how to Archives | Nonfictioness

How to be a Good Hostess: 1950s manual

After writing How to Skin a Lion: A Treasury of Outmoded Advice I have become somewhat of a magpie for seeking out old fashioned manuals […]

14 January 2016

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How to darn: adventures in mending socks

If you are a regular reader of this blog you will know what I am up to, but if not, let me explain! My book […]

8 April 2015

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How to read moles

Now, before you get excited this is not an ancient lost skill of mole whispering, whereby using the power of stroking and blowing in a […]

1 April 2015

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How to make barley water

When I was searching for entries in the book which I could recreate myself this one immediately jumped out at me. I have lovely memories […]

25 March 2015

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How to bandage an arm

Bandaging an arm is a properly useful skill to have and frankly, as a mother of three, I am slightly ashamed to say my first […]

18 March 2015

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How to use the English method of fortune-telling by cards:

It was with some trepidation that I decided to dabble in a bit of fortune-telling for my next task. Not because I am wary of […]

11 March 2015

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How to make mushroom ketchup

When compiling How to Skin a Lion I was so fascinated by the many lost and outmoded skills I resolved to try some of the […]

4 March 2015

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How to Skin a Lion: the challenge

I spent much of 2014 in book heaven – that is immersed in the British Library rare books room. I enjoyed many days poring through […]

2 March 2015

Tips for authors

Finding your inspiration: what to write about?

As I sat on a train winding its way through the flat fields of East Anglia on my way to the British Library for a […]

18 February 2015

Tips for authors

Fact-checking your work

Accuracy is very important, especially in non-fiction writing, so making sure your facts and figures are correct is vital. Fact-checking is best approached once the […]

9 February 2015