Writing Historical Fiction discussion
Using Real Life People In Your Books
date
newest »
newest »
Renee wrote: "I've noticed some authors will write a paragraph or two at the end of the book listing the books they have read for sources. I agree it is tedious to footnote allhistorical fact. I am using archiv..."
To some extent, I think it is dependent on the book's topic. If we are talking about the Tudors, then no reason to bother. If we are talking about medieval Russia, a listing at the end of the book would prove useful to a reader who has truly enjoyed the book and wants to learn more.
I'm writing my story in medieval England, what I did was I chose a noble family that really existed and just added two children (who are heavily involved in the plot) while all other family members are kept true to the way they were documented. When adding the two children though I made sure their birth dates were compatible with the historical dates of the couple's marriage and birth of other children
Mindy wrote: "I'm writing my story in medieval England, what I did was I chose a noble family that really existed and just added two children (who are heavily involved in the plot) while all other family members..."I think Nancy Bilyeau's Sister Joanna novels did something like that.
I am working on a Series of novels about women practicing prostitution in the Old West and the next book will be taking place in Dodge City at the time the Earp brothers and Doc Holiday were there. As they were married to or cohabitated with prostitutes, they will be featured in the project. These men have already been highly fictionalized in other books and on screen. Picking out what is actual fact from the fiction has been a chore.
I am working on a novel based in World War II that is based on a real person but the events are imagined and many of the characters are as well. The historical figures are mentionedBut have no real roles.
That's certainly the way to do it. I too like taking a controversial historical figure and providing a different -- but plausible -- interpretation of his/her motives, goals etc. which in no way violates all the known facts about that individual.
Hi Helena, I too agree with everything you have mentioned above. I have started to write a story regarding Elizabeth 1st and my twist is that she is so much in love with one of her ladies in waiting. The story involves them having a steamy hot love affair. Yet it has to be all done so covertly to avoid a scandal that might threaten the throne. I have the outline and the structure of the story. So in reply to your view I totally agree with you. Thank's
Historical fiction often inserts real people, with mixed results. One fascinating scenario I found was in a recent historical mystery When Saigon Surrendered which gets into the actress Tippi Hedren helping Vietnam refugees. It added to the book considerably, and I was happy to find out it was historically accurate. In cases like that, I find 'real people' in historical fiction rewarding.
I tinkered with the exact location of one of the Indian rebellions, but given that the rebellion was not actually the major plot line, and after some angst, my editor and I decided that locating it near Simla was acceptable (although not historically accurate). So far (!) no one has complained, and I wonder if that's because the rebellion is very much secondary to the main storyline. Elsewhere in the manuscript my editor made me change the name of the war where a potential love interest won a medal, to the less controversial term of 'skirmish' as opposed to using a well recorded border war.
And I bow down to his expertise and guidance on this.
I used real life characters sparingly, limited to the Viceroy really. I did trawl through history to find appropriate surnames, but if they were ever in Simla in 1860, it was purely coincidental!
Good post Kirsten, just remember that Editors also make poor decisions and sometimes if you stick by your guns, the choice is equally as good. If you're not sure about authenticity and such issues you can always put an 'author's note' to the reader in the book explaining yourself. Plenty of authors have done throughout time.
My not even close to being published historic fiction novel is very loosely based on documents I have found about my not very exciting, not famous ancestors. I am using some real history, and I am using many less known pieces of local history- but I may in the end have some different outcomes for folks- I guess you all would say I am traveling on some swampy ground- right? Lisa Smith
Lisa: Do what feels right to you and you won't be disappointed. The important thing is that you are doing the project and only you will benefit from its success and results.
Jack,Thanks! It keeps coming to me, and I get back into the writing, and I love the research!
Lisa
New here, and have definitely enjoyed the discussion so far! I do have a new aspect to consider (or if it's not new, I'd appreciate being shown that!) I've recently come across the genre of historical fantasy, and that seems to be where I would like to set my story that is based on the character of Louis IX of France, inventing adventures for his less-documented youth that seek to explore the character formation of the man who became the king most esteemed in his own time (and even by other monarchs) as most just. But some details of execution seem a bit thorny to me..
There are some significant historical changes (I'm not including his brothers in the story, just his sister, Isabel, though what we do know of the two of them seems to indicate that they might have been close). Other critical details--like the timing of his father's death and the character of his mother as the firm queen-regent ruling until he was old enough to take over are kept, but other details like when he was actually crowned I've altered for the sake of the story (I'm putting that more at the point where he actually began ruling(~21yo) not when Blanche of Castile had him crowned (13yo). And there's the issue of which conflicts (if any) he might actually have fought in before that point...
And then I add a dragon. (More in the vein of an urban/low fantasy type of addition, where the characters themselves are surprised by this figure from legend, not something they assumed as part of their normal lives); and I wanted to explore the medieval typological side with Louis.
I do want to be true, however, to some things that seem especially essential to Louis' character, like his faith and piety, so I'm including Latin (Vulgate) quotations of Scripture that he would've been more than familiar with, liturgical and devotional practices, etc.
The changes (like the omission of his other siblings, altering the coronations details, the war, etc.) incline me to change his name and make it an historical fantasy "based on"/"inspired by" Louis IX, but not claiming to be historically faithful so much as historically inspired.
The particular religious and cultural elements that seem essential for him, however, disincline me from making it an entirely separate secondary world fantasy (quoting the Bible, going to Mass, and such things just don't seem to work so well with such an idea). And I've found too many vague "medievalish" settings that perpetuate a mistaken notion of what the Middle Ages were like to want to make something generic like that (especially as all my background research so far as details of daily living fit into 13th-century France).
Sorry for such a lengthy post!
Essentially:
I understand most everyone else here is probably much more history than fantasy inclined, but I would essentially like to ask if changing the name of a significant historical figure (because of the alterations made in their history) but keeping the details of their environment would be acceptable to your historical sensibilities? Does the inclusion of a fantastical element make you think this has to be secondary world, and everything else should reflect that? (I think in terms of mixing real and legendary in the setting and characters, I have Beowulf in the back of my mind--but that was written centuries ago, and people are still arguing about how historical it is or isn't).
I wouldn't call it fantasy unless there are fantastical creatures or other elements, mythical for example. See this document on the genre. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FantasyOtherwise it sounds like speculative fiction.
Writing Historical Fiction
Books mentioned in this topic
When Saigon Surrendered: A Kentucky Mystery (other topics)The Crusades (other topics)
historical fact. I am using archival sources for events and characters but changing their names to allow me to create situations while not out of character, are not historical events.