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Fact checking is a part of the process when you are preparing a book for publishing. There are always facts to check. Even in completely made up worlds. Especially in made up worlds. Facts lay the foundation for stories. They are the corner stones of trilogies and series.

Look at any series . They start out with certain facts inherent to the story. In Harry Potter it’s Hogwarts and Diagon Alley and the rules of both the muggle world and the magical world. Rules which must be maintained in the story for the story to work. In fact, the conflict between the two worlds he lives in sets up facts and rules necessary for his story to progress from one book to the next.

Facts and Rules . These must be checked and rechecked inside the story to be sure they match what the author started. If the story takes place in 1984 then cell phones are not the same as they are now. If the story takes place in space , then how do they explain gravity?

In mysteries , facts are so important it hurts. Even the tiniest detail can become something else. When an author writes a story which covers generations , then often a character has a sheet with their birthdate and death dates on them.

Once a story is written it must be fact checked. Often, I find obvious errors that must be corrected for the story to make sense. The short stories not so much, but the novels ? Absolutely.

Here is a word of advice . If you write a story, then write it. Let nothing distract you. Write like you have no fear. Write from the heart and soul. Write however and whatever you want.  Put everything you have into it. Once you are done, pat yourself on the back and walk away. Move onto something else. Let your mind move to another project for a while.

Why ? Because you will need the new perspective you have from letting your mind move on. It takes the blinders off and lets you see what you wrote instead of what you think you wrote. This is where the work begins. You must edit like a stone-cold killer. One part of such editing is the fact checking. You must make sure each fact is supported. That each fact you created works. You must ensure the reader never notices any discrepancies you removed.

If 1 +1 = 3 the reader will notice. You either have to rewrite it to 1+1=2 or create a fact which makes 1+1=3 acceptable to a reader’s point of view. The same with any fact. Read your book out loud. This will reveal 90% of any discrepancies in facts. If your character has long hair in the first chapters and short in later chapters , it will catch someone’s eyes.

Check your facts like a militant librarian . Like a researcher who needs to get paid or a cop who is chasing a serial killer. Check them and then check them again. Make sure they work. Make sure the facts are so good they disappear. This will keep the reader focused on the story and not the specifics.

Once you have this part done, then pat yourself on the back . Do so before you turn the manuscript over to the people who will read your work and tell you what they have found. Believe me, just when you think you may have found them all, you haven’t. You always need other eyes to look at your work for you.

I’m Ross, The Editor at The Pyrateheart Press and I’m out.