Historical Fiction writers are faced with a variety of challenges, including creating a convincing sense of historical accuracy. They must avoid modern colloquialisms and keep language neutral while adding archaic words and constructions that would have been used during the period. Most importantly, they must ensure that their readers can recognize the words and concepts they use.
Characters
One of the main challenges of writing historical fiction is the task of creating believable characters. Some historical fiction writers draw upon the lives of actual people, while others use fictional characters. In both cases, a historical fiction character must follow a specific character arc, as well as serve the overall story arc.
Setting
The setting is an important element of any story, and historical fiction writers should pay special attention to it when creating their stories. The purpose of a setting is to transport the reader to another time and place. The process of creating an immersive setting involves curating elements that are important to the characters in your novel. You don’t want to create a large, sprawling setting; instead, you should narrow your focus to highlight specific details that make up the setting.
Research
Research for historical fiction writers involves looking into the past and finding facts. A good historical fiction writer will read contemporaneous books, take classes and join a historical society. They may also read diaries and memoirs of people of the time. The goal is to create an authentic rendering of history.
Conflict
The conflict among historical fiction writers is not limited to the subject matter. There are several issues involved in writing historical fiction, including the definition of historical fiction and the balance between historically accurate details and fictional elements. This type of fiction is also subject to a variety of issues, such as the provenance of the subject matter.
Little-known facts
One of the many challenges that historical fiction writers face is the marketing of their work. Though most readers appreciate the genre, not every historical fiction writer becomes a multimillionaire. The fact is that while the genre contains many elements of fiction, it often has kernels of truth. A good historical fiction writer will incorporate those truths into their work.
Marketing
If you’re writing historical fiction, there are a number of ways to promote your book. Some of these techniques include blogging and social media. Others involve joining writing communities on various websites. The best way to gain exposure is to be active in these communities and find out what their readers want.
