So, maybe you’ve decided to create a manuscript, or are just simply interested in the process of creating one. Whatever the case, one of the first steps in a manuscript project is the text selection. Unless you wrote it yourself, you’ll be copying an existing style just like the medieval monks did back in the day. But what text should you choose? And what considerations go into that decision? In this blog, I’ll be explaining exactly that.
Text selection
When you embark on a manuscript project, you’ll probably spend a few hundred hours copying a text by hand. Therefore, I’ve come to regard the choice of text for a project as the single most important decision. If the content is boring, you won’t be able to perservere copying it by hand. For example, I wouldn’t think myself able to finish a project like the Book Of Ecclesiastes if the text hadn’t interest me.
Indeed, I’ve canceled projects in the past, after losing interest in them. On multiple occasions, too!
Indeed, I’ve canceled projects in the past, after losing interest in them. On multiple occasions, too! As such, my main advice is to choose a text that interests you. Choose one that you can see yourself working with for over a hundred hours. If it does, it’ll be easier to finish a manuscript project. It’d be a real shame if you lose your motivation halfway down the manuscript.
…choose a text that genuinely interests you!
Therefore, my advice is to choose a text that genuinely interests you! If you’re engaged, you’re likely able to finish the project. For example, I chose to replicate a bestiary because I was fascinated by the medieval stories of animals. This motivated me to copy ~30,000 words by hand. And I expect to write ~10,000 more by the time I’m done. I couldn’t imagine finishing that many words without a genuine interest…
A text with an easy way out. Aesop’s Fables might be an example of an excellent choice for a first project. Since it consists of many short stories, it’ll allow you to stop at virtually any point in the text without causing a sudden, unexpected end to your manuscript. Of course, you can use any other text with a similar structure of self-contained stories if Aesop’s Fable don’t interest you..
Other considerations for text selection
Of course, you might have to make other considerations than simply liking the text. These could pertain to matters such as the type of text, when it was written or its genre. Since these are very broad, it is hard to give specific advice. It greatly depends upon the goals of your manuscript project. However, I can take the selection of a text for my bestiary project as an example.
Selection Criteria for My Bestiary Project Text
My primary goal was to “create a medieval bestiary following contemporary traditions.” But, since I didn’t want to write a text I couldn’t read, I decided to write it in English. Therefore, my first criterion was to find an English translation of Physiologus.
Additionally, I planned to track and display my progress online, which made copyright constraints a significant consideration. Thus, the second criterion was to ensure the text was either free of copyright restrictions.
The final criterion required the sourced text to be a translation from the family of Physiologus texts that existed during the medieval period. While I could have chosen any bestiary text, it needed to resemble Physiologus closely to ensure compatibility with the 130+ illustrations from the Ashmole bestiary.
Possible sources for my bestiary project
Having determined the criteria, I knew I was looking for (1) an English translation of Physiologus that (2) didn’t impose copyright constraints and (3) belonged to the ‘correct’ version of Physiologus. This helped me discard several sources that were part of an apparently relatively popular edition of Physiologus in Old English. Ultimately, I was left with the following options:
- Richard Barber’s English translation of MS. Bodley 764, published by the Boydell Press.
- Willene Clark’s English translation of Add. MS 11283, published by the Boydell Press.
- Franz Unterkircher’s German translation of MS. Ashmole 1511, published by ADEVA.
- University of Aberdeen’s English translation of MS. Aberdeen 24, also known as the ‘Aberdeen Bestiary’.
ADEVA never replied to my requests, but since I wasn’t interested in translating a Latin or German text, that wasn’t an issue. The Boydell Press was unfortunately unhelpful, either misunderstanding my request or responding dismissively. Fortunately, the University of Aberdeen provided written confirmation that their translation could be used under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC 4.0.
In conclusion
By now, you’ll probably understand there are many facets to selecting a text. If I had to condense this article into three tips, I would say that the most important tips in text selection for a project are:
- Follow your interests: choose a text that genuinely fascinates you. Whether it’s medieval literature, classic fables, or historical documents, your personal interest will keep you motivated throughout the project. Passion for the subject matter is crucial for sustaining the long hours of work involved.
- Assess accessibility and length: Ensure the text is accessible, with no copyright issues or legal restrictions. Additionally, consider the length and complexity of the text. For beginners, starting with something manageable can help build confidence and skills. Aesops Fables are a good starter.
- Test with a trial section: Conduct a trial run by copying a small excerpt of the text. This will give you a sense of whether you enjoy working with it and if it meets your expectations for the project. I actually dropped a project and repurposed the finished work into binding waste. Very medieval!
Now that you’ve read this blog article, you might know what to look for. But where is a whole different matter. I released a blog post detailing useful textual sources for book projects on July 26, 2024. You might want to start searching there, since it points to a number of very high quality textual sources which are free from copyright!