Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/ScribesAndMakers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ScribesAndMakers</span></a> Sep 18: If you write novels, do you strive to have your chapters a consistent length?</p><p>No. I do have an ideal length of 1500 to 2k words for a chapter, but the story dictates that some will be shorter or longer.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
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#histfic
12 posts · 7 participants · 0 posts today
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> Sep 18: Have you written something blasphemous? Tell us about it.</p><p>I'm currently writing <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> set in the 14th-century, a time when the Holy Inquisition was deeply concerned about blasphemy, heresy, and other deviant behaviour. But I don't think I've written anything blasphemous.</p><p>That said, in book two, I do write about an ancient statue of Isis and Horus, which has been mistaken for a Madonna and Child and put in a church. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> Sep 17: Should modern writers worry about proving their work is not generated by an LLM? </p><p>No. I write in MSWord, and it helpfully stores a whole library of "previous versions" of my manuscript. If anyone ever wants to see it, I have a full audit trail.</p><p>I suppose we *could* get to the point where agents and publishers demand to see that trail, but it would be a sad day. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/ScribesAndMakers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ScribesAndMakers</span></a> 15. How's your creativity going? Need help/critique?</p><p>I passed a milestone today. 70k words on the draft of my novel "The Blood Cross". My target is 80k, so it's now within reach.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a><br><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/ScribesAndMakers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ScribesAndMakers</span></a> - 16 Sept. Which part of your work makes you unique/different from anyone else?</p><p>I write "real-world" historical fiction, without magic or fantasy. I'm not unique in doing this, but I'm still surprised at how "different" it makes me. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> 16/9: Share a snippet with a colour in it.</p><p>Content Warning ⚠️ Colours *and* smells!</p><p>This extract is from Chapter 1 of book 1 of my "Cruz Espada" <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> trilogy.</p><p>The Chouara tanneries are still there to this day. Apparently, they don't smell quite so bad now.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> 16 September. What was the hardest writerly lesson for you to learn? Or unlearn?</p><p>Good novels aren't just written. They're re-written. Often several times.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a><br><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> Sep 15: How do your immediate surroundings influence your work?</p><p>Hard to tell. I only ever write at home, so I can't compare it to anywhere else. But ideas for writing can come to me at any time and anywhere. Particularly when I'm out walking. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WordWeavers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WordWeavers</span></a> Sep 14: Does any kind of spirituality play a role in your story?</p><p>I'm currently writing <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> set in 14th century Europe. The Church plays a big role in the stories, spirituality a much smaller one. Superstition tends to be more common than spirituality.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> Sep 14: Why do you write in the form you do (poem, short story, novel, etc)?</p><p>I'd like to think that the story defines the form. It may also be true that I don't have the skills to be a good short story writer. I'm certainly not a poet.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/Writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a><br><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> Sep 13 - Talk about the joy writing has brought you.</p><p>Writing, even if it is just a few paragraphs or time spent editing, is a wonderfully cumulative activity, and slowly, a manuscript emerges.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Alexander Corby 🇵🇷<p><a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/ScribesAndMakers" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ScribesAndMakers</span></a> 9/13 Shameless Self Promotion day! Boosty Boost Boost!</p><p>All I have to plug is my book Taliesin, Chief of Bards. The goal is to hopefully publish B2 sometime spring/summer of 2026, but I feel the two books could be read as standalone stories.</p><p>Explore the mythic origins of Wales' earliest pseudo-historical Bard, Taliesin, and the impossible task to freeing his foster-father from the hands of a tyrant.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Taliesin-Chief-Bards-Alexander-Corby-ebook/dp/B09P64ZJYJ" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" translate="no" target="_blank"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="ellipsis">amazon.com/Taliesin-Chief-Bard</span><span class="invisible">s-Alexander-Corby-ebook/dp/B09P64ZJYJ</span></a></p><p><a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/Books" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Books</span></a> <a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/mythology" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>mythology</span></a> <a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/Wales" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>Wales</span></a> <a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/HistFic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>HistFic</span></a> <a href="https://indieauthors.social/tags/ReadingCommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ReadingCommunity</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> 9. What incorrect assumptions might a reader make about you? </p><p>Ideally - that I've been writing beautifully crafted and successful novels my whole life. </p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <br><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
Howard Aiken<p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/WritersCoffeeClub" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritersCoffeeClub</span></a> 9/8. What about the current writing milieu do you wish was different?</p><p>Today's milieu seems to have writers and publishers chasing "trends". That is depressing when what you're writing isn't trendy, and it is also unhelpful to geniune creativity.</p><p><a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/histfic" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>histfic</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/books" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>books</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writingcommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writingcommunity</span></a> <a href="https://mastodon.scot/tags/writersofmastodon" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writersofmastodon</span></a></p>
#WritersCoffeeClub 7 September. How much does your writing occupy your thoughts away from the keyboard?
Right now, quite a lot. Getting from first draft to a manuscript that is remotely ready for querying takes at least a year. Luckily, I enjoy most of what I have to do.
#WritersCoffeeClub September 6
Do you write daily? Why or why not?
That's my aim. Some days are better than others, but one of the best things about writing is that it is cumulative. I'll get to the 80 or 90k words, even if it's just a few words at a time.
#ScribesAndMakers 5. What would be a major accomplishment on your current project if you could complete it this month?
75k words on the WIP would be a major accomplishment. One word at a time.
#WritersCoffeeClub 4 September. How do you handle nudity or sex in your writing? Subtly, graphically, not at all?
Few people read #histfic for graphic descriptions of sexual acts. But sex happened, and where it is part of the story, it needs to be written about. Subtly, but passionately.
#ScribesAndMakers Sep 2: What creative activities are you hoping to work on this month?
I aim to get "The Blood Cross" manuscript to the point where I can send it to some beta - readers. It's a challenging ambition as rn I'm still working with alpha readers .
#WordWeavers 9/1 Introduce your writing to a stranger with 5 words.
Just real-world historical fiction.
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