My Historical Fiction Newsletter

MY HISTORICAL FICTION NEWSLETTER

FIRST OF ALL…

Historical fiction is defined as any piece of writing that is modeled after a historical event. However, the author’s imagination and knowledge of the chosen subject create most characters and the plot, making the piece fictional, or not completely true. Here is an example, in case my explanation is not clear. My historical fiction novel is called "The Southern Belle" . The time frame is the 1860s, during the great Civil War, and the plot is to show a young girl’s development through the war, and how her understanding of her country and her family are changed by it. Though there are many accounts of this happening to young girls during that time, my main character, Hattie Leila Beale, her family, her home, and the situations which she encounters are all brought about by my imagination. It is important to still keep known dates and real places accurate to the ‘T’, but as I mentioned, you create the plot and the characters.

A FEW THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

There are two main types of historical fiction.One I listed as the definition above because it is more common. The other kind, which is much harder to write, revolves around factual historical events and people. You can’t change facts if you write this type of fiction. This means if you write a book about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, you can’t speculate on who killed him, because it was documented that John Wilkes Booth fired the fatal shot. A lot more research must be done and you have to have concrete facts.

Write for children! Children are the main targets for historical fiction. Teachers love to use historical fiction novels because they want their students to learn . . . without realizing it. Children like to read fantasy and fairy tales, but they love reading about things that actually happened. That’s what historical fiction does: shows kids how important and relevant history is.

Stick to the facts! It’s okay to make up the plot, the characters, the situations they go through, and the relationships between the characters, but don’t throw a mention of Paul Revere into a plot involving the Salem Witch Trials. (If there are any wondering, why not?, it’s because he wasn’t alive then! ) When writing historical fiction, your plot and the characters can be made up, but they need to be believable.

Keep it interesting! As you write, try to throw in little facts here and there. Things that are related to your topic and could play a role in your novel. For example, did you know that it was a superstition during the Civil War that if a rooster crowed at your back door someone in the household would die?

Choose a time period that interests you! Can you tell the difference between a book whose author is genuinely interested in the topic and a book whose author doesn’t care? You should be able to. If you love what you are writing about, chances are it will shine through! Not to mention you will enjoy it a lot more; so take your time choosing a time period!

THE STEPS TO GET YOU STARTED

1) Find time period that interests you, as I mentioned above. You can do this at a library or by way of the Internet. Thirty percent of what you find on the Internet is not true, but you’re not looking for facts yet – you’re looking for a historical event that grabs your attention.

2) Read all you can about that event and its surrounding time period. Look for other things that happened during that time period. Is there any way that they could be connected? Is one person involved in both events? These are key questions when researching your book. Also, while you’re at the library, look for historical fiction books that have recently been published and read them to get the feel of how to use events and people in your plot.

3) Ask questions. There are many unsolved historical mysteries that could be further explored. Those are the ones where you can really use your imagination.

4) Now research some more. Primary sources can be hard to find, especially if you’re doing a time period from over a century ago, but journals, diaries, letters, and newspaper articles are great places to start. Some universities specialize in collections of famous historical people that once resided in their town. North Carolina University is one such place. You can also interview historians and museum proprietors as secondary sources, or even primary if they were alive at the time your novel will take place.

5) Decide what kind of historical fiction your novel will be. Then create your characters, the relationship between them, and your plot. Now you’re ready to start writing!

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS!

Okay, so sometimes it’s not as easy as that – finding a time period that you want to write about can be hard. That’s why I’ve listed a bunch of different time periods you can write about, and brief ideas for plots based on the events of the time.

EUROPEAN TIME PERIODS

The Middle Ages --- This is medieval history, from the 5th century to the 14th,, mainly in Europe. The Black Death plague, the reign of kings and queen, the Crusades, feudalism, the spread of Christianity, and peasant life are all linked to the Middle Ages.

The Renaissance ---The rebirth of Europe. This period housed many famous artists, architects, writers, philosophers, and scientists such as da Vinci, Michelangelo, Copernicus, Martin Luther, and Henry VIII. There are many options for the start of a novel here. Martin Luther stormed Europe by beginning Reformation. You could perhaps portray a Christian family caught in the middle, or a priest facing punishment for selling indulgences. These would probably both be aimed at older audiences, unless your main character is a child.

The Elizabethan & Victorian Eras ---Once again, another period with tons of possibilities. Queen Isabelle, Shakespeare and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle lived at this time, along with the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens, and the famous explorer Francis Drake. These were also the eras where prostitution and child labor begun.

AMERICAN TIME PERIODS

The Colonial Period ---1492-1763 The beginning of the 13 colonies. European settlement of America, the Salem Witch trials, Puritan and Quaker establishment, and Queen Anne’s war.

The Revolutionary Period --- The fight for independence from Britain and the settling of America. The Revolutionary War, the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence all took place during this time.

Frontier Exploration --- America’s expansion, which housed the formation of the Oregon Trail, the Gold Rush, abolition, and women’s suffrage.

The Antebellum Era, the Civil War, and Reconstruction --- A terrible time in American history. There is so much you can write about here. Slavery, the war, secession, the Homestead Act, Lincoln’s inauguration and assassination, and the reign of Jesse James and other notorious criminals.

WWI, Depression, & WWII --- Once again, a lot can be done with this. Black Tuesday came, the New Deal was formed, women gained the right to vote, foreign affairs began, jazz and nightclubs thrived, the Allied powers won World War 1, Pearl Harbor was bombed, Communism was spreading, and the terrible Holocaust took over Germany.

The Modern Era ---Thus, of course, the US now. Korea, Vietnam, the Ku Klux Klan, space exploration, the Cold War, and the Red Scare. There were many influential people during this time: Martin Luther King Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy, to name a few.

SOME HELPFUL SITES

These are sites that can help you when researching your time period or looking for one!

http://www.americasstory.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/modern

http://www.authentichistory.com/

http://www.byronref.com/timeper.shtml

http://www.animatedatlas.com/timeline.html

COMING TO A CLOSE

I hope this has helped you all or that it will help you in the future. After showing you all the events you could write about, maybe you’ll be inspired to begin a new novel or even a short story. And I only covered a few main periods. There are so many more out there. So even if you’ve already begun a novel or aren't interested in writing one, save this to your favorites. You may find that one day it will come in handy!

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