Tag: writing historicals

Once upon a story… never gets easier and why I’d rather be cleaning the bathroom by Jina Bacarr

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We live in a world of instant communication. Instant oatmeal… instant noodle cups and instant coffee. Pods, anyone? (God help me, I refuse to succumb to the latter.)

But there’s no such thing as instant book writing. Instant brilliant idea, yes. A wonderful story can come to you in a flash, but writing the dang thing can be pure terror.

It never, I repeat, never goes according to plan and it’s times like that I’d rather clean the bathroom. Your characters complain about everything. Their age, weight, hair color (blond, anyone?). And if you write historicals, you can’t change dates because your heroine wants you to, new characters pop up and you can’t get rid of them, and oh, getting everyone’s names, you feel like the old woman in the shoe naming her brood. Characters complain about that, too.

So, why do we do it? I’m on a merry go round with my latest Paris WW2 novel. Finding the focus, etc. I’ve wanted to get off several times but something keeps me hanging on.

What is it? Not sticky glue.

No, because this is a story that must be told. A brave circus queen who rescued children from the Nazis while flying fifty feet up on the trapeze in Occupied Europe. I know where I’m going, finally, but getting there is hell. That’s where craft comes in.

So here are my 6 Helpful Tips for Historical Writers:

1 — Take a break. Read a book that’s NOT for research. Your brain will love you.

2 — Call a friend. Writer-friendly. Someone who ‘gets it’ when you lament your hero ‘won’t open up and tell you his secrets.’

3 — Butt in chair and write ANYTHING that comes into your head related to your story. Some of mty best stuff comes from that. Don’t be afriad it will sound dumb. It’s called ‘editing’ to get the best stuff out of it.

5 — Meditate with your heroine — go into deep pov with her, who she is, what she wants more than anything, what she swears she’ll never do and then make her do it.

6 — Be flexible. Are you writing in the right time for your story? Are you trying to cover too much time in your story? History is fascinating but figure out the core of your story. You may have to adjust the year or era. Yes, it’s a pain, but you’ll be happier without the pressure of trying to make the shoe ‘fit’ when it never will.

It’s taken me a while, but yes, I feel good about my story. I shall leave cleaning the bathroom to next week… the week after maybe? Back to writing… with a smile on my face and the toilet brush back in its proper holder.

And oh, I bought fresh coffee for tonight’s writing session. Real coffee. Gelson’s Columbian brew I got on sale. Now that’s what I call ‘heavenly’ inspiration.

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My latest 2 book series about PARIS WW2:

2 sisters at war with the Nazis… and each other https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/sisters-at-war-2  

from BoldwoodBooks

In my story Justine is the victim of sexual assault by the SS. ‘Sisters at War’ explores wartime sexual assault and how it affects the lives of Justine and Eve Beaufort in Wartime Paris.

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I drew on my own experiences when I started a series of historical novels set in Wartime Paris about the brave women who fought in the French Resistance.

An actress, a parfumier, a Philly debutante and my 2-book Wartime Paris Sisters series SISTERS AT WAR and SISTERS OF THE RESISTANCE.

Sisters At War:

US https://a.co/d/eZ25gZb      

UK https://amzn.eu/d/0LEWy2z

Who are the Beaufort Sisters?

They’re beautiful

They’re smart

They’re dangerous

They’re at war with the Nazis… and each other.