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~ The Occasional Blogger

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Tag Archives: History

Juggling with history

16 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by Paula Beavan in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

1830 Hunter Valley, Colonial Australia, Dawn in the Valley, History, labour, native, Settlers

IMG_0404

There are times reader when I really have to wonder what on earth was I thinking? Historical Fiction, should be fun. Or not. I love historical fiction for so many reasons. I love learning about how people lived, their hardships and triumphs; difficulties and the simplicity. If you can call it that. But let’s face it, the lines were clearly drawn and though we may not like some of the things that happened, given the times, would we behave any differently?

Recently I purchased a book, and paid much more than I could ever have imagined I would. The foreword really resonated with me; expressing my sentiments about the past exactly.

Dawn in the Valley

“The history of the Hunter River Valley is the history of human effort, of lives spent in making clear the path through a continent; for this valley was the road of settlement to the North. Men cleared it and spent their lives and sweat and labour, sometimes from greed, in desperation and sorrow, but with all their strength. And it is these lonely and forgotten and savage lives we think of as we read of their day of toiling behind bullock teams, the long day riding, felling, fencing and building their homes. 

We are now in those easy circumstances where we can reproach them for waste and folly, for killing the native dark people, for destroying the forests, for eroding the hills and causing flood by ignorance, destruction of wild animals that ate their crops. Would we have done as well? At least let us who have our ease from their early labour learn how they went about their sturdy land-getting and reflect that ours must always be a less endeavour. For if we do not honour their toil and hopes we have no right to our bread which comes from the paddocks they cleared.”  Foreword by Kylie Tennant. DAWN IN THE VALLEY by W. Allan Wood. 

I’ve chosen to write an historical novel and include real people with histories. This is a decision I’ve often lamented. Because by including real people and real events, I have to try to make sure my story fits and to know when to juggle the history to suit the story.

George Wyndham

This choice has slowed my writing down considerably. Instead of forging ahead with the first draft {although this WIP is not really a first draft, more like a fifth or sixth} and writing 2,000 -3,000 words each day for a month or so, I find myself stopping constantly to research and read about characters and events. I love this kind of research. I could do it all day. I frequently manage to read all day and instead of clocking up 1,000 words, I’m lucky to add 83!

Will this research be worth it? I hope so. I want to write a story about the people who laboured, dug, cleared and built; who fought, killed and bled. I want to write a great story with the right degree of historical accuracy. Because that’s the kind of story I love the read.

How about you? Does historical accuracy matter? Do you like to understand why the people who went before us did what they did? Tell me, do you even like historical fiction?

 

News Flash

11 Monday Nov 2013

Posted by Paula Beavan in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Australian Writers Centre, freelance writing, History, Kate Forsyth, Magic, Mystery, Oxford UK, rewriting, tourist, Travelling, writing, writing courses, writing retreat, writing workshop

Reader, I’m sorry for missing last week’s usual Monday offering. I have been so excited and totally forgot to share the post I had prepared for you. Note to self- I really must remember to use the Hootsuite thingy I pay for.

wild girl Bitter-Greens

Well, I will delay gratification and tell you about last weekend. I attended a writing course in Sydney. The course was History Mystery and Magic with Kate Forsyth. I wanted to go because, as some of you know, I have a first draft of a historical romance story that badly needs editing but so far I’ve been unable to edit it. That’s mostly because of fear. Fear of getting the historical elements right. Fear of sorting out the meandering plot. Fear of hating it when I go back.

Kate is a wonderful teacher and quickly ascertained where we were all at in our writing. Unfortunately for me, she pegged my reluctance to edit straight away and I found myself in the hot seat when it came to research and editing procrastination discussions. Kate modelled her comments, feedback and encouragement individually but in a way that was helpful to the whole class and not just to whom it was specifically addressed.

I was surprised by the number of student who were starting out. I had assumed the class would be packed with writers further down the writing track than I am. There were some, but most not. This turned out to be a real plus for me. Because Kate seemed to restructure the program to cover a broader spectrum of novel writing. Everything from narrative arcs and plots, researching effectively to basic editing tips. I so needed to hear each and every word she uttered. Kate has a uniquely engaging teaching style that includes everyone and covers every need that was revealed when we all introduced ourselves.

I could waffle all day about how good the class was, how much I got out of it, etc . . . but instead you can check out the Australian Writer’s Centre here. Kate’s website here, and I can only recommend you check it out yourself and save up your pennies and attend a course. You won’t regret it, I promise.

On the the really exciting news. I was so encouraged and inspired by Kate, that I’ve booked in to attend a week long intensive workshop and writing retreat with her in Oxford UK.

Oxford

Yes me! I know that previously I’d never even have considered doing anything so brave. Travelling overseas on my own wasn’t even something I considered. But Dave came for an after course chat and drink with some of our class mates and Kate and thought I should go after hearing Kate talk about the trip.

So, the deposit is paid, the insurance is sorted and I am going. Stay tuned for lots of exciting squee moments, and I’ll try not to drive you all crazy with my crazy blethering.

Are you a traveller? Do yo have any exciting or essential tips to give me? Please, feel free. I need all the encouragement I can get. More importantly, what sights should I simply not miss?

38 days, and counting down

23 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by Paula Beavan in Uncategorized

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

1820, Colonial Australia, Dunedoo, History, Homestead, Intrigue, love, Mystery, NaNoWriMo, New South Wales, Poems, Reading, Rhymes, Romance, writing

Hello reader, here in sunny Australia it is the 23rd of September. This means that there are only 38 days before NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, or November in the non literary world.

NaNoWriMo

That’s 38 days of reading, researching, plotting, planning, thinking and even dreaming.

Yes, I do dream about my characters. I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with a scene having played out in a dream. Then the difficult bit is to get it recorded before I lose it.

This year I am planning on something a little different to the style I’ve written before. While still a romance, still a bit of a mystery, those being my favourites, Raven’s Ridge will be a mix if historical and contemporary, mystery and romance. And I can’t wait.

Serendipity seems to play a part in my my writing. A while back, ages really, I found a rhyme about crows, I just liked it so I saved it and forgot about it.

IMG_0083

I love the last line in particular and it became the premise for Raven’s Ridge.

In June I wrote a romantic romp that took my characters to a farm out near Dunedoo in central New South Wales. I fell in love the house I’d imagined and my sister, who read each chapter as I wrote it, did too. We both knew another story with the house as the setting had to be written.

Usually when I’m writing, I start with an idea, then build from there. Add characters, add in a mystery a romance and off it goes.

This time, I started with a house. I want to include our colonial history as I love reading and researching the early European settlement of Australia. So what better than to have a Colonial mystery unravelled in a contemporary setting. Perfect.

Homestead

So for the next few weeks I’ll be scribbling, drawing and reading. I have a pile of books and diaries and letters from the early part of the nineteenth century and have about six weeks to soak up the language, attitudes and history of 1820 Colonial New South Wales. Six week to shape my character’s attitudes, beliefs, likes and hates. Six weeks to learn about organic farming and agriculture. Six weeks to prepare for NaNoWriMo.

books

So reader, do you like a mystery? Does history fascinate you? I love both and am really looking forward to delving into the secret past of Raven’s Ridge and the Craven family’s hidden troubles. Does it sound like something you’d like to read? I hope so.

Life is good

29 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by Paula Beavan in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Author, Blessed, Colonial Australia, History, Novel, Paula Beavan, Reading, Stories, Work from Home, Writer, writing

I have been reading a book to help me navigate the crazy maze we call social media. It’s called “Are you there Blog? It’s me writer.” by Kristen Lamb. You can check it out here There’s a chapter about what I guess is basically positive thinking.

It got me thinking!

thinking

I am blessed to be able to work from home! Our transport company enables me to slot in writing time between processing invoices. I get to pretend to be efficient when answering the phone, even though I’m actually hanging tea towels on the clothesline. When I get sick of sitting at the computer, I go out and prune the roses. Yes reader, I have finally tidied them up. I’m hoping for a good display this spring, stay tuned.

I mean how good is that!

reading in sun

I get to sit in the winter sunshine and read books and call it working! Even if I do answer phone calls regarding loads from Melbourne to Sydney, between sentences. There aren’t many jobs where you can just pick up your work and carry it outside to take advantage of the sunny day.

So enough of me feeling sorry for myself. I have it good and I know it!

One of the perks of having a transport company I get to drive out west sometimes and I see things and countryside that inspire me. Some places inspire me to write romance, have you ever been to Hill End? I have an idea for a story set in the Gold Rush town. It’s a great place to visit, if you ever get the chance. I’d love to write a suspense horror story set in a place like the small town of Sofala NSW. That place is fantastic, you can almost here the Duelling Banjo’s. (no offence to anyone in Sofala, I actually love it, it has such an atmosphere and old world charm, your left with an eerie feeling of being lost in time.)

Deliverance

I’ve mentioned before, here, (last week) that I am planning a Rural Romance for my next story, and so have provisionally set it in the Dunedoo area. I’ve travelled through, and stopped at, Dunedoo many times. But to set a story there I will have to go out for a day or two and have a closer look. I also need to research the history of the area as my MC will be going on an emotional journey into her family’s history. She will search out connections with the Colonial settlers in her family tree. I can tell you here and now reader, this sort of thing excites me. I get lost in the hunt and sometimes don’t emerge from Google for days.

settlers

So, reader do you like history? I’m fascinated by the lives of our country’s earliest European settlers. I love to read about the contact between the northern invaders and the indigenous Australians. There were many heartwarming stories as well as the horrible events.

Do you ever wish to time travel back to see first hand what it was really like? I do. So I hope to perhaps connect with our forefathers via fiction, and perhaps we can share the journey. In the meantime, I am going to be grateful for what I have and enjoy the benefits. As there are always benefits. Sometimes we just have to look a little harder.

RWA

Paula Beavan Author

Paula Beavan Author

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