Ah yes historical fiction. I think I'm finally through enough of my research to be able to write. In fact, I'm going and writing three different introductions/prologues just as an exercise really to get myself into it. Maybe if this works and I get famous from this book I can do a compilation of the alternative openings.

Anyways, the research was a lot of fun. I've learned a ton of new things doing this and have a new perspective on very early cultures, before the culmination of civilization as we know it.

It's a pain in the a** though. I've learned a lot, yes, but then you actually start writing and you find yourself flipping through a plethora of books searching for this little factoid or that, trying to keep it as historically accurate as possible without looking like a complete idiot but still feel as if you're bumbling around like one. After all, you, the writer, are more than likely NOT an archeologist, so you find yourself questioning sources as well just in case. Really you need to consistently verify this detail of life or that. How many soldiers were cavalry? How were the formations? What aspects of religion pertained to battle? What was a Templar's daily routine? What would one learn through training? Did they train as a knight first THEN templar, or priest first, or were they given to templars at a young age? What was the name of the God that supposedly conceived Cu Chulainn? Etc. Etc.

Sometimes it feels as if I'm spending so much time making it accurate that I'm passing the writing style right up. So then I go back and try to make it read better, but I find I'm constantly second guessing myself.

It's a labor of love, people. Labor of love. I hate this b*****d, but I love him just the same. I'm honestly hoping I'm being obsessive compulsive enough about it.