BE A LOCAL HISTORIAN
That takes years of
training for most historians, and few of them ever write much.
Start with a local event at least three decades ago. Read all the newspaper accounts. Then rummage through old documents in the courthouse. Interview locals. Set up a website. Start analyzing the accuracy of the documents. Build up an inventory of documents online. Then start writing chapters on the event. Get feedback from locals. Then revise. Invest at least a year.
Then do it again on another topic. You will get on to how it's done.
Or read 20 to 30 books on one narrow topic. Read at least four book reviews of each book in scholarly journals. Take notes (Evernote.com). Then write book reviews of each book. Then write a summary article of at least 10,000 words on the major themes and how they have been handled. Then write your version.
Start with a local event at least three decades ago. Read all the newspaper accounts. Then rummage through old documents in the courthouse. Interview locals. Set up a website. Start analyzing the accuracy of the documents. Build up an inventory of documents online. Then start writing chapters on the event. Get feedback from locals. Then revise. Invest at least a year.
Then do it again on another topic. You will get on to how it's done.
Or read 20 to 30 books on one narrow topic. Read at least four book reviews of each book in scholarly journals. Take notes (Evernote.com). Then write book reviews of each book. Then write a summary article of at least 10,000 words on the major themes and how they have been handled. Then write your version.
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