I have invented a theory, with a little help (OK a lot of help) from Vanessa Couchman when I interviewed her here. Its name possibly has something to do with the fact that I struggled to find any connection between the letter X and writing historical fiction. But the advice is serious and probably useful. So with much fanfare I present the first ever airing of…
Miriam’s Xylophone Theory
A xylophone has no use without a mallet (or beater or stick). Similarly, research has no use without a story. At some point you have to relegate all the research to the background and concentrate on the story. And while you’re writing the story, you might get some of the facts wrong. But that’s all right. You can revise the story later to fit the facts.
Miriam Drori, Author 
5 replies on “2015 A to Z Challenge: X is for XYLOPHONE”
I know we talked about singing, but I did wonder when I started reading the post where a xylophone came into it! Now I understand. Thanks for the not very well deserved credit. I got becalmed somewhere around ‘H’ in your excellent series, owing to too much on my plate, but will catch up.
It’s very well deserved!
I like xylophone theory! I was wondering if you’d choose xenophobia. So many different ‘foreigners’ have been hated in so many ways throughout history – it can be interesting to find out exactly which one an unsympathetic character would have disliked at a certain time.
That’s true. I didn’t think of that.
Good theory – thank goodness for xylophones 🙂
When it comes to research (or any knowledge to be exact) I assume the reader knows what I know – so I can throw in small bits, but don’t feel the need to info dump. It might not be so easy with historical fiction though – that might need slightly more explanation.
Annalisa, writing A-Z vignettes, at Wake Up, Eat, Write, Sleep