Xylophonic sounds reverberated around the long corridor, bouncing off its smooth, round concrete walls, becoming louder and louder, driving the people more insane, until they turned on each other, tearing at each other’s flesh with their bare hands, and a command blared from the loudspeaker: “Cut.”
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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 