  Drama
This week: Historical Inspirations Edited by: zwisis
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| If you’re a writer with an affinity for a specific period in history you might consider writing a story set in your favourite historical period. Historical dramatic fiction at its best is compelling and fascinating... and a real challenge for any writer considering this genre. There’s more to writing historical drama than simply placing a cast of characters into an interesting era in history. Readers want an intriguing plot told with memorable characters. During my research for this newsletter I’ve uncovered a wealth of information, so this first editorial will be an outline of Historical Drama. |
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Research is the single most important criteria for any historical writer. When writing a story set in the present day it’s easy to describe the world in which we live because we see the minutiae of daily life all around us; from lighting to furnishings, hairstyles to clothing, food and drink to entertainment... all these details can be described because we live with them. And if we don’t we can download a picture or read countless news articles and essays about fashion, cities, cooking etc.
Most people have a favourite period in history they find particularly interesting and have probably read several books about their chosen era. While this will have given any writer a good idea about life in Ancient Egypt/Greece/Rome or during Henry VIII/The French Revolution/World War II the most important ingredient for any historical novel is RESEARCH, especially if you want your story to accurately represent its era.
A word of caution: although background research is vital to any successful historical drama, too much information about fashion, food and economic trends of the chosen era can slow your story and detract from the characters and the plot. Make sure you use just enough detail to enable your reader to visualise the setting.
Consider your readers, and think about your target audience. Currently there are several excellent books about the Tudors, and Henry VIII. Phillipa Gregory tells the story of Ann Boleyn’s much less famous sister Mary in “The Other Boleyn Girl”, while Hilary Mantel’s “Wolf Hall” features the manipulations of Thomas Cromwell as he helps the King replace his first wife Katherine of Aragon with her successor, Ann Boleyn. This doesn’t mean there’s no need to write another novel set in the Tudor period; any talented and speculative writer with a bit of courage and perseverance and a lot of self-belief has a good chance of breaking into historical fiction.
Try to avoid following current trends for historical writing, unless you're sure your story is unique enough not to be compared with already published novels. The last thing any writer wants is to be considered a cheap imitation of Ms Mantel or Ms Gregory. Instead, why not set your story in a lesser known period of history? Not only will this make your work more distinctive, you may find you create interest in your chosen era. You could also write interesting contrasts about characters living in a particular time frame - one of the staff at the court of Mary I of England, whose loyalty is to the future Elizabeth I rather than the ruling Queen, or the man charged with organising the burning of books under the Nazi regime who is really a librarian.
History is filled with inspirational characters, from heroes and villains to the noble and bizarre. We all have our own ideas about what made Henry VIII, Ann Boleyn and Mary Tudor tic, and for a writer this need not be a drawback. Nobody really knows what these people really thought and why they did the things that gave them their places in history. If you can identify with your version of your chosen individual then you should be able to give your readers a great character for your story.
I’ve selected some books I’ve read during the last few years, with a brief outline of the story and the relevant historical period the authors have used:
 Doris Lessing’s “The Grass is Singing” was published in 1950. It features Mary Turner’s acceptance of her house servant Moses as a person and a human being rather than simply a black man who is her intellectual and social inferior. With its story of racism and intolerance in Southern Africa, today this book is regarded as a classic novel. British writer Lessing, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2001, was born in Iran and grew up in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Arthur Miller’s “The Cruicible” uses The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 as the background to his story about Abigail William’s attempt to capitalise upon the community’s fear of witchcraft to get Elizabeth, wife of her former lover John Proctor, burned at the stake as witch. This classic story is also a representation of the McCarthy anti-Communist accusations of the 1950s.
Victoria Hislop’s “The Thread” details the life of Katerina, a young girl separated from her family when Smyrna (now Izmir) falls to the Ottomans in 1917. She ends up living in Thessaloniki, and her life is told around the fascinating history of Greece’s second largest city.
Bryce Courtenay’s “The Persimmon Tree” tells the love story of Nicholas and Anna, both living in Indonesia. Separated when the islands are invaded in 1942, Nick managed to sail to Australia and joins the Allied Forces, while Anna is taken prisoner by the Japanese. The details of both lives are harrowing, and a real testament to the power of the human spirit during a terrible war. The book also gives an insight into Australia’s role in the Second World War,
Tom Cain’s “The Accident Man” passes responsibility for the death of Princess Diana to one Sam Carver, a man who makes “bad things happen to bad people”. After Carver learns he’s been set up, he has to identify the people behind the plot. The story unravels in a very plausible, believable way, and is one of a series of six featuring Sam Carver. Each book deals with current social and news issues, designed to make the reader think “what if?”
My next newsletter will continue this genre, which features several sub-genres that may help the writer with research and relevancy.
WRITE ON! |
The indisputable fact of twenty thousand dead and wounded souls of the Confederacy, sacrificed to the vanity of their leaders, opened his eyes as never before to the truth.
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Hiram did as he was told. He rose and then slowly turned around. Facing him was a young boy dressed in blue. Powder was smudged over his face, received from firing his gun repeatedly. He was dirty and a crease of dried blood extended across his cheek.
At my father's funeral a few short months later, I stood at his coffin and hoped that somehow he knew that I had planned a trip to Italy—to meet my aunt—and to search for my grandmother's grave.
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A carriage rolled past us, pulled by a great brown horse with a thick mane. Èlisabeth’s bright eyes followed the beast as it trotted down the paved road and a smile lifted her lips.
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Story f the destruction of the city of Atlantis told by a woman that was there.
#1668139 by T.C. Elofson   |
When the great temple of Apollo, the grand center piece of Atlantis, came crashing down on the base of our city it lifted a cloud of debris that filled the air with dirt and dust and I could no longer see were the great temple had stood proudly over our city.
is hand and gently withdrew a few inches from him. He sensed the movement and made as if to advance further, but she made her intentions clear by calling out to the children.
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There was not much he could do about it now. He could not, however, ignore the knot in his chest. He kept remembering his Gran’s words, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.'
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While they discussed theories, I agonised over what had happened to Adam. I was just about to join the invisible alien debate when the same deep growling occurred.
Cowering men skulked forward, heads down, arms full of provisions for the rebels. The soldiers yanked the offered goods from their hands, kicking and throwing rocks at the retreating figures and laughing at their fear.
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Sssssh! I'm not really here.  Wonderful newsletter, Sarah. It was filled with spot on advice for writing dramatic comedy or what I refer to as,Dramedy.  Thank you for highlighting my story in this Newsletter. 
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Drama: April 24, 2013 Issue [#5636]
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