Tips on writing historical fiction
Breaking the rules of writing: my take as a reader and editor of historical fiction
Writing, editing, and publishing are all highly subjective endeavours. If you receive feedback that you are “breaking” a writing rule, make sure whoever provides that feedback is able to explain why they think it is a problem. If they can’t, then it is possible they are sharing their own preferences with you and not defensible feedback.
Balancing summary and scene in historical fiction
Let’s dive into the most basic building blocks of writing: scene and narrative summary. Learn when to use summary versus scene and consider whether historical fiction needs more summary than other genres.
Using literary cross-training to help you write better historical fiction
Literary cross-training as I like to call it, allows you to draw on storytelling techniques from other genres to strengthen your own writing. Get tips on how to read as a way to become a better writer and put that learning into practice.
Don't want to cut all those juicy historical details? Make them matter to your characters
Too many historical details can slow down the pace of a novel. So how do you keep some of your favourite historical elements? Make the historical details matter to your characters.
Writing a multi POV historical novel
Why choose multiple points of view to write historical fiction?
There are many reasons to choose a multi-POV approach for your novel. Showing different perspectives can be a way to increase tension, enhance the theme, and highlight or contrast the choices each character makes. It can also be a useful way to show what is happening in different geographic locations or times for a fuller picture of the story or help subplots tie in more closely to the main plot.
Should you work with an editor on your family history?
Family history can actually be a tricky thing to write and edit because it can easily straddle the line between narrative non-fiction and fiction. It’s important to work with an editor that understands both story arc and various narrative forms of writing while also knowing something about writing non-fiction for a general audience.
Writing both inner and outer conflict in a historical novel
If you want to write a page-turner, you’re going to have to put your beloved characters in dire circumstances. Preferably ones that highlight the internal trade-offs they have to make in sticky situations.
8 ways to improve pacing and build tension in historical fiction
One of the best ways to keep readers engaged in a story is to keep the pace moving and tension escalating. Here are eight ways to improve your novel’s pace and build more curiosity-inducing tension into the story.