Writing Historical Fiction discussion
NEW MEMBERS: BEGIN HERE!
>
Introductions
Larry wrote: "Eileen wrote: "Larry wrote: "Eileen wrote: "No. What is Smashwords?"Sorry. Smashwords.com is an aggregating publisher - they sell books themselves, and produce copies in all formats from one mast..."Yes, reading the actual directions can be so tedious, but ultimately helpful.
Daniel wrote: "Hello, Daniel A. Willis here. I'm poking around looking for Goodreads groups that I might like. This one is looking very promising. I read and write historical fiction. Since we are not supposed to..."Welcome Daniel! Any advice you can give will be appreciated. Hope we can give you some help, too.
Bryn wrote: "Anna wrote: "I love Mongols! Several years ago I read a book called Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. I forget the author's ..."Ah, I can tell you that: Jack Weatherford, Genghis K..."
There's nothing wrong with being Indie! Whatever it takes to get published!
Welcome +Daniel A. Willis! Are all those publishing credits in historical fiction? I've done self pub and small indie press, too. Those were either non fiction or my noir fiction novel last year. Am working on a 17th century Italy piece now, and would rather get some big help from traditional publishing, but we'll see how that goes!
Daniel wrote: "James wrote: "Welcome +Daniel A. Willis! Are all those publishing credits in historical fiction? I've done self pub and small indie press, too. Those were either non fiction or my noir fiction no..."Good luck with the sequel!
Mark wrote: ""There is a basilica on the Cælian Hill in Rome which honors the memory of two men, John and Paul, who fought as soldiers under Emperor Constantine. Underneath is their home, now excavated. The sto..."Looks interesting.
Hello everyone.I was googleing tips for writing Historical Fiction and found this group. It's such a great idea for a discussion group.
I am! It's an urban fantasy set in the early 1900s. I'm working on narrowing the year right now.
I’ve done my best, honest. Brought out a second edition since a lady reader pointed out that King John was not the monarch who expelled England’s Jews. That leaves me with the argument about which arrow-head was most effective at piercing armour – I’ve disagreed with Bernard Cornwell and Leeds Royal Armouries on that one. How long before those institutions get in touch?Writing stories is a tough business and does not buy the bread – Three sales in 5 days and I wander around the garden whistling.
I go to my workshop, fire an enamel onto copper in one hour, and the art gallery pays me more than the novel earns in two months.
Harry wrote: "I’ve done my best, honest. Brought out a second edition since a lady reader pointed out that King John was not the monarch who expelled England’s Jews. That leaves me with the argument about which ..."So tell us about your experience with marketing your book?
You mention some historical issues readers have had, but I have to say that I have read some big selling books with many huge historical issues, so the two things you mentioned should not have been a turnoff. I took a writing class with Steve Berry about a year ago and one thing he said was that when he started out he spoke with a successful writer (can't recall who) who told him not to quit his day job until he had a back list of 4 or 5 books. You need to reach a critical mass before you really make much money.
Harold wrote: "Thank you, Eileen, for your helpful suggestions. What little that has been written about North Carolina tribes are in reports to Sir Walter Raleigh written by Englishmen who participated in the c..."I was scrolling through this thread and noticed the question about Roanoke again. I just got an advance reader copy of Jenny Barden's new book
, much of which takes place in Roanoke. Given that Jenny is English, I am a little embarrassed to realize she knows so much more about early American history than I do!
Hello again, Eileen. Income from writing is not my first concern. It is having readers that is important - without an audience there can be no teller of stories.On marketing:
I've tried Amazon Prime with a novel and an anthology of shorts. Several hundred were downloaded on the free days, but I'll never know when/if they'll be read.
I've placed paperbacks in local bookshops and there is a steady movement. Sadly though, I've lost copies when the store has closed down and the owners did not alert me.
The local garden centre holds a stock - some months they outsell Amazon. I take payment in compost, garden plants and wild bird food. We now have fresh vegetables on the table.
Harry wrote: "Manna for the jaded story-teller:http://www.ted.com/talks/andrew_stant..."
Great video. Good things for a writer to be reminded of.
I can appreciate your feeling that income is not a first concern, but if you want readers, then it should be a concern. I heard Lindsey Davis speak on this - one equals the other. A way of being able to tell if your downloaded books have been read is from the reviews on Amazon. Amazon does remind readers of downloaded books to review them a few weeks later, so that should help.
There's an author I have been following on line who was published on Amazon and has had a great experience with it - Robert Bidinotto. He writes thrillers, which aren't my cup of tea, but plenty do enjoy them. He has a blog and updates it monthly with his insights into getting your books sold. You might want to check it out.
Recently I've read some books published just on line that have been terrible; and I've read a couple of books that were published by small publishers and gotten little press, but were absolutely wonderful. Even so, I am afraid the good ones won't be read as widely as they would have been if they'd gotten more publicity.
There's a lot to learn about the publishing industry today - and it is changing constantly. Getting involved in writers' groups (I'm involved in the Historical Novel Society, but there are many of them) that publish your kind of fiction can help you figure out how to manage it.
Thank you, Eileen, you make good points there. I'll look up the names you give.
Harold wrote: "Okay, I'm game. I've been researching the people connected with the English attempting to establish a colony at Roanoke in the 1580s. I want to write a novel that focuses a lot on the Algonquian ..."Hi Harold. You might also want to have a look at Geraldine Brook's Caleb's Crossing. Set in 1665 in Martha’s Vineyard, it's about a young man who's became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. Not your time period, but would certainly fit the "urge to learn more and achieve something beyond what the culture allows" criteria.
Thank you, Dominique. I've read that other people have also enjoyed this book. I'm interested.
Dominique wrote: "Hi Eileen! No, I haven't limited it - did you click on the 'recently listed' tab at the top. If you searched via 'Historical-fiction' giveaways, it's about the 7th book down? But here's the link to..."Found it!
Hi,I'm new to this group but not to Goodreads.
After taking a short (35 year) break from writing I have returned with an Historical Detective novel set in 1482 in Moorish al-Andalus. It concerns an Englishman who has trained to be a surgeon and finds himself involved in solving a crime.
The book is currently being torn apart by an editor but I'm hoping to self-publish around May all being well.
David wrote: "Hi,I'm new to this group but not to Goodreads.
After taking a short (35 year) break from writing I have returned with an Historical Detective novel set in 1482 in Moorish al-Andalus. It concerns..."
Welcome David.
Don't think of it as being torn apart. Think of it as being groomed!
Greetings from France, I'm Diane, new to this group but have been around Goodreads for a couple of years.
My first self published novel is set in WWII Nazi occupied Normandy. It's entitled "Through These Doors" and has a rather unique POV.
Have written a slew of short stories without a common theme, mostly just as writing exercises.
A dissolved group on Goodreads "On fiction writing" published an anthology in 2008 which led me to believe in the group effort. It's always a boost to the morale to exchange ideas with a set of people who share your interests. Glad to be a newbie to this group.
Diane wrote: "Greetings from France, I'm Diane, new to this group but have been around Goodreads for a couple of years.
My first self published novel is set in WWII Nazi occupied Normandy. It's entitled "Throu..."
Diane- do you have any unpublished short stories? The Historical Novel Society has a short story contest (entries due by April 1st) and they are looking for submissions. The website is historicalnovelsociety.org. There is a tab at the top of the home page that tells about the short story award.
Thanks so much, Eileen, I'll look at that and see if there's anything I have that can fit...i love short story contests and prompts. They give me a welcome break from the novel writing thing. i find it is weirdly inspiring to return to return to the book once I've finished with the detour of short story writing. There's something adjacent to an illicit affair when I allow myself a period of offshoot writing. :)) not that I'd suggest that cheating is a good thing, but... Ok, this is dangerous terrain. I d best shut up about that, n est ce pas? :)
Diane, I don't see it so much as cheating as sharpening another tool in my writer's tool box. And you are correct, it can be weirdly inspiring when you get back to the novel in progress. I'm not sure that inspiration makes up for the lost time on the book, but perhaps it adds to the book's quality of writing. At least, that is what I tell myself!
I have only been on Goodreads for a short time and my bookshelves here are not completely set up. Being a voracious reader that may take some time. My personal book database has over 1,400 entries but that includes books read, owned but not read yet, and books on my to-purchase list. And that's not even a complete list - I've been reading for several decades and probably don't even remember some of the books I've read. I'm a fan of historical fiction of many diverse times and places. I have two HF WiP projects and joined this group to learn about the perils and pitfalls of HF writing and to share what I have learned.
Larry wrote: "If you want to add to your collection, visit junoletters.com/ fulfillment/docswith my compliments.
My series The Juno Letters (junoletters.com) is set in France, WWII, and revolves around the Fr..."
Thank you, I will check it out. I am interested in WWII historical fiction.
Jeanne requested that I add the link to my historical novel set in Normandy, in the 1980's and also during the Nazi occupation of WWII. Here's the link:
it is also available in trade paperback size...just on a different page somewhere...?
Hello,My name is David Cook and as of the weekend a self-published author. My first novella in the series, entitled Liberty or Death, and I couldn't be more happy.
I have two unpublished books which I'd like to see in print form and currently editing them as I write.
Spent the weekend updating my Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon and facebook profiles - busy, busy and I can't wait to interact with readers who like historical fiction, action, military, medieval, Napoleonic Wars and good story-telling.
My influences are quite wide, Jane Austen, Simon Scarrow, Bernard Cornwell, Ken Follett, Charles Dickins, Adrian Goldsworthy and George R.R Martin.
Great to be a part of this group.
Best wishes,
David
Hello to all. I love reading all kinds of books and have recently finished my first draft of my first novel. It is about a sorcerer / physician in 6th century Kent.Looking forward to learning more about writing good historical fiction,
Welcome Aly.By coincidence my book is about a physician too, but in 15th century Moorish Spain. Oh, and a murder, too...
David,Your book sounds like a must to read!
Aly wrote: "David,Your book sounds like a must to read!"
Thank you Aly - yours is fascinating too.
Hi, my name is Cameron and I live in Washington DC but spend alot of time in Africa and the Middle East for work. I'm also grew up in the Middle East with my father moving to the U.S. from Iran when I was a child. I'm mostly interested in Middle Eastern historical fiction and am working on my own novel set in medieval Spain during the time when Muslims and Christians both occupied the peninsula. Look forward to the discussions.
Cameron wrote: "I'm mostly interested in Middle Eastern historical fiction and am working on my own novel set in medieval Spain during the time when Muslims and Christians both occupied the peninsula..."Wow Cameron, is that synchronicity or what? I've been working on my novel for around 2 years and it's due to appear in three weeks - also set in Spain (al-Andalus) in 1482.
Hello everyone,I joined back in April 2014 (at least I think) and really didn't do much with the site. I was more confused than anything else. I did figure out how to show what I'm reading.
What I wanted to say is that I've been revising my first novel. I'm tackling the subject of slavery (not the slavery in America) but at least a generation earlier and in England shortly before they abolished the practice. The basic premise is "an Anglican vicar turned abolitionist inherits several slave plantations."
I did forget to mentioned that if anyone needs any kind of information dealing with the early Anglo settlers in Texas up to the Texas Revolution either I or my sister (who I don't think she's a member of good reads) can answer it. Between us, we can write another textbook with everything we know. :)
Hi everyone. My name is Wayne Turmel, and I live in the Chicago area. (Carla, I spent 15 years as a standup so I feel ya!). I have published 6 non-fiction books, but am tackling my first historical novel. I look forward to hearing from you with research tips, and any buttkicking that's necessary to get it done.I'm going to throw Jack Whyte out there as a favorite author in this field..... here goes!
Hello everyone.My name is Cassie. currently I work as an admin assistant for a small debt collection agency that handles defaulted student loans. Yeah its as much fun as it sounds. I'm a huge history lover. I actually have a ba in history and almost a masters in ancient history. While I haven't actually written a historical fiction yet its a topic I would love to look into. Just hard to want to research it when working on research papers lol. anyways looking forward to reading anything anyone might want feedback on and helping research if anyone needs help. oh and once I've got work of my own posting it here.
Hi: My name is Maia, and I'm two years into writing/research of a book about the Métis North-West Resistance of 1885. I just discovered Goodreads and am excited to be part of this writer's group.I've been writing almost full-time for ten years now and have five "drawer" books to my credit. At least some of my short stories and essays are getting published now.
I had my novel ready to go for a substantive edit two months ago, but got the harebrained idea to make it more "high concept" by adding a contemporary protagonist related to the historical protag but living 130 years later. I know that idea has been done, but seemed the appropriate choice for this book. Hopefully this Métis novel will get published because I'm Métis and am writing of my own experiences growing up in that world.
Now I'm stuck on synopsis and query letter writing to further refine the concept and author platforming, so the actual book writing has stalled. I'll get back to it, but these things seem necessary. What a long process it is to write a book!
Great topic Maia! Very under-represented and I look forward to hearing from all the Americans writing to say "NorthWest What?" Go get'em
Hi, my name is Cathy and I recently contracted a historical cozy mystery series set in Alaska in 1919. (Book 1 is at the editor's desk. Book 2 is in progress.) I'm pubbed in science fiction romance, but have always loved historic as well as futuristic settings. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas and tips with you all :)
Greetings! I appreciate a group of historical fiction writers, and hope I can also be of help. My fourth novel, currently in progress, takes place in England and Africa in the mid to late 1800's. I've been researching Queen Victoria, King Gezo, and the slave trade during that time. This is my first historical novel, so I'm treading carefully. Looking forward to interacting with others on the same, historical trail.
Welcome all! Glad to hear that not everyone is obsessed with either vampires or the Tudors!
Hi everyone, my name's Lynsay and enjoy historical fiction and hopefully one day will have work published. Anyway, its nice to meet you and hope to hear of your upcoming work.
Writing Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
The Slaying of the Bull (other topics)Mother (other topics)
Anna Karenina (other topics)
Resurrection (other topics)
Caleb's Crossing (other topics)
More...
Thanks for the info. I'd heard the name before, but never knew anything about them. Do they distribute to Amazon, or do you have to use Amazon's system?