the relationship of Jews with the rest of society.

How the Catholic Church evolved (or devolved) through history?

Women's fashions? Food? Music? Medicine?

The fascinating thing about historical mysteries is that we get an opportunity to peek at just about every aspect of human thought and endeavor throughout a great deal of recorded history, and you can expand, expound and explicate on whatever happens to interest you.

Make it straightforward, funny, thoughtful, scholarly. Make it two pages or twenty -- it can be split up over two or more issues. Illustrate it. Annotate it.

Refer only to the novels, or compare the novels to information contained in standard reference texts. Examine one author or several. Cross gender, genre, social, cultural, political and geographic boundaries. Or don't.

Do an interview with an author and couple it with a thematic examination of his work. Or forget the interview.

Are you a writer? Write about your own work, or others. Why did you choose your particular period? What special challenges do you face? What incredible things have you learned?

Are you an unpublished writer? Talk about the process of trying to get published. Share some of the feedback you've gotten from some agents or editors.

In MLMF I started a series about the Crusades, since Cadfael had been a Crusader before putting on the habit. I thought it would be interesting to get some sense of what he went through in the early part of his life. I don't know about anyone else, but I was particularly fascinated to discover the impact that geography had on the ordering of the First Crusade. Any writer will tell you that research is the best part of the writing process (if that sounds familiar, it's because I'm repeating myself).

Send it by e-mail or on disc, in ASCII, Microsoft Word or Works. Double-check the spelling of proper names. Don't worry about the rest of it -- that's what the editor is for. Don't worry if someone else has already tackled the same subject -- let's hear YOUR take on it. Don't be shy, or embarrassed, or worried.

I guarantee you that once you get involved in it, you'll have fun. And I also guarantee that you'll save money. Anyone who sends an article of at least 1000 words will have 25% of the membership fee knocked off the next year's membership. (You'll just have to remind me at the end of the year when renewals are due.) Anyone who contributes regularly will be "comped".

Any questions? Okay, start writing.

Break Through the Book Review Writing Block!

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