Since August of 2010, I’ve spent two to three hours every day researching a writing about the Civil War. My other (and much more heavily read) blog Civil War Daily Gazette, focuses each day on what happened 150 years ago. I’d have to say that the blog is a smashing success with roughly 600 hits a day and a couple thousand “regular” readers (folks who drop in a couple times a week).
I’m honestly shocked at the reception it’s getting. The number alone are a reward in and of themselves – this is not an easy blog to write.
Every since I was a little kid, I had an interest in the Civil War. When the 150th anniversary rolled around, I wanted to do something to commemorate it. Somehow, I got the idea to write a little bit each day. If ever someone bit off more than they could comfortably chew, it was me.
The process of doing the research and writing is a complex one. It’s made even more complex by the fact that I’m not incredibly knowledgeable about the Civil War. I have no idea what’s coming up on any given day. I generally have no clue at all how a campaign or situation is going to play out.
At any given time, I use around thirty real-life books and twenty or so digital books (thank God for GoogleBooks). As for what to write about, I usually have a narrative going. Most of the time, it’s based upon what campaign is going on.
Right now, I’m a little over four months ahead in my writing. That places me smack dab in the middle of the Antietam Campaign of 1862. Along with that, there were two campaigns in the West (Mississippi and Tennessee/Kentucky), plus another in West Virginia, plus a few others in various other locations. And on top of all of it was the Emancipation Proclamation, which was announced shortly following the battle of Antietam – the bloodiest day in American history.
Needless to say, I’m mentally exhausted. Though I only work about three hours a day on it, they are three unbelievably frantic hours. By this stage of the game, I can write like nobody’s business. I’m also a halfway okay researcher. That doesn’t, however, give me the ability to juggle several different (and often linked) narratives.
Let me try to describe it so that someone who isn’t me could understand. For a second, let’s pretend that someone wanted to make a daily soap opera based upon Lord of the Rings. This show would air seven days a week for four and a half years. Now pretend that every book you needed for research was some twisted version of the Silmarillion. Now, each of those versions would be different, expressed through varying and usually conflicting points of view.
When you’ve finally wrapped your head around that, picture, after researching and writing it, after creating your narrative, selecting which messed up Silmarillions to believe, you publish a 1500 word treatment and release it to the public. Every single day.
And now picture one of two reactions, each occurring in equal amounts. One reaction goes something like, “This is a cool idea. My grandfather used to live in The Shire!” The other reaction is this: “You are a neo-Elf! The Silmarillions that you are using are seen as abominations by most Middle Earth historians! Melkor was framed and here’s an assload of flimsy, anecdotal evidence that proves Fëanor and his sons changed their story after being victorious. Hail the Balrogs!”
Okay, maybe this isn’t the best example ever, but seriously, it’s what I deal with. Except usually there’s no response at all.
But like I said, the numbers are rewarding. I can see how long people visit the site and it really is long enough for the vast majority to read my entire article each day. That’s such an honor. That doesn’t make it any less insane of a task.
The problem is that I can’t really take a vacation from it. If I were merely writing a book, I could put it aside and come back to it later. I’m on a day-by-day schedule, I don’t really have that option.
And so I start thinking ridiculous things like “this really isn’t worth it anymore,” when really it is. So what am I saying here? I’m not sure. I just wanted to vent a little. I’m sure I’ll still keep researching and writing. They can’t get rid of me that easily.
