Realism, Research, and Writing

Welcome to the Arcane Gearsmith!

This blog is about the creation of things, both of physical objects and of the written word. One often influences the other.

For example in one of my stories a lone survivor of a religious order crafts a magically infused Quaterstaff. I, as the author, crafted my own physical version of that Quarterstaff. I spent weeks designing, sanding, woodburning, polishing, and sealing my own Quaterstaff all to understand my character better. One of the results is that I was able to get deeper into characters thoughts. I could relate to the character as he burned the symbols into the wood because I had done it myself. 

Familiarity can bring realism to your written work, and believability to your characters and stories. Creating the Quarterstaff was a form of research. 

I also research areas of interest related to my writing as well, as do many authors. I have listened to hundreds of hours of college level lectures on subjects such as The Industrial Revolution, Victorian England, The Rise and Fall of the British Empire, Daily Life in Ancient Civilizations, and many other topics, all of which help me to ground my writing in Realism.

So long for now. Keep tinkering and writing.