Writing Then and Now

As part of The Book Rat’s Austen in August, I thought I would look back at how Jane Austen wrote her stories compared with how we write now.

We recently obtained a new desk-top computer in our household, and I must admit it’s very nice. It has a large screen that will easily accommodate 2 (or even 3 if I need it) documents that are an easily readable size. My last 2 computers were lap-tops, and while convenient, there were issues with both of them. So, with a new desk-top computer that means I have to type at a desk, and that means there had to be some changes. And those changes meant rearranging a whole room.

The lap-tops were nice because I could use it pretty much wherever I wanted. Leaning back in our recliner was my favorite place. I occasionally took it outside onto our deck, in the front under our porch, or in our dining room, which looks out to the woods behind us. But both had cursors that jumped around, and my greatest fear was that it would happen in the final stages of a book, moving something from one sentence to another – without me being aware of it. (And it did happen in my last book, Mr. Darcy’s Magpie.) Enough is enough!

When I considered where I wanted to put this computer, I decided the guest room would be nice, which has a window looking out to the front. From there I can see our neighbor’s pond and fountain across the street. Well, actually, the street is more of a dirt/rock road because we live in a somewhat rural neighborhood. But that meant moving the guest room bed, taking out a large corner desk, and moving a small chest of drawers. Thankfully, my husband was happy to work with me on this. Here is a picture of the view I now have. (I find the sight and sound of water is so soothing! While I can’t actually ‘hear’ the fountain from inside the house, there are many ways to put on the sound of water – just ask Alexa!)

This got me thinking about how Jane Austen wrote her stories. Many of us may be familiar with the little desk upon which she wrote. Situated in a corner of her home, she spent many hours penning her stories. Not with a lap-top or a desk-top, not even a typewriter, but with quill, ink, and paper.

Whereas we make edits in our stories by inserting words, cutting, copying, and pasting with the ease of pressing a few keys, she made her changes by crossing out, cutting, and pinning! She would insert new text by pinning strips of paper with the new text where she wanted it to go. Or even rearranging a series of paragraphs. Snip, pin, cross out, and snip and pin.

It made me wonder about her waking in the middle of the night with a line she wanted to add, or dialogue that would enhance the story, or perhaps she wanted to completely change a scene! She would have to light a candle, pull out her papers, ink pot, quill, blotter, scissors, and pins, and get to work.  I cannot imagine!

I know there are authors who still write with pen and paper, but I cannot. I make far too many changes, and even a typewriter would have been useless to me. I need the computer where I can make my changes with a simple stroke of the keys.

I admire her even more because of the laborious process it took back then to write.  Did she prefer to write when all was quiet or could she write with all the hustle and bustle of her full household? Did she enjoy listening to someone play a musical instrument to spur on her muse or did she stop and play herself to give her inspiration? And did she look out a window and stare off into the vast landscape conjuring up her stories?

I need quiet when I write, except for music. I love Pandora, and have many stations that suit my mood. Am I in a Frank Sinatra mood, a Mantovani instrumental mood, a classical music mood? Maybe I need some lively rock and roll. I can always find something on Pandora  to listen to that fits the bill.

Once her books were finished, she had to find a publisher to agree to publish them. As popular as her books are today, it was not easy getting them published, but when they were, they only said they were written ‘by a Lady.’ She did not wish to be known as the author.

I did have a publisher publish two of my books, but now many of us self-publish. It has become easier for anyone to publish their books. Which, of course, has its benefits and downsides.

But here is a secret! Jane and I have something in common! Initially, Jane Austen hid her writing from others. If she was sitting at her desk writing and a guest arrived, she would slide it under an inconspicuous piece of paper, so they wouldn’t know. (Now there is a little uncertainty about this now, but if she did do it, it was likely to hide her writing from unsuspecting guests or to prevent them from seeing what she had written until it was finished.)

When I began writing back in 2001 and posting my stories online, I did not tell anyone – even my husband. When he came home, if I had been writing, I would simply save the document and close it. That worked well until the computer broke and needed to be fixed. He wasn’t particularly inclined to work on it anytime soon and asked why I was so intent on getting it fixed.

I sheepishly had to admit to him I was writing stories and posting them online. Needless to say, he was quite surprised, but gratefully, he has become very supportive of my writings. And our animals accommodate me, as well. When we had rearranged everything and set up the computer, one of my cats had to check it out.

Did Jane Austen have cats and/or dogs that supported her in her writings. (Maybe supportive isn’t the right word, for sometimes they actually hinder our writing.) Here is a picture of my cat Hazy (who happens to be here right now as I am posting this on the blog), and my new computer with the screen saver of my two granddaughters, who are my greatest source of joy and inspiration ~ with one more on the way within the next month!

Oh, and another thing we have in common is that like her, I do not publish my stories under my real name. No, I’m not going to announce it to all the world, but I am more comfortable doing it that way.

So where did Jane Austen get her inspiration for her characters and plots? Was she a keen observer of family, friends, and even strangers, much like her own character Elizabeth Bennet? I believe she was. I have to admit that I observe people and often think I would like to use a character like them in one of my stories.

Whether or not she had pets that supported her or people who gave her inspiration, whether she wrote best when it was quiet or listening to music, we are grateful she managed to pen the stories she did in the manner in which she did.

Be sure to stop by Misty’s The Book Rat blog to read all of her Austen in August posts.