Historical or Hysterical? by Joy Margetts

 Ever felt like you were verging on the edge of hysterical? And not the good, laugh until your belly hurts hysterical, more the ‘just about keeping it together’ hysterical?

In a mere 3 weeks time I will be co-leading a Christian Writer’s Retreat, something that I have never done before, and that I am both very excited and understandably nervous about. The pressure is definitely mounting as we prepare our workshops, and get all the details of the event sorted, ready to welcome our brave guests. Worrying about all the things that could go wrong. But actually, we have been praying as we plan, and whilst it feels like a huge thing we are doing, we are absolutely convinced that God is going to be with us in it all. When I feel myself getting stressed about it, I know I can keep giving it back to God.

When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.   Psalm 61:2

No, the reason for the elevated stress levels is actually a historical one.

To clear my diary and my mind in good time for the retreat I worked really hard on the manuscript for my third novel, so that I could finish it and send it off to my editor by the beginning of this month. I was really chuffed with myself and heaved a huge sigh of relief when that particular email was sent. I knew I could park my manuscript until after the retreat was over.

That was until I realised that I had made a fundamental error in my historical research. I try very hard to be as historically authentic as possible. My books are set in the early 13^th century, so literature and primary sources from the period are not prolific. But there is information out there, and I do read around my subject. So imagine my chagrin when I realised that I had made a ridiculous assumption. Namely, that because abbey churches would have had glass windows, that wealthy 13^th century private homes would also have had glass in their windows. In fact, glass was so expensive that only the very wealthiest (think the KING OF ENGLAND) would have had glass in the windows of their own homes (think WINDSOR CASTLE).

My book features windows. It particularly features glass windows with light streaming through them. In fact I found that as I wrote, sunlight streaming through windows became a recurring theme in the story, symbolic of hope for a character whose life teeters on the edge of despair. A metaphor for the light of Christ illuminating her heart.

Now I have a book that is historically inaccurate. Hysterical. Especially as I thought I had finished it. So my task this week is to find every reference to glass windows in the manuscript, and to alter them. I cannot have sunlight streaming through windows during the winter, as they would have been covered with thick wooden shutters. I have got to rethink my symbolism. I have got to get my creative mind back into the book and put the retreat prep on hold.

Have you ever done it? Thought you had finished a book and then realised that you had made a mistake. Not just one little mistake, but a fundamental, re -occurring one. A quick search and I have found 51 references to windows in my manuscript, many of them mentioning glass or sunlight. (DEEP SIGH)

To err is human.

You know I haven’t actually dissolved into an hysterical state. Why? Because just as I can give my stress about the retreat to God, I believe I can give my manuscript revision to Him too. Of course I am going to have to put in the work, but I can ask God to help me to think creatively as I make the necessary changes, so that the story still flows and still speaks of Him. And I am pretty sure it is all going to be alright in the end.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

Oh, and… if you are still thinking about joining us on the retreat, we do still have space. But you’ll have to be quick and contact me before the end of this week!

https://joymargetts.com/kingdom-writers-retreat/

 Joy Margetts writes Christian Historical Fiction. Her debut novel 'The Healing' was published in March 2021, and her second ‘The Pilgrim’ in July 2022. Her third novel 'The Bride' will be published later this year. Joy makes her home in beautiful North Wales and takes her inspiration from its rich spiritual history and stunning landscapes. She is also wife, mother and grandmother and a lover of the Word of God. Her personal blog and more information about her books can be found here www.joymargetts.com