What defines historical fiction, in
general? Obviously, the story must take place in a
historical period – but is that sufficient? In my opinion, the
historical setting does need to play a central role in the story.
The genre may be more specific than simply historical, of course, and
genres can be combined. A historical romance, for example, would
need to meet the requirements of both historical fiction and romance.
Is it easier to write modern
historical fiction, as opposed to stories set in more ancient times?
The obvious answer would be that it is – as, from a research point
of view, it is easier to find out about more recent time periods.
Everything has its down side, however. Mistakes will be spotted more
readily. If you weren't alive during the period you're writing
about, try talking to people who were, as well as doing research
online, and reading relevant books. If you were around, do
your research anyway, as you can't rely upon memory for every detail,
particularly if you were a child, during the era in question. Keep
in mind that you may have to research aspects of life prior to the
period that you actually cover, in order to relate fully to the
experiences of your characters.
Character names are important.
Classic names work well, but avoid modern, trendy ones, that may not
even have existed, at the time. Replace these with “dated”
names, which would have been the trendy ones, back then. It's easy
enough to Google the popular given names for any particular era, and
remember to take the age of the characters into account, too. I hope
to cover naming characters in more detail in a future post, but these
are just some of the basics, relating to names in modern historical
fiction.
I love writing modern historical. It's
not that different from writing contemporary fiction, and I get to
address many of the social issues that are close to my heart – but
the music is better, and no-one has a mobile phone, or Facebook,
Twitter or Instagram accounts. (Disclaimer: You don't have to agree that the music was better in the 1980s/90s...!)
The "Historical" definition has altered as people have lived longer, experienced more, and info is more accessible. I consider the 1940s historical because of the historical event of WWII, but what does my mother think since she served as an Army Journalist Veteran during that time period? She still remembers it only as "classified". The 80s and 90s are fond memories for me, but definitely not "historical", in my opinion. I guess it depends on your age and perspective, but the beauty of this for writers in our modern society is that we can establish your own boundaries. There is an accepted grouping of time periods for academic research, but we can now choose how we present the information we want to share or the story we tell as it relates to our purpose and scope. Unfortunately, we have to wade through copious misinformation on the Internet so, as writers, we must decide what we accept or reject within the rapidity of technological change. Before the overabundance of facts, supposed facts, and fake facts, news had to be verified by three solid, "named" sources, which was time-consuming and consisted of real "legwork". But the historical definition, your premise above, I remember reading a long time ago, "Time is a river, and you can jump in anywhere." Alternative or altered realities, if they exist, change all preconceptions, definitions, and boundaries. As a writer, you establish your theme and premise, but once done, you should keep it consistent within the media you've chosen to share your information or original plotline. This holds true for journalism, fiction, nonfiction, any genre, blog, opinion, or research. A little injection of humor--I never got beyond your qualifying definition or question concerning it (?) because it was unrelated to your actual premise. The vicious cycle of the "history" of writing is worth studying. Today, there exists a freeing, relaxed climate for writers. The rules are considered flexible and evolving, but the basics are still considered by professionals as the standard starting point. Just a few insights from someone many decades in the industry, and thanks for intriguing my senses and my mind with your skill as a writer.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your response. I really appreciate your feedback, and that you have taken the time to share your knowledge, in this way. I will read through again to fully absorb. The internet has seemingly made research much easier, but there is certainly a lot of "fake" and inaccurate information out there nowadays. I can't believe how many people fully trust Wikipedia, for example.
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