Why I Wrote Trench Month by Month, Week by Week

When I embarked on the Trench series, I aimed to follow the Great War as closely as possible, tracking its course month by month, week by week, and even day by day. I started in 1915 because, while 1914 had its share of significant events, the full scale of combat really took shape in the following year. By February 1915, the Tsar Tank, for instance, had begun its testing phase — marking a pivotal point to dive into the story.

I chose to write this way to capture the sheer scale and complexity of World War I. The war was immense, and the events were numerous and chaotic. Early on, I realized the enormity of the task: covering these historical moments while weaving in personal stories was more demanding than I had anticipated. But this challenge also sparked the creation of spin-off series, short stories, and countless new ideas that I plan to explore in the future.

There were moments in the Great War that were incredibly chaotic and intense. For example, in my first book, Maxis and Lothar were split up — one sent to the fortress of Przemyśl under Russian siege, and the other to the tail end of the Champagne Offensive against French forces — all within a five-day span. Managing these overlapping, intense timelines was challenging but crucial to capturing the scope of the war.

As I write the tenth book, it’s clear the war only grows in scale and scope. This expansion brings forth not just historical battles, like the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive or in the future books covering the Somme, but also the personal stories of characters like Maxis, Arina, and Lothar. These characters navigate through the chaos, offering readers a human connection to the monumental events. The series will continue this approach through Trench 1917 all the way to 1920 historically. Covering major engagements like the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele, and more.

Not everyone chronicles the war in this granular fashion. Many resort to broad strokes or cookie-cutter narratives. But the enormity and significance of World War I — truly a "world war" — deserves a deeper, more immersive exploration. That's what I strive to deliver: a detailed, personal, and relentless journey through the tumult of the Great War.

The missions and fictionalized events, as I emphasized in my last blog, help tell these stories in powerful and unforgettable ways. They act as narrative bridges, linking real-world events with speculative operations and secret missions that never change history — only deepen it.

And at the end of each arc — whether it's Przemyśl, Champagne, or the Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive — I include a historical fact section to ground the reader. These moments aren’t for the ones who slept through history class and will never understand; they’re for those who want to learn, who appreciate history told in bite-sized, engaging forms — like an appetizer that sparks curiosity. These notes serve not only to inform, but to inspire deeper research and understanding.

I’m not here to retell the Great War in dry nonfiction form. I do it the best way I know how — by making it fun, entertaining, educational, and most of all, immersive.

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