Unsolicited writing advice, no. 6: The trad publishing industry has many flaws. But if you want to be part of it, you have to understand it. That means: gatekeeping; filling in forms; accepting editorial advice. Don't blame the system if you don't get exactly what you want. Embrace it, or step away.

Oh, this, SO much this! Henceforth, I’m following Lisa in calling it “mysterioso syndrome” lisapoisso.substack.com/p/is-your-su...

Brand new for everyone on This Itch of Writing: thinking about how the fundamental decisions about narrative setup and psychic distance work together - and using The Bruegel Boy as a real-world example. buff.ly/SbEzkgq, linktree in bio or search this itch of writing substack

Last chance to get your question in, for a chance to win an Itch post all about it, plus an exclusive Itch of Writing Notebook. The comments will close at 10pm UK time.

A writer's intelligence can be whatever it take to write good books, and certainly being a magpie snapper up of unconsiderd trifles can be helpful. But then, so can serious thinking. But haphazard amateur *books* are not good books.

Narrative Setup and Psychic Distance in The Bruegel Boy emmadarwin.substack.com/p/narrative-... @emmadarwinwriter.bsky.social #writing #WritingCommunity

Brand new on This Itch of Writing for everyone: thinking about how the fundamental decisions about narrative setup and psychic distance work together - and using The Bruegel Boy as a real-world example. buff.ly/SbEzkgq, linktree in bio or search this itch of writing substack

One of the things that's such fun about doing events for The Bruegel Boy is having such gorgeous images to work with! Wonderful evening chaired by Lucy Popescu for The Author's Club. I'm probably saying, "Gil modelled for St Michael, there in the middle, and both of the angels in white dresses..."

Still thrilled at Antonia Senior’s review of The Bruegel Boy in The Times, Book of the Month and top of their list of the best historical fiction of 2025: vividly creates a rich, lost world and dives fearlessly into deep themes. buff.ly/73oYYWR

Brand new for everyone on This Itch of Writing: thinking about how the fundamental decisions about narrative setup and psychic distance work together - and using The Bruegel Boy as a real-world example. buff.ly/SbEzkgq, linktree in bio or search this itch of writing substack

This is a lovely piece!

Found myself thinking about this all over again, as The Bruegel Boy was launched with so many family there...

This Itch of Writing: Ten Better Ideas than "Write What You Know" ~ and why "Write what you know" is nonetheless worth bearing in mind emmadarwin.substack.com/p/ten-better... @emmadarwinwriter.bsky.social #writing #WritingCommunity

Heads up for all Itch of Writing subscribers and supporters: it’s our second birthday, and I’m celebrating with a competion. Enter before Mon 24 Nov for your chance to win your question answered as a full Itch of Writing post, and an exclusive Itch of Writing notebook! buff.ly/1RjLLxe

'Through Marguerite’s searing internal monologue, Arnopp offers not just a glimpse into the psyche of a warrior queen, but a fully realized portrait of grief transmuted into memory and rage.' #Review http://mybook.to/mhhnf##Review ##HistoricalFiction ##WOTR ##Medieval

All writers know that the most important stage of writing is actually the re-write. Join me on 25 November, 6-8pm, @bluepencilagency to find out what that REALLY means, and just how much better you can make your writing when you know how to tackle this crucial stage:

Brand new for supporters on This Itch of Writing: have you been told to “write what you know”? Was it unhelpful? Limiting? Pointless? I’ve come up with TEN better ideas about writing than “write what you know”... yet that apparently unhelpful adage is still worth bearing in mind: buff.ly/OTT9Zlc

Beyond thrilled at Antonia Senior’s review of The Bruegel Boy in The Times, Book of the Month and top of their list of the best historical fiction of 2025: vividly creates a rich, lost world and dives fearlessly into deep themes. buff.ly/73oYYWR

Writing historical fiction? @sanjida.kay and I have taught 1000s of writers: join us for a masterclass! 7-8.30 pm GMT Weds 26 November. Through the lens of our own fiction we'll explore what makes historical fiction resonate. research vs storytelling, characters, voice & pitfalls: luma.com/0m0ddh4y

Brand new for supporters on This Itch of Writing: have you been told to “write what you know”? Was it unhelpful? Limiting? Pointless? I’ve come up with TEN better ideas about writing than “write what you know”... yet that apparently unhelpful adage is still worth bearing in mind: buff.ly/OTT9Zlc

The oddities of the writing life, No 167: Today’s To Do list includes writing a formal abstract and key words for my chapter in the first scholarly study of poet Frances Cornford, to be published by Brill Publishers next year, and drafting a short story to be published by Woman’s Weekly next year...

Down by the flaring fire Sint-Johannes—Gil—sat on a stool, fast asleep, with his mouth dropped open. ‘Even the most faithful servants are only human,’ said Bruegel. Then into the evening quiet came the mewling of a baby. The Bruegel Boy is available @hollandhousebooks.bsky.social buff.ly/aSXr72l

Brand new for supporters on This Itch of Writing: have you been told to “write what you know”? Was it unhelpful? Limiting? Pointless? I’ve come up with EN better ideas about writing than “write what you know”... yet that apparently unhelpful adage is still worth bearing in mind: buff.ly/OTT9Zlc

“What glowed at me with such potency that I would willingly immerse myself for all the months of writing slog?” @emmadarwinwriter.bsky.social on writing about family (and taking inspiration from 16th century painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder).

"What did I keep finding myself going back to?" At the fount of bookish and cultural riches that is @literaryhub.bysk.social, I’ve been talking about how failing to write a novel about my family let me back to an early love - Pieter Bruegel the Elder - and forwards to my new novel: buff.ly/sSB9wfy

Tis true darlingaxe.com/blogs/news/a...

Pieter Bruegel the Elder: the Richard Scarry of the Northern Renaissance ... Chidren's Games, 1560 Link in bio or search the bruegel boy

The Freelance History Writer ~ Medieval Mystery Plays ~ A guest post by Toni Mount thefreelancehistorywriter.com/2025/11/12/m... @toniauthor.bsky.social @susanabernethy2.bsky.social #medieval #History

Did you know that Bruegel's Adoration in the Snow is almost certainly the first European painting to depict falling snow? I couldn't resist putting that moment in the novel...

Thrown out of his family for a crime he didn’t commit, Gil becomes model and muse to the great Pieter Bruegel. But in Bruegel's world politics, art and religion are explosively combined and soon love and vocation are also at war. The Bruegel Boy is out @hollandhousebooks.bsky.social buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

Special Guest Post by Emma Darwin, Author of The Bruegel Boy tonyriches.blogspot.com/2025/11/spec... @emmadarwinwriter.bsky.social #HistoricalFiction #BookLaunch

Thrown out of his family for a crime he didn’t commit, Gil becomes model and muse to the great Pieter Bruegel. But in Bruegel's world politics, art and religion are explosively combined and soon love and vocation are also at war. The Bruegel Boy is available now Holland House Books: buff.ly/vbnyB0Y

Brand new on This Itch of Writing for everyone: the latest pick of the Itch of Writing Ask Me Anything ' Chats: Viewpoints Colouring Narrative Voice, Shocking Advice, and What's Wrong with 'It was a dark and stormy night'? Link in bio or buff.ly/SfK6BSA

Thrown out of his family for a crime he didn’t commit, Gil becomes model and muse to the great Pieter Bruegel. But in Bruegel's world politics, art and religion are explosively combined and soon love and vocation are also at war. The Bruegel Boy is out @hollandhousebooks.bsky.social buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

So thrilled to see Gil and Bruegel going out into the world with so many kind words. “Tender, vivid, subtle and absorbing” Elizabeth Fremantle “Beautifully written, gorgeous to look at and very moving” Elizabeth Buchan “A triumph of a novel” Essie Fox buff.ly/vbnyB0Y

Brand new on This Itch of Writing for everyone: the latest pick of the Itch of Writing Ask Me Anything ' Chats: Viewpoints Colouring Narrative Voice, Shocking Advice, and What's Wrong with 'It was a dark and stormy night'? Link in bio or buff.ly/SfK6BSA

Brand new on This Itch of Writing for everyone: the latest pick of the Itch of Writing Ask Me Anything ' Chats: Viewpoints Colouring Narrative Voice, Shocking Advice, and What's Wrong with 'It was a dark and stormy night'? Link in bio or buff.ly/SfK6BSA

If you want to get a good view of what's best in historical fiction and non-fiction, the HWA Crown shortlists - Debut, Non-fiction and Gold - are a very good place to start: search historia hwa or historiamag.com/hwa-crowns-s...

Thrown out of his family for a crime he didn’t commit, Gil becomes model and muse to the great Pieter Bruegel. But in Bruegel's world politics, art and religion are explosively combined and soon love and vocation are also at war My new novel The Bruegel Boy is published today! buff.ly/vbnyB0Y

On the other hand, I did NOT order a seized-up back for publication day, but that is what the cosmos has delivered nonetheless.

"Don’t write what you know: write what you want in a way that will make readers believe you know it – even if it’s set in twelfth century China" Delighted to guest-post @tonyriches.bsky.social excellent The Writing Desk site talking all things hist fic

It's publication day!Thrilled to see Gil and Bruegel going out into the world with so many kind words. buff.ly/vbnyB0Y “Tender, vivid, subtle and absorbing” Elizabeth Fremantle “Beautifully written, gorgeous to look at and very moving” Elizabeth Buchan “A triumph of a novel” Essie Fox

Bursary time! Please apply if you're eligible and join me and @emmadarwinwriter.bsky.social in January. 👇

The fresh paint caught the light and filled the parlour with scarlet and ochre and sky-blue, the swirl of gowns, the yowl of bagpipes and stamping of feet, the flicker of hands catching and parting, the round cheeks of wine-jugs The Bruegel Boy: 6th Nov @[email protected] buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

I love how there's a Bruegel for every occasion and every post!

‘Rest,’ Bruegel said. Gil eased his back upright, and was hauling the bow and belt over his head, when Dorothea burst into the studio and said in a tight voice, ‘There’s a priest and two men. They’ve come to fetch Gil to the Inquisitors’ The Bruegel Boy: 6 Nov buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

Five lines, and a woman was huddled in a cloak, ten more and there was the donkey she rode, a few more and there her man. Bruegel hesitated, then between the fronts of her cloak he touched in a tiny face. The Bruegel Boy: 6 November @hollandhouse3525 buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

Gil found a fletcher’s leather apron and then the back half of a breastplate. ‘Am I a soldier?’ This time, Bruegel looked properly. ‘You said I’m the first to realise I can’t cast a stone. Was I charged with leading the stoning?’ The Bruegel Boy: 6 Nov @hollandhousebooks.bsky.social buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

Gil stood how soldiers at ease stand the world over. ‘The soldier doesn’t want this,’ Bruegel said. ‘Yet something in him won’t let him turn away,’ and Gil’s body swayed back, even as one foot started forward. Bruegel grunted, and picked up his pencil. The Bruegel Boy: 6 Nov buff.ly/Jpm9R0g

I'm not going to apologise for all the Bruegel pictures, because I've spent the best part of a decade living with them and writing about them, and I STILL never tire of them. But if you're wondering what they're about, it's @hollandhousebooks.bsky.social