Comments on: Writing history for the commercial market – 1: finding the social context

By: Just Write Blog Carnival March 6, 2009 Edition | Incurable Disease of Writing

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:09:06 +0000

[...] Veitch Smith presents Writing history for the commercial market – 1: finding the social context posted at The Crafty Writer, saying, “How to write historical non-fiction for the commercial [...]

By: Fiona

Fiona — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 09:55:55 +0000

You should give it a go, Gabriel. Start with an article then progress to something bigger if the bug bites. The zeppelin pilot lens could be very interesting. Check out my next post on how to build a ‘character’ when writing your family history.

By: Gabriel Gadfly

Gabriel Gadfly — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:20:52 +0000

I’ve been toying with the idea of writing something of a family history. My grandfather, in particular, was a really interesting figure: a zeppelin pilot, a postman, a janitor, and twice, a soldier.

By: Karen M

Karen M — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 19:06:01 +0000

I’m finding there’s quite a market for Scottish history, often combined with travel. I really enjoy it. Yes, you should trademark your lens concept!

By: Fiona Veitch Smith

Fiona Veitch Smith — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:20:54 +0000

Hi Karen. I didn’t know you were into history. These articles are based on a course I run in Northumberland called ‘Writing the Story of Your History’. The main thing students need to learn is how to narrow the focus of their writing, otherwise they just present a cradle to grave wadge of the past. I also use the lens concept when teaching people how to write from life. I should trademark it! Thanks for stopping by.

By: Karen M

Karen M — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 20:56:58 +0000

I like your lens concept, Fiona. I’ve had a couple of commissions for history articles recently and find I need this sort of focus to keep it interesting. It’s amazingly easy to make history sound boring even when it’s not. A sharp focus keeps it lively and stops your pen from sprawling too far into lists of facts and events. Thinking of a lens will be a handy way of keeping that in mind.
Good sound advice as usual. Cheers!