Mark Noce Stories

Writing About Characters That Speak Different Languages

2012-02-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

Ever have a character in your story who doesn’t speak the language in which you are writing? Perhaps you only have one or two characters that speak a different language or maybe your entire cast of characters speak in a different tongue that the one in which you are writing? So how’s the best way to go about incorporating authenticity in your narrative while still maintaining the linguistic flavor of the character(s) you’re trying to portray?

I maybe be raised American, but I love to write stories about people all around the world. Nonetheless, whether I’m writing about the French, Italians, or Chinese my narrative will of course be in English. I often find myself doing a balancing act of incorporating borrowed words from a given language while still trying to make my character easily understood in the English language in which I write.

I’m curious whether any of your write similar stories and how you cope with characters who maybe not be speaking or thinking in English even if that’s the language in which the story is written. How do you find a proper balance between authenticity and clarity? What subtle details do you include to give the character the “feeling” of one linguistic identity while still making it understandable in English?

Critique Partners…How it Improves Your Own Writing and Karma

2012-02-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

Ever get one of those friendly invitations from a fellow author to swap stories and critique each other’s work? Perhaps you’ve declined due to being too busy or just plain wondering what good your own advice would do anyone? Well, today I’d like to encourage you to ignore all those doubts and say “yes” to critiquing your fellow author’s work.

I’ve been swapping stories recently with several great bloggers/writers and have enjoyed reading everything from novels to short-stories from their works-in-progress. Not only by critiquing each other’s work can you help your fellow authors, you’ll also improve your own writing in the process. I’ve found that some of the very same suggestions I offered to other writers turned out to be the very same alterations I required in my own manuscript or short-story.

So, I know this is the equivalent of jumping into a pile of dry leaves with a wet sucker, but who else wants to swap stories? Interested in getting some much needed feedback on your current work in progress? Or maybe I’ve read your work before and you’ve got a rewrite for me to see? Let the good karma begin.

Insecure Writer’s Day…Groundhog Day

2012-02-02T09:07:00.001-08:00

Happy Groundhog Day! Remember that Bill Murray movie entitled Groundhog Day where he lives the same day over and over again? Well, for today’s Insecure Writer’s post I have to admit that my submission process to agents feels somewhat like a continual Groundhog Day.

I’m still waiting on the same three agents who have had partials or full versions of my manuscript, The Long Defeat, since last fall. I’ve tried waiting and I’ve tried pinging them, but either way the response is always the same…they need more time. In the meanwhile, I’ve been hesitant to send out more queries since I already have three interested agents (one of whom asked for an exclusive which I could not grant).

I’m sure several of you have been in the same conundrum before, so I’m curious what did you do? What’s the longest you’ve waited for a response from an interested agent? How do you balance patience with being proactive?

A Month of Writing Short-Stories…And Still Going Strong

2012-01-31T08:59:00.000-08:00

Remember my new year’s resolution to write one short-story a week for the entire year? Well, glad to report that I’ve written four so far and am still progressing nicely with my plan of completing one per week. So what have I been writing about?

Everything. Actually, I’ve written several short-stories inspired by my home town of San Francisco, and have been pleased with the results considering I’ve never really written about the city before. On top of that I’m continuing to write historical fiction, but I’ve also found that writing these short-stories has actually helped improve my novelistic writing as well by driving me to get to the point sooner in a narrative and maintain the tension throughout a scene.

So what short-fiction have you been writing lately? Do you ever write about your hometown or your locality? Has writing a different kind of fiction ever helped you improve your overall writing experience?

Versatile Blogger Award

2012-01-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

A couple of fellow bloggers were kind enough to pass on their Versatile Blogger Award to me, so in turn would like to pass it on and highlight some of the other awesome blogs out there I checkout every week. As part of the award, you’re supposed to list a few things about yourself, so here it goes…

1. - My aunt first took me on a backpacking adventure through Europe when I was 15, and I have been an avid shoestring backpacker, traveler, explorer ever since.

2. - I got my B.A. in History and English and then my M.A. in English at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, also where I met my beautiful wife!

3. - I take part in Civil War reenactments (for the North) where I get to relive history in front of spectators, and also it’s fun to shoot off lots of black powder on a hot summer’s day.

4. - Every year I grow lettuce, corn, pumpkins, tomatoes, sunflowers, and whatever else I feel like in my backyard…I also enjoy eating it and giving the rest away to friends and family, so if you want some next fall just let me know;)

5. - I’m an avid sailor and crew on schooners and sloops on San Francisco Bay with my dad and other fellow “salts” whenever I get a chance.

Now I’d like to pass on this great award to some of my most favorite blogs below. I think they all rock and I’m sure you will think so too. Check them out!

1. .W.I.P. It

2. Alex J. Cavanaugh

3. Bards and Prophets

4. Civil War Medicine (And Writing)

5. David Powers King

6. Emily R. King

7. HATTATT

8. in Media Res

9. J.A. Bennett

10. Rachna’s Scriptorium

11. The Eagle’s Aerial Perspective

12. Non Sequitur Ramblings

Maps in a Novel: An Improvement or a Curse?

2012-01-24T09:20:00.001-08:00

How would you navigate Tolkien’s Middle Earth without a map in the index? Could you imagine George R.R. Martin’s saga minus detailed charts of Westeros? But when is a map useful in a book and when is it a crutch for the author?

I’m a big fan of maps in books, although I’ll admit it works better in certain genres than others, i.e. Fantasy versus Literary fiction. However, I’ve found that I prefer not to use maps in my own stories as I often find it a symptom of an overly complicated plot. For instance, because the plot of Mists of Avalon is so well told, I don’t need a map to understand the differences between Camelot and Tintagel, whereas I’ve found the galactic maps in Star Wars fiction baffling to the point that I don’t even use them.

What do you think about using maps in a novel? When is it a good idea, and when is it a sign that the storyline can’t stand on its own? How do you approach the use of maps in your work writing?

Stop SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-19T08:59:00.001-08:00

Those of you who have gone on Wikipedia and Google in the past couple days have undoubtedly seen protests against the proposed SOPA and PIPA bills going through Congress. While I’m sure these bills were well intentioned they will prove detrimental to the Tech Industry in which I work and cripple many of the exiting sites and services we all cherish and use on the web by limiting what information can be displayed and shared online.

I have already written to my local representative in Congress and the Senate in an effort to join the groundswell of supporters petitioning for the removal of this bill or at the very least obtaining a vote of “Nay” when it comes onto the House and Senate floors in late January. Please join me and the thousands who have already made their voice heard by signing an online petition or writing an email to your local representatives.

It’s easy to make your voice heard and only takes a few minutes of your time. Google has an easy to join online petition and Wikipedia will provide links to your representatives’ websites simply by inputting your zip code. Please choose to keep the internet the free and open community that we have come to love and enjoy. Thank you.

The Star System on Goodreads…And Why I Sometimes Catch Flak

2012-01-17T09:09:00.000-08:00

Have you joined Goodreads? Love keeping track of all the books you’ve read and posting reviews? Learn about what to read next based on what your friends are reading?

I’ve been on Goodreads a while and love it as a means of keeping track of all I’ve read. However, I catch some flak sometimes because of the way I apply the star rating system. I understand lots of people like to give books 4 to 5 stars to books they’ve read, but for myself, I rate the “average” book with 3 stars and I only apply 4 to 5 stars for extraordinary books, like the Iliad or LOTR or the Bible. I see it as a matter of personal taste, but I’ve had some authors get angry with me for not giving their book 5 stars, even though I literally only have a dozen books I’ve ever given 5 stars and a few dozen more I’ve ever given four stars.

How do you use the star rating system on Goodreads? Have you ever had an author get displeased with your review of one of their books? How do you balance politeness with honesty?

Great Advice from Fellow Writers…Write More!

2012-01-12T08:57:00.001-08:00

Last week when I put up a post for Insecure Writer’s Day I mentioned how I’m waiting to hear back from agents who have partials or full versions of my manuscript. Needless to say, it can be a bit of a debilitating process and a forced lesson in patience. But fortunately my fellow bloggers/writers came to the rescue with a simple and wise suggestion…write something else for a while!

Indeed, I have taken the advice to heart by working on completing one short-story a week, which is progressing nicely. In addition, I’ve even begun another historical novel on a time period favorite of mine, the age of buccaneers and piracy. Oddly enough, the more I write these days the more I seem to be able to write and I’m particularly enjoying not only having the muse speak to me, but all this writing also really helps take my mind off the manuscript I’m currently circulating with agents.

So a big thanks to all you awesome bloggers/writers for your heartfelt suggestions, they really work! It also really helps that some intrepid authors have volunteered to swap stories with me, providing each other invaluable feedback. So, how do you typically get your mind off the business aspect of the publishing business and focus back on the writing that matters the most to you?

Writing Short-Stories

2012-01-10T08:53:00.001-08:00

I’d like to thank Milo Fowler for inspiring me to start writing short-stories again. He recently concluded a year-long quest of writing one short-story per week for one whole year. He got the idea from Ray Bradbury who suggested authors should try to write one short-story a week for a single year in order to improve their writing.

Ray famous dared writers to compose 52 bad short-stories in a year, claiming that it couldn’t be done. If you stick to the game plan you’re bound to start coming up with something good. Milo himself has had several of is short-stories from last year published and has proved Bradbury’s point for certain.

I began with the first of the year and already have one story complete and will work on another this week. It may not be easy, but I intend to give it a shot for an entire year. How about you, are you game for challenging yourself to a year of short-stories?

Insecure Writer’s Day

2012-01-05T08:45:00.001-08:00

Do you have any queries from your latest book circulating with agents? Ever have to wait a couple months to hear back from an interested agent? Anybody still waiting?

I’m still waiting on three agents who have partials or full manuscripts of my historical novel The Long Defeat (learn more about my book here). A fourth agent with a partial replied back with a kind, personalized rejection letter, and even though I respect their decision, it doesn’t make the process any more enjoyable. I’ve pinged the other agents still reviewing my manuscript who have replied that they need more time to review my work.

Do the seemingly endless rounds of queries make anybody else sigh? Do the hours feel like years and the days like decades when you’re waiting to hear back from an agent? How do you keep optimistic despite the odds?

Les Miserables

2012-01-03T08:55:00.000-08:00

Ever put off reading a classic for no reason other than you just hadn’t gotten around to it yet? Or perhaps you’ve seen a movie or stage play version of a well known story and figured the book probably wasn’t that different? Once in a while, ever have a book not only live up to all the hype about it, but actually exceed your expectations?

I recently read Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables for the first time…I know, shameful that it took me this long to get around to it…but wow, what a story! I was genuinely moved by the altruistic priest at the beginning of the novel, as well as caught up in the thrilling cat-and-mouse game between Jean Valjean and Javert. What particularly impressed me about Les Mis, was not only its great plot, but its moral and ethical questions which constantly forced me to rethink my thoughts about life and death, and right and wrong. In short, if you haven’t read this classic cover to cover, seek out a copy today!

What books unexpectedly inspired you or changed your perspective of the world? Or perhaps, what classic have you been meaning to read and not gotten around to yet for one reason or another? Any literary New Years resolutions in the works?

Happy New Years!

2011-12-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

Did you have a good Christmas? Looking forward to a happy new year? Time for resolutions already?

It always comes up every year, time to make some new year’s resolutions. Some people don’t believe in them and others take it pretty seriously. Like most folks, I suppose I’m somewhere in between. It never hurts to try and improve ourselves even if perfection is a longshot.

So what are some of your new year’s resolutions? Did you succeed in fulfilling last year’s resolutions? In what ways do you think that this year will turn out different or the same?

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-22T09:24:00.000-08:00

Remember that Christmas feeling when you were a kid? The presents under the tree? The not being at school?

Well, it’s nearly here again, and I’d just like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Happy Kwanza! Hope all is well with you in this holiday season, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. I suppose what I like most about this time of year is how people make an effort to be nice to each other and try to be the good-hearted type of people we’d like to be year round.

So, how do you celebrate the holidays? Do you have any special traditions this time of year?

Happy Holidays!

Somebody That I Used To Know

2011-12-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

Ever get a great new song stuck in your head? Humming it everywhere you go? And it’s got a cool video to boot?

I know this is probably old news to folks in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, but in the States this song by singer/songwriter Gotye (featuring Kimbra) is starting to get a lot of airplay. If you don’t know what I’m talking about (or even if you do) check out Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.” The song is spectacular and although the video starts off a bit odd, trust me it gets a whole lot better.

What songs are buzzing through your head this week (probably Christmas ones I’m guessing)? What are some of your favorite contemporary music artists? And how do you feel songwriting compares and contrasts with other forms of authorship, such as poetry, novels, and plays?

How Has the Internet Altered Your Reading Habits?

2011-12-15T08:52:00.000-08:00

Ordering lots of gifts online this year for Christmas? Maybe even purchasing a Nook or Kindle? Or perhaps you already found a favorite book online and just peruse it on your computer in PDF?

I especially love reading during this time of year and although I often prefer a good library book or even the occasional store bought paperback I find myself reading more and more content online. No need for an encyclopedia when I’ve got Wikipedia, and Amazon.com lets me read the first pages of so many books that I can decide what I want to read long before I go to the store. In places like Japan short “cell phone” stories have gotten so popular that lots of people read these on their way to work.

So how has the internet changed the way you read? Have you formed new reading habits you didn’t have before? Or perhaps you like to keep a mix of older hardbacks alongside your new tablet on your shelves at home?

Crazy Swamped

2011-12-13T07:44:00.001-08:00

Hey fellow bloggers, I know I’ve been largely MIA online lately, and a bunch of you have very caringly stopped by my blog and asked how I’ve been. The short of it is I’m super swamped at work lately and my days at Facebook have been so long that I literally have at least a few days a week where all I do is work, sleep, and maybe eat. Needless to say it’s not very productive to generating a routine or blogging. Or having a personal life for that matter.

But I really want to get back in the swing of things and start stopping by your blogs again as well as post some more intriguing topics on my own site. I honestly don’t know when my work life will return to normalcy, but it may take a while. Nonetheless, keep an eye out for me as I have certainly not forgotten about any of you and I very much long to get back into the blogosphere in full swing once my crazy work schedule settles down a bit.

Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Holiday Stories

2011-12-05T08:56:00.000-08:00

Would it still be the holidays without Scrooge and Rudolf? What’s in a story about a Grinch or a kid with a BB gun that seems so appealing during Christmastime? And how does It’s a Wonderful Life keep us coming back for more every year even though we all know exactly how it will end and begin?

We finally put up our fresh, green Christmas tree and have all our lights up, and sure enough the holiday movies are on T.V. I’m surprised (pleasantly so) that Harry Potter films have become a fixture of the holidays as well now too. Between familiar songs, movies, and books it all adds to the warmth of the holiday season.

So what are some of your favorite holiday stories? What movies, songs, or books do you enjoy sharing with family and friends every holiday season? Do you find yourself enjoying these familiar stories anew or do you also associate it with pleasant memories of Christmases past?

Feeling A Bit Spotty

2011-11-28T08:20:00.001-08:00

I seem to have contracted the plague (a.k.a. the cold) over the Thanksgiving break and so my responses online may be a bit spotty this week. Apologies ahead of time for any radio silence, but I’ll still be checking out all your cool blogs when I can. Happy Monday;)

Agent Request for Exclusive

2011-11-22T08:53:00.001-08:00

It feels good when an agent expresses interest in your work. Even better when multiple agents start wanting to read your manuscript. But what happens when they start requesting exclusive reads of your book?

I’ve recently been blessed with the “problem” of having multiple agents requesting extensive partial or full versions of my manuscript The Long Defeat. I already have three agents currently reading it on a non-exclusive basis, but yesterday a fourth agent requested the entire manuscript on an exclusive basis for the next six to eight weeks. Obviously, I very much would like to honor this request, but the fact that my book is already circulating in the hands of other agents at the moment complicates things a bit.

To my fellow authors who have some experience in submitting queries and manuscripts to agents: Have you come across this conundrum before? If so, how did you find the most professional and polite, yet expedient way of negotiating a compromise? I have every intention of honoring my obligations, but I can’t grant an exclusive read until the three other agents have had a chance to finish reading my book. Nonetheless, I’m very enthusiastic about the interest agents are expressing for my novel, and I appreciate all the good karma points and encouragement several of you have been sending my way lately. Thanks!

NanoWriMo Update

2011-11-16T08:47:00.001-08:00

How are your NanoWriMo goals shaping up this month? Halfway through November and still wondering where all the time went? Are you still on track or do you have some catching up to do?

Needless to say, I’m very glad that I opted to do a mini or partial NanoWriMo of 25,000 words instead of 50,000 for the month. I’m approximately halfway toward my goal of penning 25,000 words for the month of November, and although it hasn’t all been for one project, between my short-stories and large manuscript projects, I’m still well over 10,000 words and counting. The key ingredient for me is keeping it fun and trying not to approach it as work, but as something fun to do.

Have you readjusted your NanoWri goals or are you still planning on finishing in time? Do you tend to do better at the beginning of the month or do you gain speed as it progresses? What have you already learned from this year’s NanoWriMo that you could improve upon or what has worked really well for you in your writing schedule?

Writing to Authors

2011-11-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Ever wish you could chat with a favorite author? Maybe you have a few questions to ask or you’d just like to let them know how much they’ve inspired your own work? So why not write them and see?

I’ve blogged about this topic before, but I continue to love to write to favorite authors of mine and share my enthusiasm with them as well as learn some useful tips along the way. I recently wrote to a favorite civil war author of mine, Nick Taylor (who won the Michael Shaara Prize for Civil War fiction two years ago with his novel The Disagreement), and he has started reading my manuscript with the generous offer to write a blurb for my book. Needless to say, I’m thrill beyond words to have one of my favorite published authors actually reading my own story!

So who are some of your favorite authors you’d like to meet? Maybe you’re already pen pals with someone who regularly publishes in your genre? Joyce used to write to Ibsen, so why shouldn’t you write to some novelists who have truly inspired you?

What Makes a Bestseller Sell?

2011-11-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

Two books might have the same quality, so how does one sell out in every bookstore, whereas another will only generate mediocre sales? Why did Charles Dickens’ books make him a fortune whereas Herman Melville died in obscurity? How does the latest vampire novel keep coming out and topping the bestseller list today?

In short, I started pondering what are the essential elements that make a bestseller today. Granted many external factors contribute, such as fame and promotion, but every decade produces fiction bestsellers that tend to share certain commonalities. It might be a love for certain types of characters, or a preference for a particular genre.

So what would you say are the key elements of bestsellers coming out today? Which are your favorites and why? What in your opinion do book buyers love and what do they ignore?

Also, Happy Veteran’s Day to all those who have served and to their families.

What’s in an Outline?

2011-11-09T08:50:00.001-08:00

Do you prefer to have a detailed outline when working on a new story? Or maybe you prefer to fly seat-of-your-pants? I suppose I’m somewhere in between myself.

I’m working up an outline for a new story, but at the same time I’m chomping at the bit to get to the meat of writing that first draft. In some ways it’s a pleasant conundrum, but I often find myself beset by two internal forces competing for my attention: on the one hand I know from experience that a well-crafted outline really makes the story better from the very beginning, but at the same time I never want to inhibit the raw inspiration of creativity when it actually decides to show up.

So how do you balance these two opposing virtues of the writing process? Do you give in more to a well-planned plot or do you prefer to allow a more organic form to take over? Perhaps a blend of the two, but ultimately what works best for you?

Blogging for Academia

2011-11-07T08:28:00.001-08:00

My friend Kelly has interviewed me regarding my blog, which she’s referencing as part of a media project for her class at Berkeley. First she asked me questions about my blog, and then she needed feedback from people who visit my site. I spoke to some of you this weekend who were super awesome in providing feedback to her questionnaire.

So thank you, thank you, thank you all! I’ve posted her questions for fellow bloggers below regarding my site and if you’d like to provide her any additional feedback in the comment section it’d be most useful for her project, as the more input she gets from people the more thorough she can make her paper. Otherwise, thanks for stop by as usual and have a great start to you week!

1. How long have you interacted with this site (months, years, etc)?

2. What is your motivation for logging into the site and what expectations did you have going into it? Have your expectations changed?

3. How often do you log into the blog (e.g. multiple times a day? weekly? etc.) and do you interact with other consumers on the site?

4. Who do you interact with on the site?

5. Are the interactions within this site meaningful to you? How so? Meaning may imply your satisfactions.

6. What do you enjoy to write about or respond to?

Mini NanoWrite

2011-11-04T08:47:00.000-07:00

Don’t quite have the time to churn out 50,000 words this month for NanoWriMo? Or maybe the inspiration train hasn’t been stopping as frequently at your station? So what’s a writer to do?

Between work, weddings, birthdays, etc. this month I knew I wouldn’t have the time to pen 50,000 words by the end of November, but I still wanted to challenge myself despite the time constraints. So I’ve resolved to partake in my own mini NanoWrite, where instead of producing the full 50,000 word count I’m going to shoot for half or 25,000 words by midnight on November 30^th. Still no piece of cake, but more than enough to keep me occupied.

So what types of compromises do you work out with yourself when trying to maintain your daily/weekly word counts? Obviously content counts for more than quantity, but about how many words do you usually set for your personal goals throughout the year? And how much exactly do you plan to write this November?

Insecure Writer Day

2011-11-02T08:53:00.001-07:00

Ever have trouble keeping your writing separated from the rest of your life? Have a bad day at work and as a result a bad day at writing? Or maybe funerals, weddings, etc. keep interrupting your normal thought patterns when it comes to writing?

I know that as authors we’re supposed to use the canvas of life’s experiences to fuel our craft, but sometimes those experiences can overwhelm the writing process itself. When life gets really hectic I often feel less like a writer and more like the character in someone else’s book…I just hope each day it’ll have a happy ending;) I don’t know if this qualifies so much as an insecurity rather than a lack of keeping all those competing voices inside my head quiet when I need to focus on writing.

So how do you shrug off the other concerns in your life for a few hours a day? How do you prevent the fatigue you may feel from seeping into your writing? How do you get back into the groove even when you initially just don’t feel like you’ll produce anything worthwhile?

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T09:20:00.001-07:00

All Hallows Eve. Samhain (pronounced sort of like ‘soween’). Colloquially known today as Halloween!

Originating in the three night new years’ festival of the ancient Celtic peoples, Halloween has become a night for merriment, mysticism, and just plain good fun. Easily my favorite holiday of the year, I’ll be handing out candy to trick-or-treaters tonight once I put my jack-o-lanterns out. But Halloween isn’t just for kids, as there are plenty of parties, scary movies, and haunted houses for all ages on October 31^st.

So what are you dressing up as this Halloween? Got any little ones to take trick-or-treating or will you be handing out candy yourself? In the meantime, have a very happy, haunted Halloween!

Funny Friday

2011-10-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Ever notice that the future never quite turned out the way we expected it in the movies? Remember glimpses of the years to come in the second Back to the Future movie or even the old Star Trek predictions about the early 21^st century? Even literature like H.G. Well’s Time Machine tried to foretell the future, so why were they so off?

I still remember teachers and adults telling me in preschool that I’d be driving flying cars when I grew up. Of course all those Nostradamus-esk end of the world predictions thankfully never came true either. So maybe it’s a good thing we humans can’t see into the days to come.

What films or books do you remember from growing up that set your imagination going about the future? Did you envision a different world from what we see today? Or perhaps in a lot of unexpected ways the future turned out more incredible than we could have imagined?

Writer’s Organizations

2011-10-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

What exactly is a writer’s organization? Where are they and what are they all about? Should I join one or not?

Technically, almost anything can be considered a writer’s org, from reading groups to people running conferences, but what I’m focusing on here deals more with the types of associates listed here. I’m pretty much a novice myself at navigating the spectrum of writer’s organizations, although I’m sure plenty of you belong or have belonged to one at some point. Although a writer’s craft can be a solitary one, when it comes to getting good feedback and really promoting your work in the open marketplace, being a writer is anything but solitary.

So what are your thoughts and experiences regarding writer’s orgs? Are they worthwhile endeavors for burgeoning authors? Do you belong to any writer’s organizations?

The Conspirator Review

2011-10-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

With the advent of the 150^th anniversary of the American Civil War Hollywood has begun releasing more Civil War-era films. I recently watched Robert Redford’s Civil War film The Conspirator which focuses on the days after President Lincoln’s assassination, starring James McAvoy and Robin Wright. Portions of it felt almost like a blend of documentary and drama, but what I liked in particular was the film’s attention to detail regarding period dress, patterns of speech, and contemporary attitudes of the time.

As a writer of historical fiction, particularly Civil War fiction, I’m always interested to see popular Civil War films such as Cold Mountain, Gettysburg, and Gone with the Wind. Overall, I’d say that Robert Redford does a decent job in directing The Conspirator and I’d probably give him four out of five stars. You can rent it or Redbox it today.

So what types of films have you seen in the last year or two that relate to your genre of writing? Do you find the latest Hollywood depictions encouraging or just a lot of hype? What types of historical movies would you like to see produced on the big screen?