tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post9154100944585752435..comments2024-03-25T09:56:16.164+00:00Comments on An Awfully Big Blog Adventure: History - Sally NichollsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-71899896893820726102011-07-11T10:39:47.416+01:002011-07-11T10:39:47.416+01:00I enjoyed this, Sally - and sympathise. I've b...I enjoyed this, Sally - and sympathise. I've been there - certainly on the question of how to keep the language accessible yet still sound authentic. And I also had a pig problem when writing 'Wildthorn'! I suddenly realized I didn't know how a pig would behave if someone came into the sty. I rang up a pig-farmer - who thought at first that I was one of his friends winding him up! But then he told me what I wanted to know...jane eaglandhttp://www.janeeagland.co.uknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-28038575189010583302011-07-09T22:53:25.233+01:002011-07-09T22:53:25.233+01:00Oohh the things I am learning - not that I am like...Oohh the things I am learning - not that I am likely to need to take a pig outside. <br />All good writing takes research - even that set in the present day!catdownunderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06959328192182156574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-70127596439922860102011-07-09T15:36:51.230+01:002011-07-09T15:36:51.230+01:00A pig board, that's what you need. You hold th...A pig board, that's what you need. You hold the board next to them and they walk alongside it, as if it's a wall. You sort of steer them by pushing the board towards or away from them. Weird, but it works. Well, it worked with my pigs, not that I have any any more now I'm a writer!Cindy Jefferieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01480816926657167434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-84762263382372637972011-07-09T14:34:44.676+01:002011-07-09T14:34:44.676+01:00Surely to get the pig out of the room you just use...Surely to get the pig out of the room you just use a big stick and the keyword 'Bacon!' :)Leilahttp://www.leilarasheed.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-63294145107433349872011-07-09T14:21:20.303+01:002011-07-09T14:21:20.303+01:00I keep the writing in my historical novels modern,...I keep the writing in my historical novels modern, though obviously without contemporary slang. I get amazon reviews from people complaining that they googled words in my books and they didn't come into use until later. I think pur-lease...how much would you have read if it had been in genuine 1540s language? It has to be accessible to a contemporary readership. If you are thinking too much about decoding the language you can't relax and enjoy the story. It is, as you say, a challenge.Marie-Louise Jensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18006940874591015786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-34132319035957894242011-07-09T14:13:30.237+01:002011-07-09T14:13:30.237+01:00Thank you!
I'm afraid, in my book, the answer...Thank you!<br /><br />I'm afraid, in my book, the answer to how you get the pig out of the room is that you go to the well to get water and when you come back your little brother has already taken him to the swineherd.<br /><br />Not sure I should be admitting this in public, though!Sally Nichollshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17022981347132511812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-84429443524258900722011-07-09T14:12:17.422+01:002011-07-09T14:12:17.422+01:00I'm putting off the historical novel for a cou...I'm putting off the historical novel for a couple of years - there are so many pieces to the jigsaw! Look forward to your next book (and movie)!Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-81136553118393329832011-07-09T14:12:15.795+01:002011-07-09T14:12:15.795+01:00I'm putting off the historical novel for a cou...I'm putting off the historical novel for a couple of years - there are so many pieces to the jigsaw! Look forward to your next book (and movie)!Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-37037795775035590452011-07-09T14:12:15.450+01:002011-07-09T14:12:15.450+01:00I'm putting off the historical novel for a cou...I'm putting off the historical novel for a couple of years - there are so many pieces to the jigsaw! Look forward to your next book (and movie)!Candy Gourlayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-31769518260942243392011-07-09T13:53:41.654+01:002011-07-09T13:53:41.654+01:00Great post. The reactions of the characters to all...Great post. The reactions of the characters to all the stinky, underfoot, livestock are key to keeping things believable -- good luck with that. I spend hours researching elements I'm never going to mention but I feel I need to know just-in-case ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15459671422564355990noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-69957618690680149302011-07-09T13:53:23.330+01:002011-07-09T13:53:23.330+01:00Enjoyed this post. My uncle used to keep pigs. Th...Enjoyed this post. My uncle used to keep pigs. The answer - use food.<br />I reckon that, way back then, when they said, 'I'faith, that be blessed,' it sounded to them exactly like, 'Cool!'<br />And I love those conversations with editors too! The Vikings didn't have sausages! - Yes, they did. Astrid is a modern name. No, it isn't. York is miles from the sea, you couldn't get a ship there! - A Viking ship, you could - and so on, and so on.Susan Pricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07738737493756183909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-84242401310957080962011-07-09T13:42:20.644+01:002011-07-09T13:42:20.644+01:00I think How to get the Pig out the Room should be ...I think How to get the Pig out the Room should be the title of a book om Writing Sally. Are you up for it? A great post. I find I get totally carried away and go through SO much ink printing out images. And get totally distracted in the V&A looking at clothing styles, jewellery and shoes etc when all my character is supposed to be wearing is a pair of breeches and leather boots!Dianne Hofmeyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18222157214605257030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-54909923835137790122011-07-09T12:58:10.173+01:002011-07-09T12:58:10.173+01:00Enjoyed this post very much. So how do you get the...Enjoyed this post very much. So how do you get the pig out of the room? I write historical fiction and the balance between authenticity and readability is a tricky one. And it's so hard not to be clever and shove ALL your research in just because you've done it!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00018944465720933242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-82532151049755348892011-07-09T12:55:55.934+01:002011-07-09T12:55:55.934+01:00Great post.
It is so true that the things you re...Great post. <br /><br />It is so true that the things you really want to know, the everyday ordinary facts of lining in a different era are so rarely in the reference books and those are the things that make your reader believe that they are there with the characters.<br /><br />There is also that dreadful feeling that you are going to get something totally wrong and someone who really knows about that period of history is going to come back to you once the book is out and tell you what you did wrong, when it is too late to change it!Linda Strachanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04354324158228109351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-66806476892734780802011-07-09T12:44:44.164+01:002011-07-09T12:44:44.164+01:00Thanks Sally. Really enjoyed this.Thanks Sally. Really enjoyed this.JoMacdonaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11283910127476897192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-35937059074775394502011-07-09T12:24:47.761+01:002011-07-09T12:24:47.761+01:00Ace post, Sally...can't wait to read book.Ace post, Sally...can't wait to read book.adelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15826710558292792068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-14485093844695353982011-07-09T12:21:31.937+01:002011-07-09T12:21:31.937+01:00Hmmm - that does sound tricky. I think I better st...Hmmm - that does sound tricky. I think I better stick to what I know!Wendy Meddourhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11232145254833119663noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-68841713710371943972011-07-09T12:14:21.316+01:002011-07-09T12:14:21.316+01:00I love delving into all that non-fiction and findi...I love delving into all that non-fiction and finding snippets of stuff which trigger 'oh yes' moments in my books (thinking of my Greek myth research here). I find I have to be really disciplined and write down page numbers and refs, though, or I get totally confused and spend hours trolling through to find that vital piece of info again!Lucy Coatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16774389681477698245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-66911068292951193592011-07-09T12:10:31.694+01:002011-07-09T12:10:31.694+01:00Thanks Sally - a good blog read. You really inspir...Thanks Sally - a good blog read. You really inspired both me and my son recently at the Witney Book festival. I think hearing a real author talk about the process of writing made it more a reality - writers are normal people just struggling with words and ideas to bring a book to life, to make sense. Thank you, and best wishes for your third book!makingsensehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14296118307950206187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-23015605514174148452011-07-09T12:08:20.066+01:002011-07-09T12:08:20.066+01:00Brilliant post. As a librarian I am interested as ...Brilliant post. As a librarian I am interested as to how historical fiction fits into the library lessons and enhances the history curriculum.<br />I have to say I snigger every time the pupils mention Chaucer you only have to tell them how much sex is invovlved to get them to read it lol - it is so full of innuendo.Ynysawdre Elderly Residents Associationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08121225687563442558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-52285229682199342942011-07-09T12:07:24.130+01:002011-07-09T12:07:24.130+01:00So far I've avoided writing historical fiction...So far I've avoided writing historical fiction for this very reason! Looking forward to reading All Fall Down.MC Rogersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13735238884673302488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7780182174577095197.post-53169606862476065192011-07-09T12:03:03.888+01:002011-07-09T12:03:03.888+01:00I'm writing historical fiction too and I have ...I'm writing historical fiction too and I have the same problem - how DO you make your teenager from whenever (mine's 1816) not sound like they've been dumped there by a fed up 21st century parent? I'll watch out for your books so I can get some tips!<br />Brilliant post that I really identified with, thanks.Rebecca Brownhttp://www.rebeccaebrown.comnoreply@blogger.com