Nota Bene
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ninabrevik.substack.com
Nota Bene
@ninabrevik.substack.com
Notes on language, history and the stories hidden in old texts — written by Nina Brevik, a professional translator and historical fiction writer with a propensity to fall down random research rabbit holes.

https://ninabrevik.substack.com/
Why early modern print typography breaks search algorithms — and the workarounds to bypass it.

ninabrevik.substack.com/p/how-to-act...
October 5, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Turns out the Bayeux Tapestry is really just an embroidered family album.
The Bayeux Tapestry: My family history
1066 - this time it’s personal.
ninabrevik.substack.com
September 29, 2026 at 1:02 PM
Sometimes adulting is dragging yourself to town on foot to buy healthy food and get fresh air and a modicum of exercise because principles even though you’ll now be too shattered to cook later so you’ll have crisps for dinner but at least this way the possibility exists for you to do better tomorrow
September 15, 2026 at 6:17 PM
I finished the first draft of my first novel yesterday! 🥳🥂📚

I’m going to take a moment to celebrate, I just have to cut one chapter, rewrite two scenes and get started on book two first…

Hey, you gotta strike while the iron is hot, right?
March 12, 2026 at 12:46 PM
Note to self: Monster first. THEN brush teeth. Then write write write.
a cartoon drawing of a person using a laptop with the words write written around them
ALT: a cartoon drawing of a person using a laptop with the words write written around them
media.tenor.com
February 26, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Lovely day of writing at the library with a friend today. Bizarre how much more I get done when I work next to her - you’d think it would be the other way around! I really ought to pay her to sit next to me when I work, lol. 👩‍💻📚 #amwriting #writingcommunity
February 24, 2026 at 7:02 PM
The plan for January was to finish writing my first novel. The plan for February was to edit it. But all I’ve done so far this year is more research, a lot of fact checking and making sure the timeline works (it does — phew!) #writingprocess #writerlife
January 13, 2026 at 9:05 AM
Working on cutting 1,600 words from an extract… just 115 to go, provided I don’t get inspired again and start adding more!
a cartoon drawing of snoopy sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper
ALT: a cartoon drawing of snoopy sitting at a desk writing on a piece of paper
media.tenor.com
December 28, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Listening to your audio notes as part of #preptober and getting increasingly annoyed with your bad ideas and how you are now wasting your own time for the second time around… #novnov
October 30, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Bitterly cold polar winds today, but oh my god, the air quality!! If you’re in the UK, get yourself outdoors and breathe it in - if smells like childhood. Even London has amazing air quality today: www.iqair.com/gb/uk/englan...
London Air Quality Index (AQI) and United Kingdom Air Pollution | IQAir
London Air Quality Index (AQI) is now Good. Get real-time, historical and forecast PM2.5 and weather data. Read the air pollution in London, United Kingdom with AirVisual.
www.iqair.com
January 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Wishing you all a wonderful 2025!
(Who else is watching the #blitzchampionship even though they don’t speak chess at all?)
snoopy is wearing a party hat and blowing a party horn with the words happy new years eve written below him .
ALT: snoopy is wearing a party hat and blowing a party horn with the words happy new years eve written below him .
media.tenor.com
December 31, 2024 at 9:23 PM
My friend just lost access to her #goodreads account; a particularly horrific and cruel twist of fate. Have now spent 2h backing up all my books and reviews as html pages - with 15 folders full of the 1488 cover photos. Thank goodness for Dropbox!
December 28, 2024 at 5:46 PM
I think Santa misheard me - I definitely did NOT say “all I want for Christmas is flu”! 🤧
a woman wearing a santa hat and a red dress is standing in front of a wall .
ALT: a woman wearing a santa hat and a red dress is standing in front of a wall .
media.tenor.com
December 23, 2024 at 6:21 PM
Finally, the trick to writing great literature.
December 22, 2024 at 7:26 PM
By the way, #Ikea has started selling Center chocolate from #Cloetta, aka the best caramel chocolate in the world. You’re welcome. 😋🍫
December 22, 2024 at 6:25 PM
Reposted by Nota Bene
True luxury is found in the simplest moments.
December 18, 2024 at 8:59 PM
I only use AI for historical research, it is fairly good at that if you ask very specific questions, but it does suggest some nonsensical things sometimes. I don’t use it to help me write. My words are my own. #Writing is an art form.
Is anyone else just *not interested* in using AI for their writing? All accuracy and morality aside, I just don't want to. I want every last word I put on a page to have flowed out from my own body. Maybe I'm romanticizing it, but I just can't see it any other way.
December 12, 2024 at 8:00 PM
Well, at least I’m not procrastinating my writing by setting up a Bluesky account about my writing.
December 12, 2024 at 7:45 PM
Almost done with my first novel, now not sure whether to continue writing the second novel in the series or begin editing. #whattodo #writingcommunity
December 12, 2024 at 7:37 PM