#manuscript

The Odyssey, 15th century

Quint circle / Musical-theory collection, XVIII century. RGB, F.7 № 57

The hardest part of finishing a draft isn’t the writing. It’s the moment you stop and think, “Is this actually good… or have I just been staring at it so long I can’t tell anymore?” That doubt doesn’t mean you failed. It means you care. I’ve sat with a lot of writers in that exact spot. They’re not bad writers. They’re just too close to see what’s working and what isn’t. That’s where a fresh pair of eyes comes in. I’m not a writer. I don’t have an MFA or publishing credits. I’m just a very obsessive reader who can tell you, · Where I leaned in · Where I drifted · What confused me · What stayed with me No flattery. No cruelty. Just a reader on the other side of the page. If you’ve got a manuscript (or even a messy WIP) and you’re wondering if the story actually works… let’s talk. You can DM me, Tell me your genre and word count.

Émile Zola, Carte préparatoire à ‘L'Argent’ (1891), Département des Manuscrits, BnF – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris

Writers, quick question for you, What’s your favourite genre to write? (And if you’re brave, the one you’d never touch.)

Writers check in, What are you working on right now? Genre? Word count? That one chapter you’ve rewritten six times?

Friendly reminder that “my friends read it and loved it” is not the same as useful feedback. your friends love you. you need someone who loves the story enough to tell you the truth about it.

—https://www.instagram.com/p/DY2hnAcDr5o/?img_index=1

Echoes of Scholarly Whispers: A Medieval Manuscript’s Serendipitous Discovery The Fragrance of Time, Imprinted on Parchment This lost notebook, unearthed from a medieval toilet, serves as a poignant reminder that even the most m… Read more (Full Article) »

«Mrs. Simeon Ford cordially invites you to attend a lecture by Mr. William Butler Yeats on “Poetry in the Old Time and in the New.”, December 30th, at 8.30 P. M., The Arts Club, 37 West 34th Street.», from the collection of Julia Ellsworth Ford (Julia Ellsworth Ford papers, YCAL MSS 638), Yale University Library, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, New Haven, CT, [1903-1943]

Page from the Vienna Dioscorides , a copy of Περὶ ὕλης ἰατρικῆς ( On Medical Material ) by Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40-90 CE) written on vellum in 512-515 CE in Uncial script (big letters in the upper half), with scholia of John Chortasmenos added in 1406 CE in Minuscule script (smaller letters in the lower half), with names of each plant written in Arabic by an unknown owner after 1453 CE. ( Link to more photos )

A bit of lore about a mythical fruit that isn’t a pear or a cherry

The Little Things That Make a Book Unforgettable Sometimes it’s not the biggest plot twist that stays with you… Sometimes it’s a single sentence. A character’s choice. A quiet moment that feels too real. Those are the moments that remind me why I love books, they make us feel something. What’s a small moment from a book that you still remember?

hours of queen isabella the catholic, queen of spain

—https://x.com/hannah_ahn/status/2059777166880145432/photo/1

There’s something magical about opening a book and stepping into a world that didn’t exist before. I love stories that make me laugh, characters that feel real, plots that keep me guessing, and endings that leave me staring at the page like… “wait, it’s over already? Every book carries a piece of someone’s imagination, time, and heart and I think that deserves to be appreciated. Here, I’ll be sharing my love for stories, discovering new authors, talking about unforgettable characters, and celebrating the journey behind every manuscript. Fellow book lovers and writers… what book made you fall in love with reading?

The hardest thing about writing isn’t the blank page. It’s the moment you finish a draft and think, “Is this actually good… or have I just been staring at it so long I can’t tell anymore?” You’ve rewritten chapter one seven times. You’re pretty sure the middle works, but also… what if it doesn’t? You’re too close to see the holes, and too scared to let anyone else look. I’ve sat with a lot of writers in that exact spot. They’re not bad writers. They’re just inside their own story with no map. That’s where I come in. I’m not a writer. I’ve never queried an agent or pulled an all‑nighter over a plot hole (okay, maybe I’ve thought about them at 2am). What I am is a very obsessive reader. I read your manuscript the way your future reader will, I notice where I lean in, where I drift, where I get confused, and where I fall in love. Then I tell you. No flattery. No cruelty. Just a reader on the other side of the page. If you have a finished draft (or even a messy one) and you’re wondering if the story actually works… let’s talk. DM me or send an ask. Tell me your genre and word count.

What does the fox say? Konrad Kyeser, Bellifortis, Germany 15th century. Besançon, Bibliothèque municipale, ms. 1360, fol. 78v.

Jules Verne, Carte annotée , Département des Manuscrits, BnF – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris