research for historical fiction

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10 essential research tips for historical fiction writers

by Andrew Noakes

Includes…

Online archives with thousands of primary sources, image, video, and audio resources, maps, language tools, and specialist blogs.

1) Start with a plan

Even if you’re a pantser, you should plan out your historical research in advance. If you don’t, you’re likely to miss things. Start by figuring out what you need to know, then research a list of sources that will help you get there. I advise listing them by type and/or focus (e.g. primary, secondary, political background, daily life, etc.)

2) Take notes and record sources

No matter how big your brain, you’re not going to be able to remember everything you read, so take notes. They don’t have to go on for hundreds of pages, and they don’t even have to be that well organised at first (you can sort that out later), but I would recommend keeping note of where vital bits of information come from. Believe me, you’ll need to refer back to your sources.

3) Cross-reference

One of the first things you need to know about historical sources – whether primary or secondary – is they can be wrong. Errors can range from small and annoying (incorrect dates, misspelled names etc.) to major and highly problematic (like ascribing historical events to the actions of the wrong people).

The important thing is to try and cross-reference everything you read, especially the important things like critical dates and key figures. You should even try and cross-reference small details like diet and clothing when you can. Mistakes in these areas can really put readers off.

4) Check the provenance

Sometimes, errors in historical sources stem from the agendas of those who wrote them. In truth, there’s no such thing as an unbiased source. Every piece of historical writing will, to some extent, be influenced by the outlook of its author and the trends of its time.

The most misleading sources, though, are those that deliberately obscure the truth. Some seek to absolve their authors of blame for a particular historical event; others may seek to cast false blame to damage someone’s reputation. The point is this: the likely purpose of a source affects how we should read it. So always check provenance.

5) When sources disagree…

Sometimes, two sources will contradict each other even though they both seem credible. This can be down to a legitimate difference in interpretation, and in those cases you can feel safe in siding with the interpretation that you find most convincing. You can also adopt your own interpretation, providing it’s plausible and you can back it up.

Occasionally, though, the contradiction occurs because one source has got something wrong. If you’re unable to cross-reference further (i.e. if there aren’t more than two credible sources), then you’ll have to make a judgement call. Which source has more consistently got things right? Which source has the greater authority? Consider these carefully and make a decision, then note the contradiction and your approach to resolving it in your historical note if you’re using one.

6) When there are no sources at all…

This is more and more likely to happen to you the further back your story is set. But try and turn it on its head for a second: remember, you’re not a historian. It’s part of your craft to fill in the gaps with your imagination. In fact, some of the best historical fiction stories grow between the cracks found in history.

If something cannot be known, then so long as your interpretation feels plausible, it’s entirely legitimate to chart your own path. Just make sure you explain the gaps and how you filled them in your historical note.

7) Strike a balance between primary and secondary sources

Primary sources can give you an authentic flavour of your chosen era, and they can help you to reproduce authentic voices in your story as well, to say nothing of their value in providing a deeper insight into historical events.

But secondary sources are also vital for providing you with a wider perspective on those events. Historians can assess things with the benefit of hindsight and through a broader lens.

In truth, you need to use a good mix of both primary and secondary sources in order to properly research your period.

8) Don’t just look for the facts, find the essence of your era as well

Sometimes, I read a manuscript and I just don’t feel ‘in the period’. It might be the way the characters speak to each other, it might be their social and political attitudes, or it might be their etiquette. Whatever the case, the story will feel off.

That’s why it’s important not just to learn the core facts of your period, but to immerse yourself in it as well. Historical fiction authors who do this well recommend reading diaries, newspapers, and other primary sources, investigating cultural artefacts like art and music, and even eating meals from your era!

9) Knowing when to start writing

When do you know you’ve reached that magic point where you’ve done enough research and you can finally start writing?

The truth is you’ll probably never know for sure. After all, there’s no truly objective way to measure it. But it helps to make a list of questions you think you need the answers to before you begin writing. Once those have been answered satisfactorily, you’ll know the time for writing is near.

10) Research while you write

Just because you’ve started writing, it doesn’t mean your research is over. You can – and should – continue to research while you write to enrich your understanding of your period and keep your knowledge fresh. Sometimes, a little bit of extra research can also ignite the flame of inspiration if you’re struggling with writer’s block.

So, there you have it. Those are my 10 essential research tips for historical fiction writers. I hope you find them useful as you research your next story. If you’re looking for more guidance, don’t forget to download our 50+ top online research resources as well.

P.S. Solid research is just one aspect of writing historical fiction. To learn about the others, make sure you read our dedicated guide,  How to write historical fiction in 10 steps . You might also be interested in  Top tips on writing historical fiction from 64 successful historical novelists .

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How to Research a Historical Novel: Escape the Research Rabbit Hole

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It doesn't take any research to know that historical fiction writers love spending time in history books, digital archives, museum exhibits, and library collections—and that's just in our spare time!

But how do we keep that research from overshadowing the actual writing of our books? How do you research a historical novel without getting lost in the research rabbit hole?

This guest post is by Susanne Dunlap, author of twelve works of historical fiction for adults and teens. You can find her newest book The Portraitist here and find all her books and courses on her website susanne-dunlap.com. 

Face it, none of us would write historical novels if we didn’t love the research. If we’re lucky enough to go to historical archives, the very smell of the dust, the idea that the materials and primary sources were handled by people decades or centuries ago, gives us a thrill.

And when we discover something others have overlooked, maybe that little fact that gives us something to hang an entire plot on—pour the champagne! History inspires us, it amazes us, it fascinates us—it torments us.

Research is wonderful and essential. But it can so easily commandeer all our time and energy.

How far do you need to go to track down a person or a date? What if you can’t go to places or get ahold of archival material? Do you have to know everything about the historical period and place and characters in your novel?

Won’t readers be waiting with red pens to circle any little thing you get wrong, or take exception to your interpretation of a historical character’s motives?

And what about the sheer volume of material we now have access to, thanks to the Internet and online archives? One thing leads to another and then another and then another. Before we know it, weeks have passed and we’ve got tons of research but haven’t put a word on a page.

How to Escape the Overwhelm of Research

I had to let go of that tendency to remain mired in research in a hurry when I was forced to research and write a complete manuscript in a year. It had been sold on a one-page proposal.

As I wrote, I remember being certain that someone would take me to task for changing the year a composition by Chopin was published, which I had to do in order to make my story work. But no one cared in the end.

That’s when I first learned that the story comes first, history comes second—a lesson I've had to learn over and over. Story first, history second.

That may sound like sacrilege coming from someone who started writing historical fiction after being in the academic world—a PhD in music history from Yale.

In academic articles, it really mattered that I’d consulted every known source, verified everything and didn’t categorically state something unless I knew it was backed up with historical sources and facts. I learned that the hard way, submitting articles for peer review. Ouch.

When I chose to start writing historical fiction, the research obsession was still deeply ingrained. For the sake of readers and my own sanity, though, I had to learn how to subjugate research to story.

I don’t mean being inaccurate or anachronistic (when a detail is in the wrong time period such as a television in 11th century Europe). I mean becoming comfortable with the necessary limits and with using my own imagination to fill in any gaps.

When My Research Turned Into a Rabbit Hole

My novel The Portraitist is a good example. I started working on it—on and off—seven years ago. Then, I was researching Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun, the bitter rival of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (protagonist of The Portraitist ), thinking she would be the focus of my story.

There was so much material about her, so many paintings, a Metropolitan Museum exhibition of her work, and her own three-volume autobiography—published when she was very old.

Not only that, but because she was the official portraitist to Marie Antoinette, I felt obliged to research everything about the doomed queen and the true events surrounding Louis XVI’s court.

Through that research, I discovered a close friend of Elisabeth’s, another artist: Rosalie Bocquet Filleul. What a story there!

She married the concierge of the Château de la Muette and became concierge herself after his death. She produced several pastel portraits of royals, and—perhaps more interesting—took a number of likenesses of her neighbor in Passy, Benjamin Franklin.

When I discovered that little fact I had to start researching Benjamin Franklin, his life and politics and how he ended up in that diplomatic residence next door to Rosalie Filleul—of whom he became very fond, not least of all because she was stunningly beautiful.

The rest of Rosalie’s story was poignant and tragic. She ended up guillotined because she auctioned off some chairs that belonged to the Château (I argue she was destitute and nearly starving).

So I wrote a manuscript that encompassed the stories of all three of these remarkable women. How could I leave anything out?

Turns out, I should have. That manuscript was a monster. Too long, too complicated, and I couldn’t do justice to any of the women. I had Too. Much. Information.

How to Set Research Limits

Now, of course we love stumbling on all that good stuff, those intriguing tidbits and interconnections. I’m not saying you shouldn’t do that—there’s no “should” about this.

My point is that at some juncture, you have to let go of the idea of “everything,” or the idea that you have to be the expert, and set your limits.

What limits? You might ask. There are several ways you can rein in your research so it really serves your story.

Once you’ve done enough research to figure out the primary story you want to tell, map it out. I mean that both literally and figuratively. I’m not an outliner by nature, but I’ve learned—again, the hard way—that it’s important to know a few basic things:

1. The time period of your story present.

This may seem obvious. Of course you know what time period you’re writing in!

What I’m suggesting here is that you take a good, hard look at how much of that stretch of time you really want to use.

While there may be a case for covering the entire real life of a historical figure, that sort of endeavor is best left to a biographer. You’re looking for the period bounded by the exact moment that triggers the action in your story, and the exact moment when your protagonist’s arc of change is complete.

Put another way, the moment at which the story question is answered.

You’ll no doubt have researched things around this historical time period, and that’s good background information. But you only really need to look in depth at the historical events that directly affect your protagonist.

2. The places where the story is set.

This is possibly a little easier. I’ll give you a simple example: The Portraitist takes place before, during, and after the French Revolution. But it’s set entirely in or near Paris.

To get even more precise, the primary locations are the Louvre, Versailles, the Château de Bellevue, and a suburb of Paris called Pontault en Brie.

No doubt a lot was going on in other parts of France, and of course, there’s that whole American Revolution that had an impact on the French, but it didn’t impinge on my protagonist’s life. Not Adélaïde’s, in any case. (I axed Benjamin Franklin when I focused the story away from Rosalie.)

Once you have that all mapped out, you can get the vital everyday life information about how your characters get from place to place, how long it takes, whether it was comfortable or a huge pain, how much it might have cost, etc.

I did say you still have to do a lot of research, didn’t I?

3. The main characters.

Another obvious one, but if you keep reminding yourself that the focus is on your protagonist and one or two others, you might avoid amassing research that would only bog down your story if you tried to include it.

And maybe you’ll stop yourself from digging into the life of an interesting but peripheral character (did I mention Benjamin Franklin?) when you should be working on getting those words on the page.

4. Finally, give your research the necessity test.

This is simple: Ask yourself as you start diving into that rabbit hole if what you’re looking for is absolutely necessary.

If you don’t have that piece of information you’re looking for, will something important be missing from your book? Think it over. If the answer is no, then you're likely creating the dreaded info dump.

Once you’ve set your limits, organization is your best friend.

How to Organize Your Research

I have one word for you (and I’m not being paid to say this): Scrivener .

Even if you don’t want to use it as a drafting tool, it has so many great features, not the least of which is that you can use it to gather and organize all your research, even import Web pages so you don’t have to go hunting for that bookmark you forgot what you called or where you put it.

If you’re tech savvy, you can also add metadata to make it easy to search.

And if you’re REALLY tech savvy, you can sync it with another great tool, Aeon Timeline . It would take a long time to explain all the benefits of this app for historical novelists, so I’ll leave it to you to go and check it out. The good news is that neither of these apps is very expensive.

Of course, spreadsheets work too, if that’s your comfort zone. But I recommend at least giving these tools a look.

What you’ll probably find when you start organizing all your research is that having to do so gives a good view of what’s essential and what’s not. You can keep it all, but putting it in folders by priority or time span is a sanity preserver.

Do the Research, but Write the Book

My tips above won’t let you off the hook for doing good, solid research. But they may help you give yourself permission to be more focused, to not have to know absolutely everything.

Sure, you’ll write along and discover a gap in your knowledge that you need to fill in order to tie something together or provide a motivation—or just move your characters around from place to place. So be it.

Do that research when the need arises, don’t try to anticipate every eventuality at the start. It’s all about giving yourself permission.

You want to get that draft written. I want you to get that draft written. So embrace the limits and get organized!

Where do you get stuck in the research process? What tips have helped you learn when to stop, so you can get back to your writing? Share in the comments .

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How to effectively research historical fiction

I write a lot of historical fiction. All but one of my book manuscripts is historical, whether that’s set in the 1850s, 1940s, or eep – 1990s. It’s easier to write about a period you’ve lived through, but what do you do when everyone who lived during that time is long gone?

You could just base your historical fiction off what you’ve seen in movies, but that would do a disservice to your writing. Funnily enough, movies are not always historically accurate… So I’ve put together my top tips for how to research historical fiction.

Research helps build the authenticity of your historical fiction, whether that’s a Regency romance or a Victorian crime novel. I’ve found that researching books uncovers facts that have ultimately influenced the outcome of my story.

And while there will be times that you need to research while you’re writing – your character gets into a fight and you want to know a historically accurate rapier or gun ASAP – it’s important to do as much research as you need before you write your book. At a minimum, you should be able to answer all the questions outlined below.

Define your fiction’s limits

Before you start your research, you must identify the location and year/s of your book’s setting. This will help narrow your research.

After defining the limits of your fiction, the basic questions you will need to answer researching any historical novel are:

• What did the locations in my story look like at the time?
• What sort of clothes would my characters wear?
• What foods and drinks were consumed?
• If it’s set in a city, what landmarks were built at the time? Big Ben was still being built in the 1850s, so it will seem funny if it’s in your 1830s novel.
• How would people of the period perceive my character? What class are they? How do they fit in with the rest of society?
• What kind of employment was available? Don’t make assumptions about this. I assumed that early newsrooms were filled with men, but women played an important and documented role in both typesetting and editorial.
• What kinds of rituals and etiquette were observed?
• Are there any social issues I should be aware of that have modern consequences for readers? Things such as slavery, racism, and sexism of the period will bring out contemporary responses for readers. How will you address present-day concerns through the lens of the past?
• Who were the rulers/governors at the time?
• What wars and conflicts was the country/state/city involved with or influenced by?
• If you’re writing a crime novel, what were the procedures for law and order? Was it organised or more informal?
• What kind of transportation was/wasn’t used at the time?
• What technology was/wasn’t available at the time? Be careful to check the dates on inventions, particularly regarding communications and medicine.
• Were there common languages or languages for the elite and poor?
• Is there patter from the period you can use in dialogue?

What if you don’t know when or where your book is set? You might have a general idea of the period you’d like to write in. In that case…

Start broad, dig narrow

The first place you want to start is in general histories. A simple search of your library or favourite search engine for books on the period will turn up a plethora of results. Look for the best reviewed books and start there.

Another way to find the best books on a particular period is to look in bibliographies. What books are referenced again and again by researchers?

Many popular books about the Victorian era rely on Henry Mayhew’s London Labor and the London Poor, one of the first books to document firsthand accounts of poverty in London. It is an absolute must-read for anyone writing in that historic period. Rather than reading ten books which quoted the Mayhew, I just read the Mayhew.

What types of research resources are helpful for historical novelists?

Non-fiction books.

The obvious first place to start is with non-fiction books. The kinds of books that are often useful for filling in historic detail are:

• First-hand experiences and accounts
• Books documenting how people lived in the era
• Niche books relevant to your topic
• Photography and illustration books
• Costume books
• Dictionaries – useful for language

While the library is my first stop when looking for unique books (some of which can be expensive to purchase), the following sites have useful resources:

• Project Gutenberg often has first-hand accounts in the public domain
• Wikimedia Commons is a great resource for imagery from historic periods
• Better World Books, eBay and AbeBooks often have hard to find and ex-library books for a reasonable price

Maps are an invaluable research tool for the novelist, as you can mark them up and trace your character’s route through the city. I use maps a lot in writing fiction, both large printed maps that I mark up, and google maps.

Yes, I’m going to say it. I use Wikipedia to get a general overview of an era…

…but that shouldn’t be the only source of information you reach for. While it’s helpful for outlining the basic facts and characters in a time period, there are far more websites out there dedicated to particular aspects of history. I won’t tell you how to do a google search, because it’s probably how you ended up here.

First-hand documents

First-hand research doesn’t have to be difficult! Museums can provide vast sources of inspiration and ideas for your novel. While you can’t touch the exhibits, you can document your research while you look through a museum. And if you can’t get to a specific museum, many of them have online databases and images of their collections that you can access for free.

A great example of this was when I needed to find images of Wapping and the London Docks in the 1850s. I searched the National Maritime Museum’s archives and discovered sketches that Turner had done of the docks. While it would be too expensive for me to travel to London to see the locations (as much as I want to), I could get a sense of what it was like.

Unless you have a particular interest in a topic or are basing your novel on a real-life figure, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to handle first-hand documents from the period. But if you need to, you can access these texts from many state and national libraries. While there might be strict location and handling requirements on items, many librarians would be keen to help a novelist research their book.

Ask an expert

On that note, if you are writing about a very niche topic, don’t be afraid to ask an expert if you can’t find the information you need. I needed to know something specific about how the postal system worked in the Victorian era, so I emailed the postal museum who were more than happy to help. Experts are often excited to meet someone who is interested in their work.  

Visit your location

If you can visit the locations in your book, do! Make sure you take a notebook and jot down your impressions of the location. Think about how your characters would perceive and walk around the space. Take your time to absorb the atmosphere and take photos if permitted.

When I was writing a book based on the legend of Count Dracula, I was lucky enough to visit Transylvania. Not even Bram Stoker got to Romania (he based most of his ideas of Transylvania on a travel book). It’s a place I’ll never forget, and my writing was made richer for having gone there. Place is a powerful inspiration for story.

YouTube Videos

While YouTube is a relatively recent phenomenon, it has a vast amount of historical resources. Need to find out how an old gun works? Someone has made a video on that. Want to see a historical costume in action? Someone has made a video on that. I kid you not – I’ve used YouTube to see how both old cameras and guns worked for my novels.

Document your research

Now you might have all this amazing research, but don’t store it in your head!

Documenting is just as important as researching your book. Make sure you have a good note-taking system. Whether that’s a single paper notebook for all your research or using an online tool like OneNote or Evernote to keep it in one place.

Taking photos are also very helpful for documenting places – just check you’re allowed to in private locations and museums before bringing the camera out.  

Integrating your historical research into your fiction

While this topic could be a whole separate blog post on how to include historical details in your fiction, it’s important to integrate your research naturally in your work. While we might get obsessed with say, a certain shoe, if it’s not relevant to the story, you shouldn’t be giving a paragraph of backstory on a shoe.

Likewise, don’t be too obvious about integrating your research into dialogue. We don’t need tour guide characters who say, “And this is Big Ben, which was completed in 1859, and is actually the name of the bell inside the tower, not the tower itself. Now follow my umbrella…” A better way is to have characters comment from their perspective – “Gov, those builders better get on with finishing that tower.”  

Follow that damn rabbit

Some people will say not to go down the rabbit hole, but I say follow that rabbit. If you’ve stumbled across an interesting aspect of history that no one has ever written about, and you’re curious, keep going. Chances are that curiosity might spark something new.

I hoped this post has helped you learn more about how to research historical fiction. As always, if you have questions, hit me up in the comments below, and let me know how your research is going!

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ENGL 3025: Writing Historical Fiction: Doing Research for Your Writing

About this guide, pre-research the period and location, create a convincing picture, databases for finding details of the period, databases for researching specific periods, primary texts by period, historical newspaper databases, study secondary sources, sources used - find more tips there, get help with your research, document your sources, who wrote this guide.

This guide is primarily developed in support of the course ENGL 3025: Writing Historical Fiction. It outlines elements of research and provides links to resources and research tips.

While many suggested resources are available online, please note that research for historical fiction may require using print resources, visiting libraries and archives, and conducting personal interviews and research consultations.

• Identify the location and year(s) of your piece setting.
• Look at a variety of resources to immerse yourself in a period/event.

Search Summon

Search tip : Do a keyword search; for example, Berlin Wall

Limit to publications from a certain period

Look at different material types

Search the Library Catalog

Search tips

• September 11 terrorist Attacks, 2001
• March on Washington
• Subject headings may not be intuitive. Start with a keyword search, e.g., "9/11,” and then look at subject headings attached to relevant records. Then browse subject headings

Find personal accounts

Where to find them

Library catalog and suggested databases (scroll down for lists of databases).

• Correspondence
• Reminiscences
• For more results click the OhioLINK button on the results screen

Study details of the period

Look for clothes, jewelry, transportation, architecture, etc.in paintings, photographs, documentaries, etc.

• Library catalog

Search tip: To find images in the library catalog use the following keywords:

• Pictorial works
• Documentary photography
• Digital collections of museums
• For pieces set in Cincinnati: Digital Library of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamiltion County

Look at books/periodicals/media

created at the time of your story.

Where to find books

• Google Books
• Project Gutenberg

Tip : In Project Gutenberg explore bookshelves, e.g., US Civil War )

Where to find newspapers

Study historical maps

See " Digital Maps " in the Geography & Environmental Science Resource Guide. May of the maps listed there are historical.

Old Maps Online (multiple countries)

Some databases for researching specific periods include maps (click on the Information button for descriptions)

Research language

"...certain aspects of language can detract from the seeming authenticity of the characters’ words, and these include both archaic or “difficult” language, and anachronistic language or ideas, both of which, in their different ways, can throw the reader out of the illusion the novelist is trying to convey. " " Ancient or modern? Language in historical fiction " by Carolyn Hughes/

Helpful resources

See also “Find personal accounts” and “Look at books/media created at the time of your story.”

Verify information

Check dates, facts, etc.

Wikipedia is great for this! Libraries have even more resources.

• Online Reference Shelf

The Library provides networked access to many more full-text, primary source databases than can be listed here. Others may be located through the Library Catalog and Databases , which contains an alphabetical list of online resources related to Language and Literature.

All Periods/Long Full-Text Coverage

Middle english, early modern.

19th Century

Modern and contemporary.

• Newspapers/Research Databases (Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County

Secondary sources include non-fiction accounts, biographies, academic papers, interviews with historians and experts.

Follow academic discourse related to your historical period or event for different angles, recent findings, and bibliographies.

Secondary sources will also help you identify social issues of the period.

Suggested databases

" Helpful Research Sources for Historical Fiction Writers ." Write to Done.

"How to Do Historical Research for a Novel by Claudia Merrill.

"How to effectively research historical fiction" by Kat Clay.

" Historical Fiction: 7 Elements of Research" by M.K. Todd. Now Novel blog.

• All Online Research Guides
• Ask a Librarian (Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton Coutny)

• Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024 11:55 AM
• URL: https://guides.libraries.uc.edu/histfiction

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Phone: 513-556-1424

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7 tips on researching and writing historical fiction

Clare harlow: 'look out for other writers who aren’t afraid to gently tell you how to make your work stronger', samuel burr: 'writing is a craft and not a gift as far as i’m concerned' , by leila aboulela, 28th feb 2023.

Leila Aboulela was born in Cairo, grew up in Khartoum, and moved to Aberdeen in her mid-twenties. Nominated three times for the Orange Prize (now the Women’s Prize for Fiction,) she is the author of five novels, including Bird Summons , The Translator , and Lyrics Alley , which was Fiction Winner of the Scottish Book Awards. Leila was the first winner of the Caine Prize for African Writing, and her short story collection, Elsewhere Home , won the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year Award. Leila’s latest novel River Spirit will be published by Saqi Books on 7 March 2023.

Leila has been a guest speaker in special masterclasses for our Writing Your Novel students and a mentor for our Breakthrough Writers’ Programme – our initiative for under-represented writers. Here she shares some insights on how to approach historical research for a novel, drawing on her own experience of writing River Spirit, which is set in 1880s Sudan.

I’ve always loved reading historical fiction. There is something magical about stepping into the past, a tantalizing place where we can experience ways of life that have vanished. It was, though, only after writing contemporary novels, that I gathered up the courage to write historical ones. To be honest, the research put me off. The word ‘research’ conjured up hours spent in solemn libraries, studying historical tomes, wading through tedious facts and dates of battles. But it need not be like that. I found that research itself could be part of the creative process, that it could be inspiring and lots of fun. Here are the tips, based on how I did it.

1. Follow your fascinations

Read the history that interests you, rather than what you feel you should read. For River Spirit I went to the Sudan archives in Durham University. There, I came across a bill of sale for a slave girl. Her name, Zamzam, gave me an image of her. It was as if I knew her. This triggered my interest in nineteenth century slavery in Sudan. I began to research that topic. I had never intended the main character of my novel to be an enslaved woman. But how Zamzam became enslaved and how she found freedom, fascinated me and so I based my research on finding out more about the kind of day-to-day life she would have likely experienced.

2. Speak to the experts

I interviewed researchers who had written about nineteenth century Sudan. They pointed me towards specific books and papers – and saved hours of my time.

3. Read novels set in the same place and historical period

This was lots of fun because I could enjoy the fiction while at the same time feel that I was working! I picked up interesting, relevant details as well as the names of useful sources listed in the Acknowledgement pages.

4. Find your fictional characters in the footnotes of history

Many historical novels are based on minor figures in history, real people who are mentioned briefly in the footnotes. They might have played a minor part, or they were present when important things happened. Because little is known about them, they provide an opportunity for the creative writer to fill in the missing pieces.

5. Switch between researching and writing

Although I started off with the research, I didn’t devote all my time to it. If I felt creative, I would work on my novel. Sometimes I would keep writing until I got stuck and needed to research something specific. I remember my mum visiting me for a few weeks and to avoid walking around in a hazy daydream in her presence (which is what I’m normally like when I’m writing), I focussed solely on the research. But most of the time, I wrote and researched at the same time. One feeding the other.

6. Expect a longer editing process

Although I was careful, I ended up making the obvious mistake that historical novelists are inclined to fall into. My first draft had too much research! Information dumps, repetitions, ‘look what I know’ paragraphs. I had to cut and cut and cut again. I had to decide what was important to the story and what was not. The copy-editing stage took longer than with my contemporary novels. Lots of fact checking and another chance to trim down on non-essentials.

7. Accept that the research might never end

There are so many history books I could have read but I didn’t. Ones I started but abandoned because I got carried away with writing! The novel was going well and there was nothing more I needed to research. But it would be dishonest to say that I ever felt that I was finished with the research. Perhaps one can never finish researching a historical period. It is more about deciding when to stop and focus on the writing. The research can go on forever. At the end, it is the central story, and the characters who make up the novel, while the historical research remains in the background.

Get your hands on a copy of River Spirit , out 7 March.

If you’re working on a historical novel, why not join our specialist six-week online course: Writing Historical Fiction .

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How to Research Historical Fiction

Writers often have a bunch of tabs open on their internet browsers. Sometimes we go incognito, because we look up some weird, weird stuff.

Crime and mystery writers might look up police procedures, stages of putrefaction, how to kill someone, types of poison…but not just that. Car models, flowering shrubs in a particular part of the world, average rainfall on a particular day. Train sounds, what color the Ligurian Sea is…you get the picture.

“You” being the reader. Details are important in fiction, because details help readers quite literally get the picture in their heads that makes the ‘fictive dream’ come alive.

Some genres, like hard science fiction or military thrillers, require some deep research or personal experience (or a degree!), along with a vivid imagination.

Historical fiction is similar in that you must either have time travelled, OR you must have a knack for researching.

Luckily, this knack is not such a secret thing. It can’t be learned.

A short story about a long process

I’m writing historical fiction again. It’s the second in a trilogy. Here’s the story of the first one, if you are interested in the sheer doggedness required to write a novel when your skills are insufficient. On that first novel I got through the initial draft, then realized it was thin because…details. Needed them, didn’t have them. Knew sort of how to get them, thanks to an undergrad degree in History.

For the next two years I read a lot of nonfiction about the time period. I also read some fiction set in that period, but not too much–I didn’t want to use the same details everyone else used. Also because I had deliberately set the story in a place and time where there weren’t many “comparative titles.” (Here’s an explanation of what comparative titles means, if you’re new to the term.)

Tip #1: Let your research serve the scene & not vice-versa.

All the time spent reading and researching led to one thing: a few close-ups of particular moments in time. Yes, I set an entire scene in a swimming pool on the Seine because I thought it was a cool venue–but the scene had to happen somewhere. The setting worked for the action and for the characters’ emotional arcs, so it was fair game.

Tip #2: Keep characters’ point of view in mind.

This first novel in what I believe will be a trilogy was from a male POV. Just one POV. He was a newspaper illustrator, so I had to remember that photos weren’t yet used much in the press ( The Illustrated London News used sketches, as did most other outlets at the time). I had to remember, for the 7 or 8 scenes where my character was sketching, that the form had certain specific limitations because they’d be made into engravings that the newspaper could print in multiple thousands of copies. They needed to have simple cross-hatching, enough white space for the image to stand out.

And on a more general level, I had to remember that my POV character would see everything from under a hat brim, at least in outdoor scenes. So I also gave him “hat head” in every scene set indoors (where he removed his hat at certain times) because it made me laugh, and because I think it made him more sympathetic.

Tip #3: Academic texts, newspapers from the time, weird websites, and primary sources are your friend

That particular historical novel has some characters that came from my own field of historical study as an undergrad, which was the Meiji period in Japan. During this time, the Japanese sent out “missions” to study the exemplars of everything developed during the 200 years Japan’s borders had been closed.

A mission might consist of a few dozen men. They went all over the world. They would tour shipbuilding facilities on the River Clyde in Scotland, study hospital design and breakthroughs in medicine in Holland and Scotland, scientific research and democratic structure in Germany, Western art in Italy, and so on. Wherever these missions went, they took a deep interest in all those working on the cutting edge of their field.

Because there wasn’t a lot of information out there on the internet on what it was like to be part of a Meiji mission, I got a library card for the local university. I pored over the academic texts and theses that studied that period from a number of perspectives and topics.

The internet is great, but it can also be full of misinformation. Websites, much as I love the people who blog on subjects dear to my heart, are simply a starting point to gather information and ideas for various plot turns.

Academic books and trade nonfiction from university presses, on the other hand, have been stringently researched, are heavily footnoted, have the most incredible list of jumping-off points in their bibliographies, and best of all, they dive deep into a particular subject in a way that most blog posts can’t. There is nothing like an entire nonfiction book on a subject to bring up your level of understanding. Five different books from five different angles is even better.

Newspapers are a goldmine for the comings and goings of famous people and for the advertisements for products and services.

Guide books from the historical time period (assuming it’s post-printing press) are invaluable for information on fares and schedules.

You can gain access to much of this stuff through the Internet, by the way! Internet Archive (a digital library), Victorian Voices (a fantastic compendium of journalism and other treats from the period), Project Gutenberg (lots of old books, including guidebooks) .

Libraries are another goldmine. Your local library card might get you free access to JSTOR and other databases for academic articles and primary resources . Here’s a website from Fordham University with some good links . Academic articles are a goldmine for historical novelists. Peer-reviewed journals publish articles that, although they have a slant, are as close to factually correct as we “modern” humans can be about our past.

Finally, if you’re really into the facts, you can get some records from governments and institutions. When I was researching cinematographer Gregg Toland for a novel about F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald, I sent away to the state of California for a copy of Toland’s marriage certificate. They asked no questions! And sent me the info.

Don’t you love history?

How to Research Historical Fiction and Nail Your Setting

You know you have to actually research historical fiction. 

You know you can't write your frontier romance using a few details you vaguely remember from Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman . If you want to make the world of your story truly come alive for your reader, you have to understand that world.

You must be able to see the sights of your world vividly in your mind. You need to be able to share the sounds, smells, voices, and cultural norms with your readers.

But, if you’re a writer first and a historian second—or let’s say 84th—this may feel like a tall order. How do you become so familiar with a timeline that was never your own and still find time to actually write your nove l ?

How do you research historical fiction thoroughly and efficiently?

Don’t worry. Yes, you have a big job ahead of you, but I’m going to lay out a strategy that will simplify your path. I’ll give you tools for:

• Prioritizing categories of research
• Immersing yourself in the world of your novel
• Checking for accuracy
• Knowing when you’re done

Let’s start with narrowing your focus.

Keep a Running List of Questions

What do you actually have to research for your specific historical fiction novel ? 

If you set the perimeters too broad—”Shang Dynasty” or “Victorian England,” for example—you’re going to overwhelm yourself. You’ll also lose precious writing time learning details that aren’t relevant to your story. 

Before you start your research, make a list of questions you already know you need an answer to. This could include things like:

• What would my protagonist’s day to day life look like?
• How would they dress?
• Would my protagonist’s job actually exist?
• What behaviors would shock my protagonist’s parents at this point in history?

You don’t have to think of everything upfront. You’ll make new discoveries and think of new questions both as you research and as you write. Let your research list be a growing, evolving creature. 

Now, if you’re a pantser, you might find the bulk of your questions arise as you write your first draft. I still recommend creating and researching that initial list of “must knows” to avoid any plot-destroying errors as you write.

And immediately research any mid-draft discovery that has a major bearing on the trajectory of your novel. 

For example, if plot point one involves a letter arriving in Egypt exactly ten days after it was written in Oklahoma, make sure such a thing is even possible at the time when your story takes place.

What if I Don’t Have a Story in Mind Yet?

Maybe you’re wondering how to research historical fiction when you have no idea what story you want to tell. Maybe you only know that you love the world of 1920s France and you’d like to set your story then and there. In that case, I’d suggest what I always suggest:

Start with what thrills you.

Why are you so enthralled with this setting? Is it jazz that draws you in? The labor movement? Josephine Baker? Croissants?

Learn more about what interests you and start imagining what kind of stories might unfold in that world. 

Whether you have a story in mind or you’re building as you go, here’s how to research historical fiction, step by step.

1. Go to Google

Yeah, you probably didn’t need me for this tip. You probably already planned to use the internet to research historical fiction.

Most of us turn to Google instinctively, whether we’re looking for a casserole recipe or trying to find the name of the screechy-voice guy who was in that movie based on the book by the author who was involved in that scandal.

Go ahead and follow that impulse when you’re researching historical fiction. The Internet can save you a lot of time with quick answers to simple questions. 

However, be aware that anyone can post anything online for free. It doesn’t have to be true. So make sure you’re getting your information from a reputable source. (More on that in a bit.)

2. Go Deeper at the Library

Don’t stop at Google. Remember, your goal in researching historical fiction is not just to collect information about an era. You also want to gain a well-rounded understanding of what it meant to live in that era. Your librarian can help you with this in ways Google can’t.

In addition to housing biographies and history books, your library has the hook-up for old newspapers, maps, and photographs. Through your library, you might be able to access documentaries or old radio programs. 

Even if the collection at your local library is small, ask if they’re able to borrow any of the materials you’re looking for from other libraries. Your library card may also give you access to digital materials like academic journals, film libraries, archives, and more.

And if you’re really lost, tell your librarian what you need to know. “I’m writing a story about someone traveling across Scotland in the seventeenth century. I’m not sure what that would look like. Do you know of any resources that can help me?”

There’s a decent chance they’ll have something to suggest because librarians are magic.

3. Find Museums and Experts

This is where we progress from informative to immersive. 

If you have the ability to visit a museum that shines light on your setting, do it. Even better, take a tour. Museum tour guides give you way more information and deeper context than you’ll find on a placard.

Meanwhile, the contents themselves help you imagine days gone by with greater clarity. You can see the texture of fabrics, the design of a tool, or photographs of daily life. 

Too far from a museum that’s relevant to your setting? Consider:

• What museum would you visit if you could? Do they have any online resources? Maybe a virtual lecture series or virtual tours?
• Is there a museum nearby that features an exhibit related to your setting? Maybe you can’t get to a Japanese history museum, but you can explore Japanese art from your era in your local art museum.
• Who can tell you what a museum guide could tell me? Is there an expert on this era who might be willing to answer a few questions?

As you dig deeper, the details of your time period come into focus.

4. Collect Images and Video

Bring it all home. Photographs, paintings, furniture, clothing… whatever you’re finding out there, bring images of those things into your workspace. 

Treat these images like clues about life in your chosen era. How do people dress or stand to indicate their social ranking? How are children positioned in photographs? Are they shoved into the corners or primped and paraded? How would one move in that dress or sit on that gosh-awful chair?

If there’s video footage from your era, chase that down, too. 

5. Pretend You Live in Your Novel’s Timeline

You don’t have to go full-on Ren Faire. Just expose yourself to a few things that would be part of your characters’ daily lives. 

Read books, newspapers, and other published materials from your chosen time period. This step is an absolute must as it not only gives you a ton of cultural insight, it also helps you nail the voice of the era. How did people talk? What were the hot topics of the day?

Music and food also provide great immersion opportunities. What sounds, scents, and flavors would have colored your characters’ daily lives?

If your novel takes place in recent history, watch the movies or television shows that were popular at the time. Check out the art that defines your chosen era. 

Put yourself in the shoes of your characters (maybe literally if you have easy access to a costume shop) and see what you discover.

6. Actually Go There

This may not be realistic for you. But, if it is, you can learn a lot by visiting the physical location where your story takes place.

Wander the streets and compare them to photographs or maps from the era. If you can tour a building or home from your chosen time period, do it. Look for a local history museum. 

And definitely visit the library. They may have some obscure pieces of local history you won’t find anywhere else.

Now that you know how to research historical fiction, let’s talk about something extremely important. 

How to Research Historical Fiction Accurately

Misinformation and bias abound. Here’s how to navigate your research results wisely.

‍ Always note your source. Did you find your article about Regency marriage traditions at SmithsonianMag.com? Or from KrazyKoolHistoryFacts.net? Where is your source getting their information?

‍ Know the difference between primary and secondary sources. A primary source is anything created during the time period you’re researching—a document, a recorded interview, a shoe, whatever. A secondary source is created after the time period in question. 

The U.S. Declaration of Independence is a primary source. Your grade school history book’s explanation of the Declaration is a secondary source. 

Primary sources give you the most accurate account of the attitudes, voices, and direct experiences of the era. Secondary sources have enough distance to put the experience into a wider context. 

On that note:

‍ Be aware of bias. Always ask yourself what biases might be baked into both primary and secondary source material. 

That’s not to say you should discount material that comes from a biased source. In fact, much of our history is colored by the people who wrote it. There’s a reason most Americans think the temperance movement was a bunch of hyper-religious spinsters nagging men to stop drinking rather than a crusade to curb domestic violence. 

You can’t escape bias in your research. What matters is that you know when you’re getting a prejudiced take on history and that you seek an opposing viewpoint to get a more rounded picture. 

How to Know When You’re Done

Now that you know how to research historical fiction, here are some key signs that you’re ready to start writing:

• You’ve answered all the questions that directly impact your story
• You have a pretty firm grasp of the societal norms and structures that would influence your characters and conflicts
• The setting of your historical fiction novel is starting to take shape clearly in your mind
• Anything you have to guess about now will be an easy fix if your guess is wrong

Like worldbuilding, historical fiction research can become an easy excuse to procrastinate. Get your story rolling as soon as it makes sense. You can continue researching as you go.

One final tip: Use your Dabble Story Notes to keep everything you learn organized and at your fingertips as you draft your novel.

If you don’t have a Dabble account, I highly recommend checking it out. You can do that for free for fourteen days. No credit card required. Just click this little link and start your free trial.

Abi Wurdeman is the author of Cross-Section of a Human Heart: A Memoir of Early Adulthood, as well as the novella, Holiday Gifts for Insufferable People. She also writes for film and television with her brother and writing partner, Phil Wurdeman. On occasion, Abi pretends to be a poet. One of her poems is (legally) stamped into a sidewalk in Santa Clarita, California. When she’s not writing, Abi is most likely hiking, reading, or texting her mother pictures of her houseplants to ask why they look like that.

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Since its inceptional conference at the University of East Anglia in 2016, the Historical Fictions Research Network has been encouraging and generating conversation on line, in print and on a range of platforms about how history is constructed across a range of media and platforms. Welcoming both academics and practitioners, the HFRN aims to create a place for the discussion of all aspects of the construction of the historical narrative through its journal, annual conferences, and further activities. Previous keynotes have explored the experiences of excavations at Treblinka; the use of DNA to reconstruct historical narratives; explorations of memorial practices at battle fields; cookery as a means to explore the past; new insights resulting from a computer based re-construction of the battle of Trafalgar; and a discussion of new approaches at the Petrie Museum.

“In the Old Testament, God asked the prophet Ezekiel, ‘Can these bones live?’ He answered yes: and so do I. The task of historical fiction is to take the past out of the archive and relocate it in a body.”

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17 Questions to Ask When Researching for Your Novel

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by Sarah Sundin

When I started writing my first World War II novel, I thought I just needed to read a history book, find some cute outfits for my heroine, and have her hum a popular tune.

You may now stop laughing.

Those initial research questions ended up raising more questions. I fell in love with the era and longed to bring it alive with thorough research.

Here are seventeen questions to ask when conducting research for historical fiction. Many are also useful for contemporary novels and when building a story world for fantasy or science fiction. You will not need deep research in every area, but you should be aware of them.

• Historical events You need to know the events occurring in your era. Even if your character isn’t directly involved, she will be affected by them. Be familiar with the preceding era too.
• Setting in historical context You may know your setting now—but what was it like then? Towns grow and shrink, businesses and streets change, ethnic groups come and go.
• Schooling What was the literacy level? Who went to school and for how long? What did they study? If your character breaks the mold (the peasant who reads), how did this happen?
• Occupation Although I’m a pharmacist, writing about a pharmacist in WWII required research. How much training was required? What were the daily routines, tools, and terminology used, outfits worn? How was the occupation perceived by others?
• Community Life What clubs and volunteer organizations were popular? What were race relations like? Class relations?
• Religious Life How did religion affect personal lives and the community? What denominations were in the region? What was the culture in the church—dress, order of service, behavior? Watch out for modern views here.
• Names Research common names in that era and region. If you must use something uncommon, justify it—and have other characters react appropriately. Also research customs of address (“Mrs. Smith” or “Mary”). In many cultures, only intimate friends used your first name.
• Housing What were homes like? Floor plans, heating, lighting, plumbing? What were the standards of cleanliness? What about wall coverings and furniture? What colors, prints, and styles were popular?
• Home Life What were the roles of men, women, and children? What were the rites of courtship and marriage? Views on child rearing? How about routines for cleaning and laundry?
• Food What recipes and ingredients were used? How was food prepared? Where and when were meals eaten and how (manners, dishes)?
• Transportation How did people travel? Look into the specifics on wagons, carriages, trains, automobiles, planes. What was the route, how long did it take, and what was the travel experience like?
• Fashion Most historical writers adore this area. What were the distinctions between day and evening clothing, formal and informal? How about shoes, hats, gloves, jewelry, hairstyles, makeup? Don’t forget to clothe the men and children too!
• Communication How did people communicate over long distances? How long did letters take and how were they delivered? Did they have telegrams or telephones—if so, how were they used?
• Media How was news received? By couriers, newspapers, radio, movie newsreels, TV? How long did it take for people to learn about an event?
• Entertainment How did they spend free time? Music, books, magazines, plays, sports, dancing, games? Did people enjoy certain forms of entertainment—or shun others?
• Health Care Your characters get sick and injured, don’t they? Good. How will you treat them? Who will treat them and where? What were common diseases? Did they understand the relationship between germs and disease?
• Justice Laws change, so be familiar with laws concerning crimes committed by or against your characters. Also understand the law enforcement, court, and prison systems.

Don’t get overwhelmed or buried in research. Remember, story rules. Let the story guide your research, and let research enrich your story. Your readers will love it.

Originally published by FaithWriters, October 8, 2012,  http://faithwriters.com/blog/2012/10/08/historical-research-seventeen-questions/ .

Click here for more information about the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference.

Update from the Advancement Team!

Velocity Bike Parks / Felton Meadow Project Draft EIR Publishing Soon!

Fantastic list of questions!!! Great stuff!!!

Thanks, Peter!

Great list of questions, Sarah! I’ll have to keep it handy. Thank you! 🙂

Thanks, Angela! I’m glad it’s useful.

Very pertinent topics. Under Transportation, I’d include animal use & care (maybe pets, too)

Under Home life, what was permissible conversation; any taboos? I suppose courtship & marriage rites include sexual more’s.

Perhaps some of this falls under Community life. And science progress of the era under Occupation.

So much to consider. Thanks for the help.

Thanks, B.D.! Great additions – I had a word-count limitation 🙂

More Than Skin Deep: Getting to Know Your Characters from the Outside In

Getting started with novellas, a writer’s sabbath in a 24/7 world.

Historical fiction: 7 elements of research

This guest contribution is by author and historical fiction blogger M.K. Tod of A Writer of History. Mary provides valuable insights into the particular research required of the historical fiction writer, along with practical advice for sourcing the factual material that will help bring a bygone era to life in your novel.

• Post author By Jordan
• 2 Comments on Historical fiction: 7 elements of research

This guest contribution is by author and historical fiction blogger M.K. Tod of A Writer of History . Mary provides valuable insights into the particular research required of the historical fiction writer, along with practical advice for sourcing the factual material that will help bring a bygone era to life in your novel.

One way to examine fiction, either as writer or reader, is to consider seven critical elements: character, dialogue, setting, theme, plot, conflict, and world building. Every story succeeds or disappoints on the basis of these elements; however, historical fiction has the added challenge of bringing the past to life within each element.

Research is key. What are readers looking for? Where do you start? Below is an explanation of the seven elements of research in the context of historical fiction followed by a series of tips on researching material for your historical novel.

Character – whether real or imagined, characters behave in keeping with the era they inhabit, even if they push the boundaries. And that means discovering the norms, attitudes, beliefs and expectations of their time and station in life. A Roman slave differs from a Roman centurion, as does an innkeeper from an aristocrat in the 18th century. Your mission as writer is to find sources that will reveal the people of the past.

Dialogue – dialogue that is cumbersome and difficult to understand detracts from readers’ enjoyment of historical fiction. Dip occasionally into the vocabulary and grammatical structures of the past by inserting select words and phrases so that a reader knows s/he is in another time period without weighing down the manuscript and slowing the reader’s pace. Be careful, as many words have changed their meanings over time and could be misinterpreted.

Setting – setting is time and place. More than 75% of participants in a 2013 reader survey selected ‘to bring the past to life’ as the primary reason for reading historical fiction. Your job as a writer is to do just that. Even more critically, you need to transport your readers into the past in the first few paragraphs. Consider these opening sentences:

“I could hear a roll of muffled drums. But I could see nothing but the lacing on the bodice of the lady standing in front of me, blocking my view of the scaffold.” Philippa Gregory,  The Other Boleyn Girl

“Alienor woke at dawn. The tall candle that had been left to burn all night was almost a stub, and even through the closed shutters she could hear the cockerels on roosts, walls and dung heaps, crowing the city of Poitiers awake.” Elizabeth Chadwick,  The Summer Queen

“Cambridge in the fourth winter of the war. A ceaseless Siberian wind with nothing to blunt its edge whipped off the North Sea and swept low across the Fens. It rattled the signs to the air-raid shelters in Trinity New Court and battered on the boarded up windows of King’s College Chapel.” Robert Harris,  Enigma

Straightaway you’re in the past. Of course, many more details of setting are revealed throughout the novel in costume, food, furniture, housing, toiletries, entertainment, landscape, architecture, conveyances, sounds, smells, tastes, and a hundred other aspects.

Theme – most themes transcend history, yet theme must still be interpreted within the context of a novel’s time period. Myfanwy Cook’s book Historical Fiction Writing: A Practical Guide and Toolkit contains a long list of typical themes: “Ambition, madness, loyalty, deception, revenge, all is not what it appears to be, love, temptation, guilt, power, fate/destiny, heroism, hope, coming of age, death, loss, friendship, patriotism.” What is loyalty in 5th century China? How does coming of age change from the perspective of ancient Egypt to that of the early twentieth century?

Plot – the plot has to make sense for the time period. And plot will often be shaped around or by the historical events taking place at that time . This is particularly true when writing about a famous historical figure. When considering such historical events, remember that you are telling a story not writing history.

Conflict – the problems faced by the characters in your story. As with theme and plot, conflict must be realistic for the chosen time and place. Readers will want to understand the reasons for the conflicts you present. An unmarried woman in the 15th century might be forced into marriage with a difficult man or the taking of religious vows. Both choices may lead to conflict.

World Building – you are building a world for your readers, hence the customs, social arrangements, family environment, governments, religious structures, international alliances, military actions, physical geography, layouts of towns and cities, and politics of the time are relevant. As Harry Sidebottom, author of Warrior of Rome series said: “The past is another country, they not only do things differently there, they think about things differently.”

“And where do I find all that?” you ask.

You could spend forever researching a particular time and place. The following suggestions come from personal experience plus a range of ideas from other authors of historical fiction:

• Read memoirs, literature written in your time period, old songs, sermons, out-of-print books, diaries and letters . These provide information on all elements: attitudes, language and idiom, household matters, material culture, everyday life, historical timelines, diversions, regulations, vehicles, travel, meals, manners and mannerisms, beliefs, morality and so on. Project Gutenberg and Fullbooks offer interesting selections of out-of-print books.
• Make sure you cover primary sources . As Elizabeth Chadwick says: “The primary sources will give you an idea of the mindset of the time – the thoughts behind the world in which your characters live – politics, social attitudes.” They illuminate your historical backdrop including wars, revolutions, major events, prominent people, and the news of the day. Find primary sources online, in libraries and in archives.
• Secondary sources include non-fiction accounts, biographies, academic papers, interviews with historians and experts. These too add understanding to the world of the past.
• Local sources, local historians and newspapers allow you to capture localities and neighbourhoods, to understand how much things cost, how long travel took, how international events affected local citizens, the things people worried and gossiped about, politics and scandals of the day.
• Old maps situate the streets and buildings of your setting and help ensure accuracy in your story. Remember, a street or building from long ago may no longer exist. What was once a footpath may now be a major roadway. For example, I consulted maps showing WWI trench locations to add authenticity to two novels, Unravelled and Lies Told in Silence.
• Personal travel offers a feel for the landscape your characters inhabit. Such personal physical connection is compelling. If that’s not possible, guidebooks and tools like Google maps and Internet photo searches are virtual ways to travel. Remember the land changes with time, so check your facts.
• Paintings give perspectives on clothing, class differentiation, social preoccupations, physical geography, architecture and other matters.
• Financial accounts help you understand what things cost.
• Transcripts of old court cases provide interesting ideas to enhance your plot, while also providing insights into the legal system and laws of the time.
• Weather records enhance the accuracy of your story with details about floods, extremes of hot or cold, monster storms.
• Museums are incredible sources of information and there are museums for just about anything. Even if you cannot personally visit a museum, some offer online exhibits, research papers, and search capabilities.
• Military records and museums are a rich trove of details.
• Newsreels are more relevant to historical fiction set in the 20th century.
• Movies about historical figures and times are a wonderful way to see and hear history. Most are carefully researched and offer ideas on fashion, morality, diversions, travel, politics, war, and home life, as well as the sounds of chariots racing, cannons exploding, the guillotine dropping. Be sure to check their accuracy. Read Now Novel’s coach and writer Arja Salafranca’s preliminary research into writing historical figures by watching the 2012 film, Die Wonderwerker .
• If you are writing about more recent times, vintage magazines, postcards, cookbooks, and brochures can also be useful.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the internet. I have purposely listed this source last, however, as I would encourage you to use it in conjunction with all of the sources mentioned above or as a means to access these sources.

A final word of advice: don’t forget that the purpose of research is to immerse yourself in the past, not overwhelm your readers with copious and irrelevant detail. Dig deep, but incorporate sparingly.

M.K. Tod writes historical fiction and blogs about all aspects of the genre at A Writer of History . Her latest novel, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE is set in WWI France and is available from all major online retailers . Her debut novel, UNRAVELLED: Two wars. Two affairs. One marriage. is also available from these retailers. Mary can be contacted on Facebook , Twitter and Goodreads .

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Jordan is a writer, editor, community manager and product developer. He received his BA Honours in English Literature and his undergraduate in English Literature and Music from the University of Cape Town.

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How to research a historical novel

Hannah kohler, author of the outside lands , offers some advice to anyone writing, or hoping to write, their own historical fiction..

Historical fiction can be a tricky genre to master. If you haven't done your homework it won't feel authentic but, on the other hand, no one wants to read a novel that feels like a school history lesson.

Here Hannah Kohler, author of The Outside Lands , which takes us from 1960s California to Vietnam, offers some advice to anyone writing, or hoping to write, their own historical fiction .

My first novel,  The Outside Lands , is set in 1960s California and Vietnam. When I wrote it, I didn't think of it as historical fiction — the period didn't seem remote enough — although novels set more than fifty years in the past are usually defined as historical.

My second novel,  Catspaw , is undeniably historical fiction: it is set in the California Gold Rush of 1849. I'm writing it in the British Library, surrounded by the library's vast and extraordinary North American collections. Shelved away in this soaring building are memoirs that will spark plot ideas, diaries that will inspire character voices, photographs that will help me visualize nineteenth-century America.

But if the library is a novelist's wonderland, it can also be a rabbit-hole — a place you can get lost for days at a time, encountering all kinds of marvels but ending up, like Alice, right back where you started. So how do you strike the balance between research and writing? Here are some things I've learned …

Don't write what you know

Write what you love. You'll be spending a lot of time in this particular historical period, with its strange habits, its ways of speaking and dressing, its appetites and peccadilloes. So make sure you're excited at the prospect of living in your chosen period for a couple of years. Your passion will be felt in the energy of your writing.

Don't know it all

Scientists solve problems by writing down the answer first, then conducting research to test their hypothesis. It's a smart and efficient way of getting to an answer in the face of an overwhelming amount of information. The same approach is invaluable in writing in historical fiction. Don't start with research. Establish your characters and narrative, and then be strategic about what you need to find out. Research as you write.

Less is more

Be ruthless about the research you include in your writing. Don't be tempted to show you've done your homework. We live in an age in which most readers have seen enough movies to have a basic set of visual assumptions about what different historical periods looked like. This means you can be sparing in building the historical setting of your novel. Only include historical details that advance your narrative. As for everything else you've learned — just feel it, sitting in your brain, giving you the confidence to write your story.

Sweat the small stuff… later

Whatever historical details you include, if you're aiming for realism, it's worth getting them right. This is particularly important when you're writing about a period that people remember first-hand: if you muddle your Snickers with your Marathon bars, readers will notice.

Even if you're writing about a remote past, accuracy in the detail — hairspray brands, newspaper headlines — helps create a setting that feels authentic. But sweat the small stuff as late possible —preferably when you're editing the final draft. Otherwise you'll never finish the thing.

But don't chase accuracy too hard

You're writing a work of fiction, not an exhaustive historical account. Research for inspiration. Research for authenticity. But don't chase accuracy so relentlessly that it gets in the way of telling your story. Remember you're dealing in fiction, not fact.

Disable your internet; put the books away. Your job is to write; and research can easily become just another way to delay writing. So keep research in its place — which is the thing that will inspire you, the thing that will help you create an authentic rendering of the past, but never the thing itself.

Hannah Kohler is currently the Eccles British Library Writer in Residence.

The Outside Lands

By hannah kohler.

The Outside Lands  is the story of people caught in the slipstream of history, how we struggle in the face of loss to build our world, and how easily and with sudden violence it can be swept away. With extraordinary skill and accuracy, Hannah Kohler takes us from 1960s California to Vietnam, capturing what it means to live through historic times. This powerful debut novel announces Kohler as a remarkable new literary talent.

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Genre Tips: How to Write Historical Fiction

Historical fiction was my first love. Counting unpublished books, I’ve gleefully explored historical settings in seven out of my eleven completed novels. Although I consider myself primarily a speculative novelist at this point, the main reason I hopped from historical fiction to fantasy was, as I mentioned in the previous post How to Write Fantasy , was simply because I wanted to grant myself a little more leeway from “the facts” while keeping the historical settings. Even now, there is no fictional element that draws me in more surely than that of historical settings, people, and crises.

In response to the post on fantasy, reader Sylvia commented, “I suppose part of me thinks that any fiction is fantasy in a way because we make up the characters….” I couldn’t agree more. To me, historical fiction has always seemed fantastical—whether it’s set in medieval times or in the 1980s. Even when exploring the darkest epochs in human history, there is a certain magic to seeing a world filled with strange clothing, vocabulary, and culture—and then to see the people in this world brought to life just as vividly as if they lived right next door to you or me.

Like fantasy, historical fiction is something of a milieu genre. It is defined primarily by its setting and can provide the background for many different  types stories. Historical romance (such as the Bridgerton series) and historical mystery (such as Father Brown ) are two popular examples.

The BBC series Father Brown offers an example of how to write historical fiction plotted as a mystery. ( Father Brown (2013-), BBC One.)

You can even—as I did in my novels Storming (set in 1920s Nebraska) and  Wayfarer (set in 1820s London)—throw in a few fantasy elements on occasion.

But what I’m going to call “ true historical fiction” takes this all a bit further and focuses on faithfully recreating actual historical events. Sometimes this might focus on the lives of real people (such as in Band of Brothers ,  The Tudors , or  Hidden Figures ).

The movie Hidden Figures is an example of historical fiction that faithfully recreates the actual historical events, in this case the involvement of three African-American women working at NASA during the space race. ( Hidden Figures (2016), 20th Century Fox.)

Or it might create fictional characters who are nonetheless portrayed as realistic proxies for the real-life experiences of certain groups (such as pioneers in 1883 , soldiers in Vietnam in Platoon , or freed slaves in Beloved ).

The main characters in 1883 aren’t real-life historical personages, but the story attempts to recreate the experiences of historical pioneers in the American West. ( 1883 (2021-22), Paramont+.)

5 Tips for How to Write Historical Fiction

Historical fiction requires the same basic skills used to create any type of well-drawn story, but with the added responsibility of authentically evoking times gone by—some of which are now beyond the memory of any living person. Just as with any genre, historical fiction entertains, but it is also a magic window into our own pasts, offering us the opportunity to better understand ourselves and each other.

Today, in the third installment in our Genre Tips series, I am sharing five tips for how to write historical fiction, gleaned from my own long experience with and love for the genre.

Story Structure in Historical Fiction: Understand How to Line Up History With Plot Beats

Structuring Your Novel (Amazon affiliate link)

Historical writers often ask me, “How can I accurately line up the events of a real-life story with the timing of story structure beats ?”

Obviously, historical writers using a historical setting as the backdrop for a plot of their own making will not face the same constraints as someone attempting to faithfully recreate a real-life event. In the former instance, writers can follow the dictates of their own creativity, which often simplifies the pacing challenges of good story structure. In the latter instance, writers must understand several important points.

1. This  Is Historical Fiction

As I like to remind myself in my historical research, authenticity is more important than accuracy . This means you do , in fact, have the leeway to massage story events until you find the most powerful narrative experience. What’s important is staying true to the heart of the story. It’s about valuing what previous guest poster Usvaldo de Leon, Jr. , recently mentioned to me as valuing what’s “emotionally true” over what’s “factually true.”

2. Look for the Existing Story Structure

Creating Character Arcs (Amazon affiliate link)

Why were you drawn to write about this particular historical event or personage?  Probably , the answer is that you recognized its inherent dramatic potential. In other words, you recognized its already existing story arc. Where there’s a story arc, there’s probably a character arc of some sort (whether Positive, Flat or Negative), and where there’s a character arc, there is inherent structure.

Dig in to what’s already there and start looking for the moments in this story that naturally emerge as obvious  structural waypoints:

• Inciting Events/Calls to Adventure
• First Plot Points/Doorways of No Return
• Midpoints/Moments of Truth
• Third Plot Points/Dark Nights of the Soul

3. It’s Okay to Massage the Timeline and/or to Occasionally Make Something Up

Timing in story structure is really about nothing more or less than pacing . For example, if you feel that the natural Midpoint in the story takes place much later in the real-life timeline than is ideal for your narrative pacing, you can either make the decision to shorten the real-life timeline for the sake of the story or simply create the illusion of snappier pacing by summarizing or skipping over segments of your protagonist’s life in which nothing of dramatic interest happened.

It’s also acceptable to combine events where necessary. If your protagonist gets married in one scene and has a falling out with her father about it many months later, you may find your story is served best by combining the two events into one scene. As long as you’re preserving the spirit of what really happened, you won’t always need to feel constrained to portray the  letter of what happened.

When writing historical fiction, you will inevitably find yourself confronted with instances in which you simply don’t know what your characters thought, said, or did. You will have to dramatize. Sometimes you’ll even find you need to create a big event in order for the character’s progression through the arc to make sense. Again, as long as you’re doing your best to responsibly represent reality, this is fine.

For Example:  In the Roger Maris/Mickey Mantle baseball biopic  61* , a key moment in the story happens when a fan misunderstands Maris’s joke in “autographing” a baseball with just the letter X. In real life, this didn’t happen until 1962, after the homerun race of 1961 was already over. However, because the event  did happen and because it so nicely helped dramatize Maris’s estrangement from Yankee fans, it works well even out of its own timeline.

61* (2001), HBO.

Characters in Historical Fiction: Hone Motive With Historical Mindset

Whether you’re trying to accurately portray real-life personalities on the page or simply portray a made-up person who  could have realistically lived in your chosen time period, you will need to dig deep into the historical mindset of your character. The best historical authors leave their own modern mindsets and mores at the office door. Through research, imagination, and empathy, they seek not to force their own contemporary views onto historical characters, but rather to so deeply inhabit the mindsets of previous eras that they can fully represent those mindsets through their characters.

This is nowhere more important than with motive. Although primal motives remain pretty much the same throughout the ages , the perspectives and paradigms that drive us are almost shockingly different as we roam through the ages. Things that seem abhorrent to us  now may have seemed holy to our ancestors, and things that would have shocked or shamed our ancestors may have now become some of our most treasured ideals. For example, how women were viewed (and viewed themselves) in society even just a hundred years past has altered radically.

Although the occasional satirical or fantastical romp designed to subvert tropes can be fun and even cathartic, most serious historical fiction will have shirked its duty if it fails to properly represent what reality used to be like, from the inside out. Rewriting history to how we wish it could have been robs our modern struggles of context and moves the genre into something more akin to fantasy than history.

The western genre is a good example of this. The westerns of mid-20th-Century film and literature take place mostly in a fantasy-scape that, however gloriously archetypal in some ways, is hardly historical and often glosses over harsh and even cruel realities. In more recent decades, this historical subgenre has often further specified some of its entries as “historical westerns”—which are less about the pop-culture tropes and more about trying to evoke the true reality of the people who lived during this time. Both subgenres—popcorn westerns and historical westerns—are great, but it’s important to recognize the differences.

For Example: The musical  West Side Story , set in 1950s New York, explores uncomfortable viewpoints of its time and place—racism, gang warfare, etc.—from the inside out, fully fleshing out and inhabiting diverse characters who often believe in things and make choices that, however uncomfortable they may sometime seem to audiences, always feel authentic.

West Side Story (2021), 20th Century Fox.

Voice in Historical Fiction: Create an Authentic Vocabulary for Your Narrative

One of the great pleasures of historical fiction is getting to experience the feel and sound of words from a bygone era . Nothing brings past years to life more vividly than highlighting the evolution (and sometimes devolution) of language. By implementing a rich historical vocabulary and an understanding of cadence and sentence structure, writers can transport readers through language alone.

This is, however, a fine line to walk. Depending on your era, your characters’  accurate speech might be unintelligible to your readers. For example, when writing  Wayfarer , which is set in early Georgian England, I knew that words that meant certain things to my historical characters would, in fact, have entirely different meanings for my modern readers. (For example, back then, “blink” didn’t mean close your eyelids; it meant “twinkle.” ) In these cases, the goal is, once again, to evoke authenticity even at the expense of accuracy. The author must choose how to convey the effect of a historical voice to readers without unnecessarily inhibiting the reading experience.

One of the best ways to do this is simply to read widely about your chosen historical era—both journals, literature, and letters of the actual time (if available)  and historical fiction about the period. Examine how other authors chose to evoke the sound of the period’s language. What particularly strikes you—and what throws you?

For Example: The novel  True Grit by Charles Portis does an incredible job evoking the period and mindsets of its characters—especially its steely young protagonist Mattie Ross, who is on the hunt for her father’s killer in the wilds of Oklahoma. Mattie is a difficult character whose views are not always attractive to modern readers, but the cadence and vocabulary of her late 19th-century Arkansas voice is brought to life so vividly by Portis that the whole story sings with authenticity.

True Grit (2010), Paramount Pictures.

Theme in Historical Fiction: Find Your Timeline’s Organic Theme

Writing Your Story’s Theme (Amazon affiliate link)

Even apart from more specific subgenres (such as romance or mystery), historical fiction will often offer at least a hint of an integral theme. When you combine your own story’s specific plot conflict with its historical time period and setting, certain thematic premises often arise obviously.

For example, if you are writing a more general historical story about, say, Vikings at war, then this culture, its survival needs, and its moral attitudes will immediately offer ideas about how to deepen or subvert concepts that might either have been taken for granted by your historical characters or have been on the brink of social evolution.

On the other hand, if you are writing about a specific historical event or personage, then the heart of the story will be even more specific. It is impossible to write a story about, say, Abraham Lincoln without exploring certain innate themes within his life, times, and personality. Indeed, the entire point of your story might be unearthing those themes.

For Example: When Markus Zuzak set his novel The Book Thief in World War II Nazi Germany, themes of oppression and war were immediately obvious, which he masterfully underlined by deciding the entire book should be narrated by that most obvious theme of all—Death.

The Book Thief (2013), 20th Century Fox.

Research for Historical Fiction: Create a System to Organize Your Notes

Stories in any genre will almost always require a certain amount of research —but no genre requires more careful attention to research than historical fiction. The good news is that most historical writers are also keen readers of both history and historical fiction.

I have written extensively about my own research process in previous posts, but I will sum it up here:

1. Always Be Researching!

If you’re reading history and historical fiction anyway, make it a point to take notes as you go . Whenever you struck by a particular discovery—whether it is a historical event you’re just learning about or a simple but evocative detail of historical life—categorize it for later.

2. Outline First

Outlining Your Novel (Amazon affiliate link)

If you’re an outliner and if you feel you already have a basic understanding of your time period, I recommend writing the outline first . This way you can get a sense of exactly what questions you will need to answer when researching. This approach is best for more general historical fiction that is able to create its own timeline and story structure. If you are trying to recreate a real-life event or timeline, you will obviously need to reference that when outlining; indeed, it will be your outline.

3. Create a Research To-Be-Read Pile Based on Your Questions

Write a list of all questions you know you need answered before you can begin writing the story. Your questions might be about little things like style of clothing, or they might be more important questions of the why and how behind certain real-life events. Use your list to guide your reading choices. Be thorough, but don’t go overboard: read until you feel you’ve answered your own questions and have enough material to draw on. More questions will inevitably come up during and after the writing, but they can be answered in the future.

4. Organize Your Notes

Type up your notes and organize them by category, so you can easily find what you need on the go. When writing a historical novel, I will take a moment before each day’s writing session to review one section of my review notes, just to keep it all fresh. If you’re writing in a word processor such as Scrivener , you can also copy/paste pertinent research notes into your chapter outline, so you can immediately see what you need to remember when you reach pertinent sections in your story.

>Click here to read about “ How I Use Scrivener to Outline My Novels “

Sooner or later, all novels become historical fiction, simply by dint of slipping far away from our ever advancing modernity. But there is a special gift in learning how to write historical fiction that thoughtfully explores the triumphs and failures of our shared pasts. It is one genre that will never go out fashion!

Stay Tuned: Next week, we’ll talk about Mystery!

Previous Posts in This Series:

• How to Write Fantasy
• How to Write Romance

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Have you ever written historical fiction? What are your thoughts on how to write historical fiction? Tell me in the comments!

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K.M. Weiland is the award-winning and internationally-published author of the acclaimed writing guides Outlining Your Novel , Structuring Your Novel , and Creating Character Arcs . A native of western Nebraska, she writes historical and fantasy novels and mentors authors on her award-winning website Helping Writers Become Authors.

That was the mistake I made with my first novel, I was so engrossed in getting my historical facts right that the story suffered. The obsession came as a result of being an American living in Great Britain. Many Brits bash Hollywood over the lack of historical accuracy in films and I was afraid of falling into that trap.

Yes, I was quite worried about that in writing my 1820s London-based novel Wayfarer . In addition to thorough research, I was fortunate enough to get a couple locals to read it through for me and give it a thumbs up.

I love reading historical fiction, but I haven’t written it for quite a while. If I ever come back to it, I know where to look for help. Thank you for this post!

It’s a genre that requires a lot of work, comparatively, due to the research. I’ve tended to gravitate away from writing strictly historical fiction myself in recent years, partly for that reason, but it’s so rewarding in its own right as well.

History and News are oftentimes almost as much a work of the imagination as is fiction. Views into the past are often convoluted by delusions, false memories and manipulations of real events… More commonly called History. That’s why I love to write Historical Fiction.

Ken, so true. Thank you!

Definitely. It’s fascinating to go back and read novels that were contemporary at the time and see how our differently we often view the times and events than did the people portraying it in real-time.

Many thanks for your tips. I’m working on my first historical novel, and I’m learning about some of the tips you discussed. Currently, I’m working on my character arcs. One thing I’ve found is that using fictional characters for my protagonist and antagonist gives me a lot more flexibility in the timeline than using real historical characters. Just curious if anyone else has had the same experience?

Definitely. The more strictly factual elements you’re working with, the more discipline historical fiction requires.

One historical fiction book I read pushed too much history into the story. It began to read like a history textbook instead of an adventure for the characters. I forced myself to finish the book, but I also noted that I don’t want to make the same mistake and prove to the reader that I know every tiny detail about the time period. It’s a STORY after all.

Agree. One author I do enjoy, whose stories are very heavy on the history but still entertaining, is John Rutherfurd, who writes what are essentially compendiums of interrelated short stories, looking at the big picture of history in a particular place, such as London or Ireland.

OMG, YES! Those stories where the writer did a lot of research and is now going to regurgitate all of it onto a page somewhere cuz dag-nabbit, I did all this work and y’all have to be impressed! Impressed by your inability to write fiction, yes.

If we do tons of research, knowing these facts influence what we compose, even if the fact itself never gets into a scene. Thanks for mentioning this. Jean Auel is the poster child for this mind-numbing ‘be impressed with me’ (she was a technical writer and boy does it show) but it’s really common.

Thanks for this wonderful article. It’s a sort of pep talk for me to begin. I have some notes already for a historical novel but didn’t know where to start. I’ll be reading more of your blogs.

That’s great! Historical fiction can certainly be overwhelming, but it is so much fun and so rewarding.

I had planned to leave a comment anyway because this whole series has been brilliant but since I was name checked I decided i absolutely must. People are extremely complex and tightening their otherwise messy lives to ensure that the themes are clear is a necessity. On the point of respecting people’s motives and actions and portraying them accurately, I recall a shocking moment in Faulkner’s Sanctuary, where a character takes an action that made no sense to me until I put on my “1925” thinking cap; then it became terribly clear. Thanks for the shout out and the wise words!

“People are extremely complex and tightening their otherwise messy lives to ensure that the themes are clear is a necessity.”

Agree. Historical fiction can get in its own way sometimes if it tries to be *too* faithful to the facts. But it’s a fine line, since too much error (deliberate or otherwise) can destroy suspension of disbelief.

I started a new story which covers 1935-1945 so this is quite helpful. It is based on a true story I discovered doing genealogy which I’ve summarized as “Victimized at an early age, a young woman struggles to find her way in a man’s world” I challenged myself to imagine the story in between all the facts I knew with changing any of them After I started I found some new facts that contradicted my plot line but by then I was (bleep) it, I’m not changing it now! It is the story of a girl and her family but in the time period there were several historical events that I used as background that guided their paths. In a town where the only jobs were in the mines, on the railroad or on the highway crew, would her 8th grade educated husband continue working in the mines after a nearby explosion killed over 60 miners? The foreboding war in Europe from 1939-1941, then after the American entry how long until he’d be drafted – then returning home with a crippling injury.

Thanks very much for this column. I started outlining a historical novel and then was interrupted by a solid year of medical problems. I am now emerging and hope to get back to it in April.

I have years’ worth of research about specific historical people in my former hometown. I have realized that while I may use their stories and adventures for ancillary characters (my main characters are entirely fictional), I HAVE to change all their names, even though they’ve all been dead for about 200 years. My historical scrupulosity is such that I would otherwise feel the dead hanging over my shoulder, fact-checking me. The only exceptions are the half dozen that became famous, even merely locally famous. Those will have to be pleased or displeased with their portraits under their real names. Perhaps they’ll let me know in the afterlife.

The issue of arcs and beats and fitting them to the real timeline is also one I’ve struggled with. Though it sounds strange, I’ve reread GONE WITH THE WIND for help with this. Mitchell was married to her (very talented) editor, John Marsh, and GWTW is a masterful example of pacing. She can cover three days and all backstory in 120 pages and then compress two years in 3 pages, and somehow you are never aware of the push and pull. I obviously don’t think I can pull off anything like this, but it’s instructive to me.

Glad to hear you’re feeling better. And, yes, pacing is so key. The art of summary is, IMO, more difficult than that of dramatization.

I love, love, love this subject. Historical fiction has the magic of transporting me back in time, back in place, to the world I tell myself I wish I was born into. It is absolute magic. One of my current projects features someone who was born nearly one hundred years ago, so would be considered ‘historical’ I suppose. My question is, how much freedom am I allowed as far as placing this person into a fictional situation with fictional characters to create a theme that I believe she would relish? It would give her the opportunity to show a side of herself that most of us never were allowed to see, to say something she would have wanted to say if her life had not ended so abruptly and tragically. Do I have permission to do this???

Well, let me put it this way: ever heard of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter ? 😉

The longer answer, from my perspective, is that if you are creating an obviously false narrative (such as the above), then you can play pretty much as fast and loose as you want. If you’re otherwise trying to faithfully recreate the person’s life, then you’ll still need to fill in blanks with imagined scenes, motives, dialogue, etc., that *attempt* to reproduce what *would* have been accurate had these details been known. Ultimately, all historical fiction is the author’s imagining of what this person or time would have been like.

I love historical fiction for one of the same reasons I love speculative fiction: being able to immerse myself in another ‘world.’

A good example of needing to alter/fill in real events is the novel Frog Music by Emma Donoghue. It features a murder which happened in real life, but the historical murder was never solved. In order to make the plot work, Donoghue need to reveal the ‘whodunit’ so she had to invent a murderer with a plausible motive (on the other hand, since we don’t know who the real historical murderer was, she was free to create a murderer which fit her story).

In Mandarin (and I believe other Chinese dialects as well) there was a major shift in speech about a hundred years ago. Previously, there was an elaborate system for speaking more politely or more rudely depending on the context and the relative status of the people involved, much like Japanese and Thai languages today. Most of that is gone now (of course it’s still possible to express politeness and rudeness in Mandarin, just as in English).

For example, the plainest way to say ‘your son’ in Mandarin is ‘nǐ ​ér​zi’ and that’s what people will say in most contexts nowadays, but in the past that would’ve been rude, instead people would’ve said ‘lìng​láng’ which literally means ‘esteemed youth.’

Thus, it’s easy to tell whether something in Chinese is historical fiction set at least a hundred years ago just by the words people use to address each other. I learned the old-fashioned terms of address mainly through historical novels and TV dramas. Reading historical fiction set in China in English sometimes is a bit weird because it’s hard to convey the flavor of those registers of speech in English. Some novelists manage to make it work, but other novelists in English seem oblivious to that aspect.

Yes, even in English, it becomes almost impossible to even *evoke* certain archaic modes of speech without either becoming incomprehensible to modern audiences and/or skewing the intended tone (e.g., trying to achieve too formal a narrative prose effect can often seem stilted or even comical).

Someone told me I was writing historical fiction because my series takes place in 1964 to 1970. I don’t have much history in it. Although in one book there’s mention of Canada’s new flag on the 15th of February 1965. I also mention rock’n’roll music, some popular songs of the times and the bands and singers of those times. All the novels are written first-person by my protagonist. Would you consider them to be historical fiction? Thanks in advance, Jim.

If a book takes place in the past, it’s technically historical fiction. If the past is only a few years ago (say, within a decade), then it probably won’t be marketed as such, but anything beyond that turns into historical fiction. Think of Stranger Things , set in the 1980s; that would be considered historical fiction.

Thanks very much. And your newsletter/emails are much appreciated. Take care, Jim

Thanks, Jim. Glad they’ve been useful.

To: K.M Weiland. I use an excel file to calculate a character’s date of birth death, date of specific events. I found it free online and it is called “Wendy’s Age Calculator.V3.xls” I found it invaluable for historical fiction or sagas. I also have one which is called “Story Timeline V1.xls” , as well as others to help you outline etc. If you can’t find them online, email me and I can send them to you. PS I REALLY enjoyed your series of Archetypal Character Arcs. Wondering if you’re thinking of making them into a book or ebook

Nice! I admit Excel has always stymied me.

And, yes, a book version of Writing Archetypal Character Arcs will be out March 30th! I hope to have it up for pre-order soon, but stay tuned, because I have a really fun launch giveaway in mind!

One of the nice things that Excel will let you do with timelines is to build separate columns for historical events, story events and individual character life events. Then you can slide columns up and down until you find the event alignment that works. (I’m working in late 1600s New England / England)

Here again – thanks for the mention glad to be of use. My current WIP is set pre and during WWII 1939 to 1944 a period which I find fascinating and has some political bombshells, though I won’t be be including those so much as pointing out working conditions and the subtle subjugation of women etc. Set in the North of England I draw a lot on personal knowledge, experience of living there etc., but even so I do a great deal of research. My characters are fictional, but include lots of observational information gained by living in the area up to my late 30’s – none are easily recogniseable being a mixture of several ‘characters traits’. I am pretty sure I couldn’t write an up-to-date novel i.e. set in the present, because my knowledge of ‘in language’ is abysmal and I now live in France so my physical contact with everyday spoken English is non existant and as we know language is fluid and changes all the time.

Yes, it’s amazing how much research is still necessary even with places you’re intimately familiar with. I learned so much about the town I grew up when writing a 1920s novel set there.

Hey is there any chance you can make a post about tips for writing a superhero story? Since you’ve written Wayfarer and made a whole series dedicated to examining Marvel heroes’ stories, I was wondering if you had any tips you could give to aspiring superhero creators.

These days, superhero stories are really milieu as much as anything. They can be caper, love story, mystery, etc. I’m not sure if have enough to add to make a whole post out of the subject, but I’ll definitely keep it in mind!

Really, really love that you mentioned the question of radically-different worldview. Pet peeve of mine is authors who put all their research into clothing and the other aspects of the physical world and forget the more important social and psychological world. It’s critically important to get into people’s HEADS, and so few do it. Of course, it’s hard: you need to really get it, then you have to portray it so that readers can really get it, all while not losing the 21st century audience. Either you have a time-travel, so the protagonist is understandable and can be confused and help the reader adapt, or your protagonist is an outlier in their time (like the 5 people in North America who wanted emancipation and full political and social equality for all women, formerly enslaved, poor, etc. and were psychologically prepared to actually imagine it, for real). Or your protagonist is somehow so compelling that readers do the hard brain work of seeing a world through alien eyes.

I write SciFi and it’s the same thing. You can’t have aliens who have weird bodies and planet – and think like 21st C Americans.

The other point, about integrating some sound into your words, to help make the ancient world come alive, is also important. [In my case, I created an entire alien language which drove my readers absolutely nuts, even with a dictionary in the Appendix, and only a few alien words per page. Too much. I used less alien vocab and made it clear what the alien just said, without flipping to the dictionary, in the later books in the series. I learned!]

THANK YOU for making that point about worldview.

I agree. I totally understand that it gets old to portray over and over again outdated viewpoints that were and are painful, but it also gets old when, as you say, main characters are always somehow miraculously the most enlightened minds of their era. There’s a time and a place for both perspectives, but I find tremendous value in stories that thoughtfully and honestly explore the pain points of previous eras as they would have been experienced by the people living through them.

Good point about how sci-fi really faces the same challenge.

I tend to throw a lot of alien and foreign words into my manuscripts and later have to change most of them into English. Caroline Cherryh used to sprinkle way too many alien words in some of her earlier novels, but eventually toned it way down. If there’s an alien concept that doesn’t translate into a single English word, then one can use the alien term. This is also a problem for people translating from one Earth language to another. Sometimes, when I use a foreign word I’ll give the translation right there if a plan to have that word repeatedly pop up. The trick is to keep from hitting the reader with too many strange words.

My current 2-novel project is set in an alternate universe circa AD1430. This not only requires vast amounts of research into medieval customs and languages of various countries and so on, but I have to pick the spots and provide explanations for the changes in the timeline (95% of which won’t even make it into the novels). Quite the learning experience. (Did you know that there is a “modern Gaulish dictionary” available online?)

Yes, when we start mashing up genres, the ride only gets wilder!

Thank you for this really useful article. Thanks, too, to the commenters for their insights. I got stuck with my current project because I was unable to get inside the head of the protagonist (a real person) and understand how he views the real events that take place around him, in what way he might have turned those events to his advantage or been thwarted in his ambitions by them. I believe I have finally cracked it but I definitely need to avoid paying too much attention to the underlying politics of the time and place (sixteenth century Ireland). I already have two historical fictions published but am aware that they share some of the tropes commenters here have found annoying. My next stop is your article (and then the book) about character arc. PS, thanks also to Christopher Graham, the story reading ape, for sharing this on his website, which is where I found it.

I fell in love with Florence in Oct 2019, just before the pandemic hit, and spent the entire shut-down in the late 15th century, taking dictation from my characters, both historical ones and my own creations. What a joy! I probably researched at least 20 hours for each five minutes of writing because I didnt want my readers caught up on mistakes or anachronisms…but it is the emotions of the characters that carry the momentum through the historical events. “Caterina by Moonlight” now has an agent looking for the right publisher!

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Historical fiction presents a story set in the past, often during a significant time period. In historical fiction, the time period is an important part of the setting and often of the story itself. Historical fiction may include fictional characters, well-known historical figures or a mixture of the two. In some historical fiction, famous events appear from points of view not recorded in history, showing historical figures dealing with actual events while depicting them in a way that is not recorded in history. Other times, the historical event or time period complements a story's narrative, forming a framework and background for the characters' lives.

Historical Fiction Booklists in the BPL Online Catalog

• General Historical Fiction Lists
• Lists in the "World Historical Fiction" Series
• The War Years...
• Historical or Famous Figures in Fiction If you are interested in historical fiction but enjoy novels with real-person cameos, this list is for you! Titles on this list include novels where the main character is a historical or famous figure, and novels where the historical figure is a supporting character. Included in this list are retellings of actual historical events, as well as alternate histories with little to no factual basis. You are guaranteed to find something to your liking here!
• 10 Great Historical Fiction Reads on the Great American Read List PBS's Great American Read initiative lists 100 titles, chosen by a national survey, that Americans say are among their best-loved novels. The list include works of classic, popular, and genre fiction. Check out my top 10 favorite historical fiction novels from the list.
• In "Real" Life: Biographical Fiction So you've read the historical fiction novels with famous characters, such as Ernest Hemingway in "The Paris Wife", or Virginia Woolf in "The Hours", and you enjoy this biographical fiction. How about trying the novels on this list that focus on the less-famous or lesser known historical characters. All the people on this list are real people, but the novel is fiction, meaning the narrative of their life may be close to the truth, or it may differ greatly. Regardless, these are all historical novels about real people.
• The Wild, Wild West: Novels of the Frontier Does the idea of discovering the "lonesome prairie" or the "wild west" intrigue you? Then look no further than these novels set in the American Frontier to satisfy your curiosity.
• The Wives' Club There is a recent popular theme of publishing fictional accounts of famous wives or mistresses in history. Here is a list of some of these novels, as well as a number of books centered on being the wife or mistress of a prominent figure.
• Past Imperfect: Historical Mystery Fiction Historical Fiction is becoming more and more popular, but do you like yours with a dose of mystery and suspense? This list features titles with just that- these are examples of the sub-genre Historical Mystery Fiction.
• Revolutionary Road: Novels Set in the 60s and 70s Looking for a great new read? Check out this list of titles set in the 60s and 70s. You're sure to find something to add to your TBR list.
• Go West! American Frontier Tales A selection of ten novels that capture the spirit of the Old West. The list includes both classic and contemporary authors. Check out one today and take an armchair trip to the American Frontier.
• If you like Lisa See... Did you like Lisa See's previous novels "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan", "Shanghai Girls", "Dreams of Joy", and more? View this list for similar titles and authors.
• If you liked The Help... If you enjoyed the novel The Help by Kathryn Stockett, try these similar titles put together in a short list from Books and Authors.
• If You Liked Master and Commander... If you enjoy the naval adventure stories of Patrick O'Brian, and would like to learn more about naval warfare, and life aboard a British man-of-war during the Age of Fighting Sail, try some of these fiction and nonfiction books and DVDs.
• If you liked The Paris Wife... If you enjoyed The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, try these titles! List put together by Books and Authors.
• If you liked Water for Elephants... If you enjoyed Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants, try these similar titles put together by Books and Authors.
• World Historical Fiction: Benelux (Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg) Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description (when possible) is the name of the present-day country. Countries (and territories) included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg.
• World Historical Fiction: Canada, Greenland, Antarctica, and other Arctic Regions Covering as much of the Canada, Greeland, Antarctica as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries/territories. Note that the country/province that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country/province.
• World Historical Fiction: Central America and the Caribbean Covering as much of Central America and the Caribbean as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various Central American countries and Caribbean Islands. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country.
• World Historical Fiction: Central Europe Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia.
• World Historical Fiction: East Asia Covering as much of the East Asia as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various East Asian countries. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries (regions) included in East Asia for the sake of this booklist are: China, Hong Kong, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Macau, Mongolia, Taiwan, and Tibet.
• World Historical Fiction: Eastern Europe Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Belarus, the Crimea, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine.
• World Historical Fiction: France and Monaco Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description (when possible) is the name of the present-day country. Countries (and territories) included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: France and Monaco.
• World Historical Fiction: Germany and Switzerland Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description (when possible) is the name of the present-day country. Countries (and territories) included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Germany and Switzerland.
• World Historical Fiction: Italy and Vatican City Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description (when possible) is the name of the present-day country. Countries (and territories) included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, and Vatican City
• World Historical Fiction: Oceania Covering as much of Oceania as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various Oceanic countries or territories . Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in Oceania for the sake of this booklist are: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands, Nauru, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Palau. American Samoa, Cook Islands (part of NZ), Easter Island (part of Chile), French Polynesia, Niue (part of NZ), Norfolk Island (part of Australia), Pitcairn Islands (British), Samoa, Tokelau (part of NZ), Tuvalu, Tonga, and Wallis and Fotuna (France).
• World Historical Fiction: Prehistory, Biblical and Early Christian Eras, the Ancient World Interested in Historical Fiction taking place thousands of years ago? Take a look at this list with books from era such as: Prehistoric, Biblical/Early Christian, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome.
• World Historical Fiction: Russia, the Baltic States, and Transcaucasia Covering as much of this region (Russia and it's territories, the Baltics, and Transcaucasia) as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description (when possible) is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Chechnya, Siberia, and the Crimea.
• World Historical Fiction: Scandinavia Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
• World Historical Fiction: South America Covering as much of South America as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various South American countries. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country.
• World Historical Fiction: South and Central Asia Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
• World Historical Fiction: Southeast Asia Covering as much of the Southeast Asia as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various Southeast Asian countries. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in Southeast Asia for the sake of this booklist are: Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• World Historical Fiction: Southern Europe Covering as much of this region as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various countries or territories. Note that the country that is tagged in the description (when possible) is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in this region for the sake of this booklist are: Andorra, Malta, Portugal, and Spain. Italy has it's own list that can be accessed here: http://bit.ly/1R6OXNB
• World Historical Fiction: The African Continent Covering as much of the African Continent as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various African countries. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Since much of Africa's history can be seen in more recent revolutions or civil wars, the definition of historical fiction in this list includes novels into the late 1980's.
• World Historical Fiction: The Balkan Peninsula Covering as much of the Balkans as possible, this list includes historical novels set in various Balkan countries. Note that the country that is tagged in the description is the name of the present-day country. Countries included in The Balkans for the sake of this booklist are: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Crete, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia. For more books set in Ancient Greece, check out this list: http://bit.ly/1SX2ego
• World Historical Fiction: The British Isles & Ireland Love historical fiction with the backdrop of the beautiful, green lands of Ireland and the British Isles? This list is perfect for you. Enjoy these novels set throughout hundreds of years of history in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
• The War Years; American Civil War (1861-1865) Fiction Historical fiction set during the time of the American Civil War covering various genres including romance, military fiction, general fiction, and more.
• The War Years: World War I (1914-1918) Fiction Historical fiction set during the time of the Great War (World War I) covering various genres including romance, military fiction, general fiction, and more.
• The War Years: World War II (1939-1945) Fiction Historical fiction set during the time of World War II covering various genres including romance, military fiction, general fiction, and more.
• The War Years: The Korean War (1950-1953) Fiction Historical fiction set during the time of the Korean War covering various genres including military fiction, mystery/thriller, general fiction, and more.
• The War Years: Vietnam War (1961-1975) Fiction Historical fiction set during the time of the Vietnam War covering various genres including romance, military fiction, general fiction, and more.
• The War Years: Fiction of the Persian gulf, Afghan, and Iraq Wars Historical fiction set during the most recent wars: The Persian Gulf War, and the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq covering various genres including military fiction, mystery/thriller, general fiction, and more.
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The Mainstreaming of Historical Fiction

The genre is suddenly everywhere—but why? Turns out, there's a reason—and it may just be a perfect antidote to these charged times.

Evidence of historical fiction’s resurgence is everywhere: three out of five works of fiction nominated for this year’s National Book Award are historical. Hernan Diaz’s Trust won the Pulitzer Prize. New and anticipated film and TV adaptations like Lessons in Chemistry , Pachinko , All the Light We Cannot See , and Daisy Jones and the Six (alongside the enduring popularity of period dramas like Bridgerton ) show an ever-widening interest in the genre, taking the form of everything from serious literary study to guilty pleasure.

Just as science fiction, once dismissed as merely “popular,” has enjoyed increasing acceptance as literary, historical fiction has become widely critically recognized. Like science fiction, historical fiction can speak to the present moment without necessarily responding to the most recent news headline or Twitter feud. It can also be a means of formal experimentation or inspiring empathy and identification with characters over time. Writers like Groff and Smith use historical settings to rewrite history and to expand our understanding of who and what is at the heart of the stories we already know. And, increasingly, they do so without being condemned to the back shelves of the bookstore.

While science fiction has long been beloved by readers, it has historically been shunned by critics, university writing programs, and award-granting institutions. Margaret Atwood, seeking to set herself apart in her 2004 essay collection, Moving Targets , claimed that none of her work was science fiction. She preferred the term “speculative,” which seemed closer to serious. Ursula K. Le Guin, reviewing Atwood’s Year of the Flood for The Guardian a few years later, called out the misclassification, one she claims Atwood made “to protect her novels from being relegated to a genre still shunned by hidebound readers, reviewers, and prize-awarders.”

It’s no wonder why. In his 2003 review of Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, New York Times critic Sven Birkerts wrote, “I am going to stick my neck out and just say it: science fiction will never be Literature with a capital 'L.'” This was not atypical thinking at the time.

The debate hasn’t aged well. In the intervening years, Atwood and Le Guin’s work has been read, reviewed, and prized beyond belief. Their acclaim has helped pave the way for a new generation of writers like Emily St. John Mandel , Sequoia Nagamatsu, and Ted Chiang, whose work has been described as “speculative” and “science fiction” interchangeably, all while being awarded, cited on bestseller lists, and adapted for film and television.

Alexander Manshel’s new book, Writing Backwards: Historical Fiction and the Reshaping of the American Canon , out November 21, tells a similar (albeit longer) story about historical fiction’s transformation from denigrated to celebrated. Reading Manshel's account, I had a realization that a moment in Nathan Hill’s new novel, Wellness, summed up fully. One of Hill’s protagonists, Elizabeth, looks up to realize that summer has turned into fall, seemingly all at once. It must have happened gradually, but she ignored the signs until they were undeniable.

People use foliage trackers to determine when they can see the changing leaves at their most colorful and vibrant. By all measures, historical fiction has reached what such a tracker would categorize as peak conditions.

Wellness is itself a sign of this culmination. It is a New York Times bestseller and an Oprah’s Book Club pick. It has received glowing reviews from major literary and popular outlets, recently appearing as a recommendation on the Today Show. It is also a serious book—a weighty tome of 600 pages. Moving back and forth through the literary past to today, tracing the lives of two married people, it looks at prominent and pressing issues of the present, like how so much of what we read and believe is determined by algorithms. For Hill, the past becomes a tool to look at how people succumb to and are changed by these contemporary phenomena.

Critics appreciate the ambitious nature of such a project, and readers of all kinds are drawn to books that follow families over time. Multi-generational family sagas like Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko and Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing enjoy both literary acclaim and widespread popularity, prescribed by university professors and book clubs alike.

Reading Pachinko , the story of a young woman named Sunja and her family during the Japanese occupation of Korea and onwards to the present, it’s impossible not to become invested in the family’s fate. Knowing their interwoven origins and backstories makes them all the more real—especially at a time when social media and literature have popularized psychological thinking, and we view people’s early lives as determining so much of who they are.

These sprawling narratives superimpose a family’s story onto history, allowing one to amplify the other—personalizing historical moments while also elevating familial events to the same level of importance. I know I am not alone in having wept as Sunja’s family expanded and contracted over the course of generations.

Kristin Hannah’s novels represent another side of the same coin. One of today’s most popular writers, although not necessarily known as a literary one, Hannah has an uncanny ability to reduce readers to tears. Review after review of her more than twenty novels (the majority of which are historical fiction) include descriptions of puffy, tear-ravaged faces or warnings to keep a box of Kleenex handy.

The books are also loved, read widely, and consistently awarded prizes by popular outlets. The Nightingale , a shattering World War II-era romance, won Goodreads' Best Historical Fiction novel and the People’s Choice Award for best fiction in 2015. Its film adaptation is currently in production at TriStar starring Dakota and Elle Fanning. The Great Alone , published in 2018, tells the difficult story of a Vietnam veteran’s return to his family. A changed man, he moves his wife and daughter to a remote area of Alaska, where the realities of his condition are revealed. It became an instant New York Times #1 bestseller —as did The Four Winds , a Depression-era dustbowl drama that makes the Grapes of Wrath seem almost hopeful. Firefly Lane , another sometimes devastating novel following the friendship of two women over three decades, was adapted into a wildly successful Netflix series.

Hannah’s work features characters who are tested by great historical moments. As readers, we become not only invested in their personal histories, but in their place in the history we all share. Seeing them live through pasts we are familiar with adds another layer of recognition and heightens the books’ emotional resonance.

If Hannah’s work gives us emotional insight into why historical fiction enjoys such a large degree of popularity, in Writing Backwards , Manshel helps to explain how it rose to literary preeminence. Manshel traces the genre’s lineage from the start of the 20th century, when it was famously described by Henry James as “fatally cheap” and seen largely in terms of the bodice-ripping we associate with Bridgerton today.

The 1960s and 1970s marked the start of a reversal with postmodernist novels like Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 , Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s Rainbow , and Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five . Writing about World War II with a sense of irony, these books challenged mainstream narratives of history and literature at the same time. Their inventiveness and popularity began to bestow a degree of prestige on the genre.

More sweeping changes came in the 1980s and 1990s, when, responding to cultural pressures both inside and outside of school walls, universities and publishers began to more widely recognize the importance of including works by a wider spectrum of people, and to consider the ways the books we read both inform and are informed by history.

Historical fiction filled that role in many ways, becoming a way to elevate histories by and about all kinds of people. During this period and into the present, historical novels have become more and more prominent on university syllabi. They’ve also increasingly been celebrated by prestige-granting institutions like the National Book Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Pulitzer Prize committee.

Toni Morrison’s 1987 book Beloved is a prime example of (and a prime contributor to) this shift. The haunting story of Sethe, a woman who fled slavery but not its memory, Beloved holds many awards and a superlative amount of space on college English class syllabi. According to Manshel, Beloved is both “the single most canonical work of contemporary fiction” and “ the contemporary novel book most cited by literary scholars.”

It’s only logical that as the genre gained acclaim, more and more writers turned to historical settings. But there are other factors that explain its widespread appeal. Just as authors and readers have used science fiction to describe the current landscape (as in dystopias like Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale, Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower , or C. Pam Zhang’s more recent The Land of Milk and Honey ), historical fiction is uniquely well-positioned to address contemporary issues without necessarily calling them by name.

When news and social media timelines move so quickly that yesterday’s headline is today’s back page story, zooming out towards the longer arc of history allows readers (and writers) a break from the speed of contemporary life, without retreating from what matters. Genre fiction no longer has that old dusty patina of escapism. These books feel smart, insightful, and timely—and their contents won’t feel dated or irrelevant by the time the author has finished writing.

It also doesn’t hurt that distinguished writers like Zadie Smith are producing them. In her latest novel, The Fraud , Smith uses historical setting in expert ways—critiquing historical narrative, while parodying the recent present and the literary profession at the same time.

In the novel, Sir Roger Tichborne, the heir to a fortune, was presumed drowned in 1854. In 1866, a man comes forward and assumes his identity, while almost everyone disputes his claim. The ensuing trial and events surrounding it are a spectacle that inspires the heated populist division (reminiscent of both 2016 Twitter and a football game), with one group of people pointing out the dubiousness of this so-called Sir Roger and another insisting that Sir Roger is the people’s aristocrat, maligned because he does not adhere to their standards. The tone is, to say the least, familiar. As the narrative deepens, we see the ways that almost everyone seems focused on this trivial matter that they view as a major injustice, all while their livelihoods rest on the real horrors of slavery.

While the rest of England is held in rapt attention by the Tichborne saga, William Ainsworth, the historical novelist at the book’s core, is uninterested, focused on what he sees as timeless truths. But, really, instead of confronting the actual problems of his time, he retreats into the past. A thesis of The Fraud , it seems, matches one of mine: it is easy to lose sight of what’s really important in the tumult of what’s popular. Smith expands that to say that it is also easy to lose it in the pursuit of literary fame and big truths. The Fraud, like many of these novels, might show us the way to a middle ground.

Similarly, Hernan Diaz’s Trust , the 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner, also addresses the present with the past, while highlighting fiction’s own role in the arrangement. Focusing on the relationship between financier Andrew Bevel and his wife, Mildred, leading up to and after the financial crash of 1929 (which Bevel has seemed not only to predict but to profit from), Trust deconstructs the myth of a purportedly “self-made man.”

One section of the book, a parody of the autobiography of a great man, is Bevel’s attempt to mythologize himself. He is a narcissist who writes in elevated terms about his own contributions to his success in a tone that is recognizably Trumpian—here, Diaz offers a critique that both addresses and transcends the present moment.

Trust is about money and power, but also about how those things inform our telling of history, who is empowered to tell it, and how creative works have the potential to rebalance the scales. Moving from grand narratives like Bevel’s, which casts Mildred as a childlike and minor figure, to more and more personal and singular experiences, Bevel’s autobiography is followed by the memoir of the woman who helped write it. Her recollections show the way he lorded over the image of his wife. Finally, we reach Mildred’s own voice in her journals, tilting the focus of everything that comes before.

Trust moves from big histories to Mildred’s own experience. The person who is hinted at and talked about and around becomes realized. Trust ’s trajectory illustrates exactly what historical fiction has the capacity to do. It shifts perspectives, recasts history’s leads, and calls mainstream narratives into question.

Lauren Groff’s latest novel, The Vaster Wilds , performs this same recalibration of history. A play on the wilderness narrative or novel of captivity, it is a strange, lonely and, at times spiritual book.

The Vaster Wilds is told entirely through one girl’s claustrophobic perspective as she flees Jamestown, Virginia, traveling alone through unfamiliar woods in the winter. The dialogue is interior, constructed from the voices in her own head and the spirits within and around her. It is a poetic and brutal story of moment-to-moment survival. Both her present in the woods and her flashbacks to life in Jamestown are punctuated by aching and violent hunger.

The girl, taken from an orphanage and brought overseas by her employer, would not even be a footnote in the mainstream retelling of that era. As Groff explained in a recent interview with Esquire , “She would have been overlooked because she’s a servant and a foundling.”

But hers is a lens through which we can clearly view the horrors of colonialism and the brutality of nature, human and otherwise. Instead of glorifying empire and domination, we can see their failures. Pointedly, her experience in nature diverges greatly from the kind of wilderness narratives we are used to—ones that show white men conquering both nature and other people.

Groff’s survival narrative can sit alongside a group of novels challenging and revisiting the western novel, as The New York Times reported on this summer, citing Claudia Craven and Victor LaValle’s books. These works tackle this very traditional narrative structure, retooling old tales to include women, people of color, indigenous, and queer people. This isn’t a new phenomenon (Brokeback Mountain was published in 2005), but it is a trend that’s enduring and expanding.

In the past, publishing a work of historical fiction might have been seen as a left turn for a writer who has published a series of literary books on contemporary themes. Even in 2017, Jennifer Egan’s historical Manhattan Beach was described as a “surprising swerve” in The Atlantic.

But Groff’s career has been a series of these kinds of turns. She wrote an epic story of the unraveling of a hippie utopian community and those who lived on in its wake in Arcadia ; followed by a contemporary account of a marriage in Fate and Furies ; and then there was the thrilling departure of Matrix , about the 12th-century abbess Marie de France, a poet-nun who, guided by heavenly visions, transforms her priory from a home for starving nuns to a place of power and prosperity. The sweeping trajectory of Groff’s career and the vast amount of acclaim she has received illustrate both the potential and the power of the genre.

For Groff, and for many contemporary authors, historical settings have become a tool and a playground—a way to explore themes that cut across time and challenge the myths that have constructed our view of it. Historical novels of substance and quality are no longer exceptions. They are expected and celebrated, anticipated and awaited—as natural as the changing of the leaves.

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55 Best Historical Fiction Books That Will Transport You to a Different Era

Historical flights of fancy.

W ho needs a time machine when you can pick up an incredible work of historical fiction (or a time travel book )? Historical fiction, at its core, is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting located in the past. Sound general? That's because the best thing about historical fiction books is how creative and diverse they can be. From historical mysteries to period romances to epic dramas to fantasies , historical fiction books can cover a wide range of stories, perspectives and events. Plus, you'll learn some (real) facts from reading them along the way, so it’s a win-win!

The books on this list were hand-picked for a number of reasons. Some of these historical novels are classics and rank among the  best books of all time, while others are more recent, critically acclaimed award winners. Some were chosen by  Reader's Digest book editors for their lasting appeal—look for the Reader's Digest Editor's Choice seal on those. Still others are brand-new works written by authors who previously knocked it out of the park or are audience favorites, according to Amazon and Goodreads.

Whatever topic you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it here. Just keep in mind that authors can take quite a bit of creative license, so you’ll want to double-check the facts and turn to a trusted source, like these nonfiction books and Holocaust books , for heavier topics. With that in mind, get ready to get swept away to another time and place. Happy reading!

Join the free Reader’s Digest Book Club for great reads, monthly discussions, author Q&As and a community of book lovers.

1. A Ballad of Love and Glory by Reyna Grande

Setting: 1840s, Mexico

Set during the Mexican-American War, this 2022 novel explores themes of colonialism, war and star-crossed love. Ximena Salomé, who is an army nurse, and John Riley, an Irish immigrant who deserts the Yankee army to fight on the Mexican side, find themselves swept up in passion and danger as the war intensifies around them. This sweeping novel has been lauded for its historical accuracy and for bringing an overlooked period in history to light with compelling characters and a deeply romantic love story. If you love to read about love, these enemies-to-lovers books will thrill you.

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2. The Circus Train by Amita Parikh

Setting: 1930s, Europe

Every moment is full of magic at the World of Wonders, Europe's finest traveling circus, and Amita Parikh's novel brings that magic to life on every page. One of the best historical fiction books of 2022, the story follows Lena Papadopoulos, a young woman struggling to find her place in the circus in a world that does not accept her disability. Fascinated by science and medicine, she clashes with her father, Theo, the master illusionist. When they rescue an orphaned boy named Alexandre, a friendship blossoms, and he joins the circus as Theo's apprentice. This luminous and spellbinding story takes place over two decades as World War II escalates around Lena and Alexandre. It's a tale of courage, passion, friendship and determination that will stay with readers long after the final page.

3. Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Setting: 1700s, Ghana

This novel, set in 18th-century Ghana and originally published in 2016, follows two half sisters who've never met. One marries an Englishman and lives a luxurious life in the Cape Coast Castle, and the other ends up being sold into slavery from that very same castle. The book focuses on the theme of legacy as it follows eight generations of the half sisters' descendants in places as varied as Africa's Gold Coast, Mississippi and Harlem during the Jazz Age. Just how moving is Yaa Gyasi's seminal work? Homego ing was named one of Oprah's Best Books of the Year and a New Yo rk Tim es Notable Book, and it also won the prestigious PEN/Hemingway Award. Sounds like one of the best historical fiction books to us! Here are more of the best books by Black authors  you won't want to miss.

4. The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Setting: 1930s, Texas Panhandle

This 2021 bestselling novel , which has nearly 60,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, looks at a crumbling marriage against the backdrop of the Great Depression. Elsa Wolcott and Rafe Martinelli's marriage is dying, along with all of the crops on their Great Plains farm. Every day is a constant battle, but Elsa is determined not to give up. This  Reader's Digest editor's pick shows the resilience, hope and hardship among the everyday realities during the Great Depression while spinning a deeply immersive, character-driven story. It's one of the best new fiction books of the past few years, and you won't be able to put it down.

Looking for your next great book? Read four of today’s bestselling novels in the time it takes to read one with  Reader’s Digest Select Editions . And be sure to follow the Select Editions page on Facebook !

5. My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk

Setting: 1500s, Turkey

Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk deftly mixes historical fiction, mystery , and art in this fascinating novel , which was first published in 1998. In the story, the Ottoman sultan has commissioned several talented artists to secretly contribute to a book celebrating his reign, and when one artist goes missing, the rest are accused of being involved in his murder. This IMPAC Dublin Literary Award winner is both entertaining and informative, and when it came out, it earned high praise from numerous publications, including the New York Times Book Review, the Chicago Tribun e  and the New Yorker .

6. War Trash by Ha Jin

Setting: 1950s, Korea

This compelling novel , published in 2005, explores the often-overlooked experience of Chinese soldiers held in U.S. POW camps during the Korean War. It follows clerical officer Yu Yuan as he is taken prisoner by the United States and acts as an intermediary between his fellow prisoners and the American guards. The New York Times Book Review called this Pen/Faulkner Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist "nearly perfect." For a different take on history, these amazing memoirs will give you a new perspective.

7. Property by Valerie Martin

Setting: 1820s, Louisiana

Valerie Martin's 2004 historical novel explores the horrors of slavery from the perspective of a slave owner. Manon Gaudet is the mistress of a Louisiana sugar plantation in 1828, where she chafes under the orders of her husband and becomes obsessed with her slave Sarah, who also has a bitter relationship with Manon's husband. Toni Morrison called the novel a "fresh, unsentimental look at what slave-owning does to (and for) one's interior life." If you're always looking for something new to read apart from historical fiction books, these book subscription boxes will satisfy even the most avid readers.

8. The View from Castle Rock by Alice Munro

Setting: 1700s–present day, Scotland

Do you love reading historical fiction books but can't find the time to dedicate an afternoon to an entire novel? If so, you'll want to pick up Alice Munro's 2006 collection of short stories, The View from Castle Rock . A mix of historical and autobiographical fiction, the stories are fictionalized accounts of Munro's life and family history. If this isn't enough to convince you to give the book a try, maybe Munro's 2013 Nobel Prize in Literature (not to mention her slew of other awards) will do the trick.

9. Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow

Setting: 1900s, New York

E.L. Doctorow completely redefined historical fiction with his 1975 novel, Ragtime , which mixes both very real and very fictional characters into the landscape of early 20th-century New York. In addition to the well-off (and well-crafted) family at the center of the book, you'll meet the likes of Harry Houdini, Henry Ford, Sigmund Freud and more. This winner of the National Book Critics Circle Awards, which was also selected by the Modern Library as one of the 100 best fiction books of all time and was adapted into a movie , is sure to engage your intellect while thoroughly entertaining you.

10. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

Setting: 1940s, Louisiana

Ernest J. Gaines's classic 1994 novel follows the story of Grant Wiggins, who returns to Jim Crow–era Louisiana to visit Jefferson, a man wrongly convicted of a crime who ends up on death row. Wiggins's discussions with Jefferson—which cover a wide range of topics, including race, discrimination, dignity, justice and the human condition—make the book worthy of its critical acclaim. The novel won the National Book Critics Circle Award and was described by the Chicago Tribune as "a book that will be read, discussed and taught beyond the rest of our lives." You may also want to pick up some of these books on racism to better understand how these issues affect America.

11. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Setting: 1960s, Nigeria

While you may know contemporary author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for her 2013 novel, Americanah , or her 2014 nonfiction book, We Should All Be Feminist s , her 2007 historical fiction work, Half of a Yellow Sun , is just as evocative and engaging. A recipient of the Women's Prize for Fiction "Winner of Winners" award, this novel is set during the Biafran War of the 1960s, as Biafra attempts to create an independent republic in southeastern Nigeria, and follows five compelling main characters you'll be completely invested in.

12. Yours Cheerfully by AJ Pearce

Setting: 1940s, England

Set during World War II, this heartwarming and uplifting historical fiction book zeroes in on Emmeline Lake, a young female wartime advice columnist who must make a difficult decision between fulfilling her duty and supporting her friends. This 2021 novel (by the author of the international bestseller Dear Mrs. Bird ) is perfect for those looking for a wartime story without major violence or gruesomeness. It just might be the perfect beach read for your next escape.

13. Thebes at War by Naguib Mahfouz

Setting: Ancient Egypt

Hailed as "the single most important writer in modern Arabic literature" by Newsday , Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz recreates ancient Egypt's triumphant defeat of Asiatic foreigners in northern Egypt in his novel Thebes at War . Originally published in Arabic in 1944, it was translated into English in 2003 and became an international success, known as one of the best historical fiction books ever written. The book is filled not just with facts but also exciting action scenes, intense victories and excruciating defeats to make for a thrilling and page-turning read.

14. Joseph and His Brothers by Thomas Mann

Nobel Prize winner Thomas Mann considered this retelling of the biblical story of Joseph to be his magnum opus. In it, he expounds on the story told in the Bible's Book of Genesis, during which Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers yet eventually rises to prominence. This historical novel , which was originally published in 1933 and took Mann 16 years to complete, transports readers to ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia and Palestine as it follows the rise and fall of Joseph through four different parts.

15. The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Setting: Pre–Civil War, United States

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, Best Book of the Year title by the New York Times Book Review and Wall Street Journal , and countless other awards, Colson Whitehead's 2016 novel is an exciting and provocative read. The book follows Cora and Caesar, two slaves who run away from their Georgia plantation using a not-quite-historically-accurate version of the underground railroad. As it changes between time period, location and character perspective, The Underground Railroad takes readers on a wild ride. If you're looking for something that sticks a bit more to the facts, try this list of the best biographies .

16. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Setting: 1940s, France

There's a reason that Anthony Doerr's 2014 World War II novel, All the Light We Cannot See , spent more than two-and-a-half years on the New York Times Best Seller list (in addition to winning a Pulitzer and being a finalist for the National Book Award). The story, which centers around the connection between a blind French girl and German boy and their journey through occupied France during World War II, is the perfect combination of fanciful and thrilling.

17. Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

Setting: 1520s, England

Hilary Mantel's reimagining of England in the 1520s and the lives of King Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell is so creative and enthralling, it's no surprise that this 2009 historical fiction novel won both the Man Booker Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. The themes of power, jealousy, religion and lust make this a page-turner for any avid Tudor fan—or anyone who loves reading about the royal family  and its scandals.

18. Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Setting: Pre–Civil War and the 1970s, United States

Talk about a historical novel with a twist. Octavia E. Butler's 1979 book Kindred tells the time-traveling story of Dana, a modern Black woman who is pulled from her home in California into the antebellum South, where she is a slave on the plantation of her ancestors. This book combines drama, suspense and important lessons on the history of racism and discrimination in our country and belongs on any list of the best historical fiction books.

19. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Setting: 1940s, Germany

Perhaps no book explains the power and importance of storytelling better than the 2005 novel The Book Thief . Markus Zusak crafts a story set in Nazi Germany that follows Liesel Meminger, a girl who steals books to share with her foster father, her neighbors and the Jewish man hidden in her basement. It was translated into 63 languages, with more than 16 million copies sold, and there's no mystery as to why this story of perseverance, humanity and literature became an international bestseller among historical fiction books.

20. The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore

Setting: 1920s, Louisiana

How far can one socialite fall? That is the question that plagues main character Mirielle West in author Amanda Skenandore's 2021 novel . The life of a silent film star's wife is turned upside down when she's sent to Carville Lepers Home in Louisiana after a doctor suspects her of having the incurable disease. Stuck in what is more of a prison than a patient care center, Mirielle must redefine her purpose and make life worth fighting for. Based on the true story of America's only leper colony, this novel is a page-turner. If you're not sure what you're in the mood for, check out the best books for you, based on your zodiac sign  to narrow things down.

21. The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Setting: Ancient Israel

The Red Tent , first published in 1997, takes us back to biblical times as Anita Diamant reinvents the biblical story of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, who is just briefly hinted at in the Book of Genesis. This look at the world of ancient motherhood is not only passionate but also essential in offering a new view of biblical women's lives.

22. I, Claudius by Robert Graves

Setting: Ancient Rome

This novel , originally published in 1934, is written in the form of an autobiography from the perspective of the Roman emperor Claudius. The book spans a large breath of time, recounting the early years of the Roman Empire, from Julius Caesar's assassination in 44 B.C. up to Caligula's assassination in A.D. 41. If you're absolutely hooked by the end, we've got some good news for you: Graves continued the saga in the sequel Claudius the God , which covers the remaining period of the historic figure's life.

23. Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood

Setting: 1840s, Canada

While Margaret Atwood may have become a household name thanks to her dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale , her historical fiction books, including 1996's Alias Grac e , should not be overlooked. Set in 1843 and based on the real life of Grace Marks, this book follows Grace after she is convicted of murdering her employer and his housekeeper, who was also his mistress. The issue? Grace claims she has no memory of that day. This historical thriller won the Canadian Giller Prize, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and is one of the best books by a female author —and one you won't be able to get out of your head.

24. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

Setting: 1940s–1950s, Japan

There's a reason why Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha , first published in 1997, was nominated as one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Grea t American Read . Both entertaining and extremely heartfelt, this novel follows the life of fictional geisha Nitta Sayuri and her story after being sold into slavery to a renowned geisha house in Kyoto, Japan; it's set before, during and after World War II. After you're done reading, make sure to check out the 2005 film based on the novel, which won three Academy Awards.

25. Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier

Setting: 1600s, Holland

This 1999 novel , inspired by the famous 17th-century Johannes Vermeer painting of the same name, is for art and history lovers alike. In this fantastical rendering, Tracy Chevalier invents the story of the relationship between the painter, the model and the painting itself. With universal themes of restraint, love and womanhood, it's easy to see how it became an instant No. 1 New York Times bestseller.

26. Beloved by Toni Morrison

Setting: 1870s, Ohio

Another Pulitzer Prize–winning classic that deserves its rightful spot on our list of the absolute best historical fiction books, Toni Morrison's 1987 bestseller tells the story of Sethe, an escaped slave living in post–Civil War Ohio with her daughter, her mother-in-law and the spirit of her unnamed child, who calls herself Beloved. This masterfully poetic work conjures the pain and brutality of slavery in such a way that all modern audiences can see the institution's continuing effect on all of our lives. These Black poets also bring the realities of race and racism into their work.

27. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

Setting: 1900s, Japan

This 2017 National Book Award finalist by Korean American author Min Jin Lee tells the story of four generations of a poor immigrant Korean family as they attempt to make a life for themselves in 20th-century Japan. The historical epic is perfect for anyone interested in character-driven novels about family, stereotypes and the power to overcome.

28. Fortune Favors the Dead by Stephen Spotswood

Setting: 1940s, New York

Historical fiction books and mysteries are a match made in heaven, and author Stephen Spotswood's 2020 novel, Fortune Favors the Dead , proves it beyond a shadow of a doubt. After Willowjean "Will" Parker and Lillian Pentecost become an unlikely detective duo, the two are faced with the case of Abigail Collins, who was murdered in the very same spot her husband had shot himself years before. Full of paranormal hijinks, the story features messages from the dead, vengeful spirits and a doomed romance. If you love all things spooky, you'll also want to peruse this list of the best horror books of all time.

29. A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

Setting: 1920s–1950s, Russia

Amor Towles's 2016 novel , set in Moscow during the Stalin era, tells the story of Count Alexander Rostov, a Russian aristocrat who is sentenced to house arrest in a grand hotel by the Bolshevik tribunal. While Russian history unfolds outside his very hotel window, Rostov embarks on his own journey of emotional discovery from within the confines of the hotel walls. This elegant and finely constructed novel is sure to pull you away from the current realities of the world and take you to an era of both violence and refinement.

30. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

Setting: 1940s, Italy

While you've most likely heard of the 1996 film version of The English Patient , which racked up nine Academy Awards, the book by Michael Ondaatje is also highly decorated. Winner of the Booker Prize, the Governor General's Award and the Golden Man Booker, this 1992 novel tells the story of four unlikely characters brought together during the Italian Campaign of World War II. Secrets, romance and mystery abound.

31. Hungry Ghosts by Kevin Jared Hosein

Setting: 1940s, Trinidad

Kevin Jared Hosein takes readers to 1940s Trinidad in his forthcoming historical fiction novel, Hungry Ghosts , which begins as British colonialism and American occupation are drawing to a close. The story follows two families: the wealthy Changoors, who own Changoor farm, and their employees, the Saroop family, living in grinding poverty in the barracks below. When Dalton Changoor goes missing, the lives of the two families become intertwined in this fascinating and lyrical tale of class, religion, generational trauma and family. This much-anticipated book from a talented new Caribbean voice is due to drop on Feb. 7, 2023. For even more amazing reads, check out these wonderful Kindle Unlimited books .

32. Atonement by Ian McEwan

Setting: 1930s–1940s, England

At its core, Atonement is a story about a mistake and its aftermath. The 2001 novel centers around young Briony Tallis and the effects of an accusation she makes against Robbie Turner, the Tallis family's housekeeper and a close friend of Cecilia, Briony's older sister. Atonement is divided into three parts and a postscript, spanning from 1935 England to World War II–era England and France to present-day England. The 2007 movie adaptation features Keira Knightley, James McAvoy and a young Saoirse Ronan as Briony. Chances are, you'll find yourself shedding a few tears while you read this one. These other sad books will also tug at your heartstrings.

33. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Setting: 1960s, Mississippi

The Help centers on the lives of Aibileen and Minny, two Black maids, and Skeeter, a white recent college graduate who is deemed a social failure, as they separately and jointly navigate the tense social sphere of Jackson, Mississippi, in the early 1960s. When these three unlikely companions team up to write a tell-all tale about what it's truly like to work as a Black maid in the Jim Crow South, things change forever. This 2009 novel became an instant classic among historical fiction books, and despite controversy over the portrayal of the characters in relation to the author herself, it is still a book from which much can be learned.

34. The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd

From the New York Times bestselling author of Th e Secret Life of Bees and The Invention of Wings comes this creative 2020 novel about the imagined marriage of Jesus Christ. Ana is an ambitious and forward-thinking woman hailing from a wealthy family with ties to the ruler of Galilee. When she meets broad-minded 18-year-old Jesus, her life changes forever—and so does his. Critics say this feminist tale is painstakingly researched and expertly crafted, and readers love it too.

35. A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver

From mystery to murder, action to romance, Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver's first novel in the Electra McDonnell series of historical fiction books offers something for everyone. The 2021 psychological thriller follows Electra, a young woman who breaks into houses of upper-crust London to keep her family business alive in war-torn England. After getting caught during one such heist by a government official, the two form an unlikely pair to solve a mystery in order to stop Allied plans from falling into the wrong hands.

36. Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

Setting: 1660s, England

This 2001 novel , set in England in 1666, has some surprising ties to our current realities. The story follows the spread of a plague from London to an isolated village. Anna Frith, a handmaid, becomes an unlikely healer and heroine in this story of perseverance and the human spirit. What happens when a year of horrors becomes one's year of wonders? This imaginative and utterly compelling addition to our best historical fiction books list, which was inspired by the true story of a village named Eyam, was chosen as both a New York Times and Washington Post Notable Book.

37. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Setting: 1920s, France

A New York Times bestseller, The Paris Wife chronicles the love affair between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson, and is told from the latter's perspective. After a whirlwind courtship and engagement in Chicago, the two set sail for Paris in the 1920s. But as the Jazz Age heats up and Ernest pours himself into his work, their relationship goes through many ups and downs. A tale of love, betrayal and romance, this 2011 book is as fresh and relevant as ever.

38. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Setting: Mid- to late-1800s, Georgia

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Margaret Mitchell's classic 1936 novel on a list of historical fiction books. This Pulitzer Prize–winning tale of romance, survival and the human spirit hardly needs an introduction. But a word of warning: Gone with the Wind 's depiction of the Civil War and Reconstruction Era in the American South isn't particularly accurate and is highly whitewashed, which is why it's also on this list of beloved books that didn't age well .

39. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

Setting: 1960s, Congo

Barbara Kingsolver expertly weaves a story about the Prices, a missionary family who relocate from the U.S. state of Georgia to the village of Kilanga in the Belgian Congo in 1959. But when they arrive, they realize that the village is not what they were expecting. Set against the tumultuous historical backdrop of the Congo's fight for independence from Belgium, the murder of its first elected prime minister and the CIA coup to install his replacement, this 1998 novel tells the sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes hopeful tale of three generations living in postcolonial Africa.

40. The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

Setting: Early 1900s, New York

Belle da Costa Greene is hired by the esteemed J.P. Morgan as his personal librarian. Because of this role, Belle quickly becomes a fixture in the New York society scene and is viewed as a beacon of art, literature and all things splendid. But what seems like a dream job is a constant threat for Belle, who's hiding a big secret in 1906 America: She's a Black woman who passes for white. This 2021 New York Times bestseller touches on themes of race, legacy and hope, with messages that still resonate in modern-day America. Stay apprised of all the best new books by joining one of these online book clubs .

41. The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

Setting: 1800s, Saint Thomas

Alice Hoffman mixes history with romance in her 2015 novel, The Marriage of Opposites , a retelling of the story of the woman who gave birth to Camille Pissarro, the Father of Impressionism. Rachel is a rebellious and strong female character growing up in a Jewish refugee community on Saint Thomas in the early 1800s. After being married off to an old widower who dies suddenly, Rachel meets Frédérick, her late husband's much younger nephew. The rest, as they say, is history—or, perhaps better yet, one of the most compelling historical fiction books you'll read this year.

42. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

Setting: Middle Ages, England

This 19th-century classic revisits England in the Middle Ages as Sir Walter Scott delves into the conflicts between the Crown and the Barons, the Norman overlords and the conquered Saxons, and Richard the Lionheart and his brother, Prince John. Ivanhoe is credited with increasing interest in chivalric romance as a literary category.

43. The Lieutenant's Nurse by Sarah Ackerman

Setting: 1940s, the Pacific

In this novel set before, during and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, author Sarah Ackerman paints a vivid picture of the heroic American wartime nurses. Eva Cassidy, a newly enlisted Army Corps nurse, finds herself on the glamorous SS Lurline with the dashing yet mysterious Lt. Clark Spencer. But when Pearl Harbor is bombed and the United States' involvement in World War II becomes imminent, Eva must band together with her fellow nurses to keep the American wounded alive. Filled with romance, hardship and hope, this 2019 tale has something for everyone. Need a brief break from historical fiction books? Curl up on the couch with one of these beloved romantic movies .

44. The Whispers of War by Julia Kelly

How far would you go to protect your friends? It's 1939, and the threat of war is looming in England for childhood best friends Nora, Hazel and Marie. When Germany invades Poland, German expat Marie is labeled an enemy and threatened to be put into an internment camp. The three friends find themselves fighting to keep Marie free—and fighting for their friendship. Pu blishers Weekly praised this 2019 novel as "intricate, tender and convincing."

45. Essex Dogs by Dan Jones

Setting: 1340s, England

The first in a forthcoming trilogy of historical fiction books by acclaimed historian Dan Jones, Essex Dogs is due to hit shelves on Feb. 7, 2023. It's July of 1346, and 10 men have just landed on a Normandy beach: the Essex Dogs, a tight-knit group of men-at-arms led by an experienced (if slightly over-the-hill) captain. Set during the Hundred Years' War, over a century of warfare over the French throne, this novel examines the harsh realities of medieval warfare from the perspective of soldiers and civilians alike. As the Dogs fight their way toward Crécy, they are also fighting to survive in a war in which rules have been abandoned and chivalry cast aside. The level of historical accuracy in this triumphant fiction debut will thrill and intrigue readers, but you might need to pick up a feel-good book afterward to take the edge off.

46. Clark and Division by Naomi Hirahara

Setting: 1940s, Chicago

Aki Ito and her parents have just been released from Manzanar, the Japanese internment camp they had been sent to after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Just as they're about to reunite with Aki's older sister, Rose, in Chicago, they learn that Rose has mysteriously died. Aki sets off to uncover the mystery of Rose's death while also coming to terms with the heartbreaking discrimination Japanese American families faced during this time period.  Clark and Division is one of the best historical fiction books of 2021 and is particularly amazing considering the 30 years of research author Naomi Hirahara completed on Japanese American history in order to write it. If you're looking for material for a younger audience, these children's books about diversity will address difficult topics in an age-appropriate way.

47. The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

From author Jennifer Ryan comes an uplifting story of passion, drive and femininity. It's the midst of World War II, and England is beginning to feel its losses. In order to boost morale, the BBC creates a wartime cooking competition with an incredible prize: the chance for the winner to become the program's first-ever female co-host. Four women enter the competition with different reasons for wanting to win, but will they band together when they need it most, or will their competitive streaks break them apart? Reviewers from Reader's Dig est , Booklist  and NPR rave that this 2021 book is a delightful and satisfying page-turner.

48. The Last Dance of the Debutante by Julia Kelly

Setting: 1950s, England

It's time to get whisked away in a whirl of ball gowns, glitz and glamor. The Last Dance of the Debutante , the newest of Julia Kelly's historical fiction books (published in 2022), follows three unlikely friends as they navigate the last debutante season in 1958 London, during which they will be presented to Queen Elizabeth II . But when Lily Nichols learns a secret that threatens to devastate her family, the season takes a turn, and these young women learn what's really important in life.

49. The Children's Blizzard by Melanie Benjamin

Setting: 1880s, the Great Plains

This gripping tale of survival, resilience and courage, published in 2022 by the author of The Aviator's Wife , is based on the true story of the Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888. In it, two schoolteacher sisters, Raina and Gerda Olsen, are faced with the difficult decision of how to save their students when an unexpected blizzard strikes. While fictionalized, this story about nature threatening the lives of hundreds of immigrant families is as important as it is riveting. It's just one of the many historical fiction books that are relevant today.

50. The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

All that is forgotten isn't always lost—or so says Kristin Harmel's 2020 historical novel, The Book of Lost Names . The story centers around Eva Traube Abrams, a graduate student forced to flee Paris at the start of World War II. Eva begins forging identity documents for Jewish children, hoping to escape to neutral Switzerland with the help of fellow forger Rémy. But Eva has also been keeping a record of the children's true identities in the Book of Lost Names, which leads to a moment that will come back to haunt her years down the line. One of the best historical fiction books, this story will stay with you long after the final page.

51. The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers

Setting: 1940s, North Carolina

You're going to want to get your hands on this 2022 novel about lesser-known women's activism during the post-war period. It follows Maddie Sykes, a young seamstress who relocates to Bright Leaf, North Carolina, to join her aunt's sewing business. Bright Leaf just so happens to be the Big Tobacco capital of the South, and her aunt's clientele includes the glamorous wives of the tobacco executives. But when Maddie uncovers evidence that links Big Tobacco to the declining health of Bright Leaf's citizens, she has to make a big decision: do what's best for her fellow man ... or what's best for her. In your own life, these self-help books can help you tackle your own brand of tricky decisions.

52. The Mad Girls of New York by Maya Rodale

Setting: 1880s, New York

Maya Rodale weaves a tale about the life of famous Gilded Age reporter Nellie Bly and her undercover escapades at Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum for Women in this 2022 publication . The book follows Nellie as she uncovers the horrible conditions that Blackwell patients were subject to. What starts off as a way to prove her ability in the male-dominated field of early journalism turns into a mission far greater.

53. The Magnolia Palace by Fiona Davis

Setting: 1920s, New York

Among the best historical fiction books published in 2022, The Magnolia Palace follows the story of 21-year-old Lillian Carter. After losing her mother to the influenza pandemic of 1919, Lillian jumps at the chance to be employed as the secretary to Helen Frick. But as time goes on and Lillian's life becomes more and more intertwined with that of the infamous New York family, the stakes become high—life-or-death high. Full of secrets, mystery, murder and romance, this Reader's Digest favorite will likely become one of yours too.

54. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

While Kristin Hannah's 2017 novel, The Nighting ale , is set during World War II, it's not your typical war story. Instead, Hannah reimagines this volatile time from a female perspective, telling the story of two sisters, Vianne and Isabelle, as they separately navigate German-occupied France. Vianne gets her home requisitioned by a German captain and must make impossible choices in order to keep herself and her daughter alive. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Isabelle falls in love with Gaetan, who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France. But what happens when he betrays her? A deeply moving tale about the resilience of women, this bestselling fan favorite among historical fiction books will stay with you long after the last page.

55. Loyalty by Lisa Scottoline

Setting: 1800s, Sicily

For readers who enjoy a thriller along with their historical fiction books, the latest book (dropping March 28, 2023) from bestselling author Lisa Scottoline is a must-buy. Tracing the rise of the Mafia in 19th-century Sicily, the novel will transport you to Italy for a classic tale of good versus evil. Franco Fiorvanti grows lemons for the baron; he dreams of rising above his station, but Sicily's immovable class system thwarts his ambition—until the baron asks him to commit a terrible deed. Meanwhile, young lawyer Gaetano Catalano is part of a secret society of aristocrats who investigate crime. His newest case will take him to a dark place. Years pass, and the mystery deepens, and readers will happily go along for the ride in this unputdownable new novel. For a totally different type of read, our favorite sci-fi novels will take you well out of the past and into futuristic worlds.

The post 55 Best Historical Fiction Books That Will Transport You to a Different Era appeared first on Reader's Digest .

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The Best Fiction Books » Historical Fiction

The best historical fiction of 2024, recommended by katharine grant.

The judges of the Walter Scott Prize aim to highlight the very best new historical novels, and in 2024 they have settled on a varied shortlist featuring a Trinidadian tragedy, a Vatican-based thriller, and a charming coming-of-age tale from 1960s Middle England. We spoke to Katharine Grant , chair of the judging panel, to find out more.

Interview by Cal Flyn , Deputy Editor

The New Life: A Novel by Tom Crewe

Hungry Ghosts: A Novel by Kevin Jared Hosein

My Father's House: A Novel by Joseph O'Connor

In the Upper Country: A Novel by Kai Thomas

Absolutely and Forever by Rose Tremain

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

1 The New Life: A Novel by Tom Crewe

2 hungry ghosts: a novel by kevin jared hosein, 3 my father's house: a novel by joseph o'connor, 4 in the upper country: a novel by kai thomas, 5 absolutely and forever by rose tremain, 6 the house of doors by tan twan eng.

L et me begin our discussion of the six historical novels shortlisted for the 2024 Walter Scott Prize by asking you, the chair of the judging panel, whether it has been a good year for historical fiction ?

What do the Walter Scott Prize judges look for in a historical novel?

Let’s step through each of the 2024 shortlisted historical novels in turn, starting with Tom Crewe’s The New Life . It’s a highly acclaimed debut, a book about the gay liberation movement in Victorian London. Tell us more.

Fundamentally, beneath the story itself, this is a book about loneliness, in particular the loneliness of gay life in the 1890s. It’s the story of a brave attempt to rationalise sexual behaviour, and thus remove the stigma attached to homosexuality. Tom Crewe has used, quite loosely, the lives of two men, John Addington Symonds and Havelock Ellis who, in the book, become John Addington—a single-minded man who wants to create a world in which everybody is free to live as their nature dictates, but who is also flawed and selfish; and Henry Ellis, a shy, fragile, clever man who wants the same thing. Both these men personify that high Victorian belief that if only one could educate people, people would understand and accept. So, by proving that homosexuality has always been a part of human life and human nature, they hoped it would become ordinary, as indeed has happened now in the UK. But what happens when principle, rational thinking and hope crash into reality? Will they succeed or themselves face ruin? That’s the great tension at the heart of the book.

There’s a rare honesty in the writing of this book. It’s written so directly, the sex graphic yet unsensational. Tom Crewe is a true craftsman.

Absolutely. I’ve read some responses to this novel that argue that it speaks to something in our contemporary culture as well—that it feels timely. Would you agree.

I would, although I’m not a great believer in always drawing parallels from the past to the present. But there are certainly parallels in this case. The New Life also reminds us, though, that change isn’t only about protesting in the streets. There’s a place for quiet, rational argument.

In this book, the two men have a wonderful optimism and courage, and perhaps in order to change anything there needs to be an element of selfish single-mindedness although that selfishness causes suffering not just in the lives of these men, but also in the lives of the people they were attached to.

Like the wives of closeted men?

The second novel on your 2024 historical fiction shortlist is Kevin Jared Hosein’s Hungry Ghosts, set towards the end of colonial rule in Trinidad. I liked what The Times had to say about it: “like a Greek tragedy relocated to a gothic Caribbean setting worthy of Jean Rhys.”

It’s a great quote, and true. Hungry Ghosts is a tragedy, and we’re swept into it by writing that conjures a whole physical, emotional and natural world of Trinidad; you get a sense of a burgeoning place, almost overwhelmed by vegetation. Hosein write with what one critic has called “sensory maximalism”. The colours are bold. The smells waft from the page. When you close the book, you’re surprised to find yourself still at home.

Hungry Ghosts is the story of a man, Hans Sharoop, born into poverty, who hopes for better things, who is optimistic, and who gets an opportunity—which he takes—but then falls prey to all kinds of temptations. His family is destroyed as a result, but he’s not a bad man, only weak. If you’re born into abject poverty, it’s hard not to fall for a dream.

It’s also a book about absence, with the absent Dalton Changoor, whose business is shadily successful and who employs Hans, hanging over this book like a sinister cloud. Absent also is Hans and his wife Shweta’s dead daughter, whose name they never utter yet who is always present between them. Kevin Jared Hosein’s absences aren’t just absences, they’re characters in their own right.

“At least the label is no longer pejorative. People are now proud to be writers of historical fiction”

The third historical novel on the 2024 shortlist is Joseph O’Connor’s My Father’s House , set in occupied Rome, 1943. Its plot is based on a true story of a Vatican priest dubbed the ‘Irish Schindler.’ The book has been characterised as a literary thriller , does that sound right to you?

I suppose so, although that seems a bit cruel—as if other thrillers aren’t literary. It’s certainly a thriller. It’s tense, tense, tense. But the big thing in this novel is not just the tension, it’s the voices. Joseph O’Connor gives a masterclass in the different voices of the people gathered around the priest Hugh O’Flaherty to help him organise and run the Escape Line—the escape routes out of Italy for prisoners of war and others being pursued by the Nazis. The voices are unforgettable, their code-name ‘The Choir’ absolutely apt.

So, we have the tension and the voices, and also we have Rome. If you feel you know Rome, you’ll find much to enjoy in the twists and turns of the streets, the hidden alleys, the sudden expanses and that ever-present ‘seethe of black water’, the Tiber. It’s full Rome immersion.

But we also have a clever construction in this novel. Through a series of post-war interviews inserted at various points, we know who survives, and we know how the characters became involved in the Choir. So the tension is less about who will live and who will die amongst the characters we get to know, and much more about whether the Escape Line will succeed for the countless unnamed people secreted all over Rome. And of course there are deeper tensions about how human nature evolves during wartime. When faced with the complexities of war, what is courage? What’s the difference between courage and self-aggrandisement?

As with all the best thrillers, I felt a bit breathless at some stages reading this book! And beware if you’re reading on the bus or the underground: it’s the kind of book that can make you miss your stop.

We’ve been talking quite a bit recently on Five Books about the borderlands between genres. I suppose, say, spy fiction set during the Cold War would count as historical fiction too.

I’m not really a genre person. I don’t terribly like labels. I find them unhelpful. Like other novels, the historical novel is, fundamentally, simply a story, as a spy story is simply a story. Even with fiction featuring real figures, as is the case with much historical fiction, fiction is, by definition, a product of the imagination. It’s just fiction.

Returning to historical fiction, though, if we must use a label, at least that label is no longer pejorative, which is a good thing. People are now proud to be writers of historical fiction. Some of that pride has certainly to do with Hilary Mantel , not just what she wrote in the genre itself, but what she wrote about it, and also how she spoke about it, particularly in her Reith Lectures . If historical fiction needed its rehabilitation firmly stamped, Hilary Mantel was that stamp, moving the argument on from ‘isn’t historical fiction just a, usually misconceived, facsimile of the past?’ by showing how the writer of historical fiction actually works with the past—the nuts and bolts, as it were.

That makes sense. Perhaps we could talk next about Kai Thomas’s In the Upper Country , which is set in an 18th-century Canadian town where escaped slaves from the United States have resettled. This is the fourth book on your 2024 historical novels shortlist.

First of all, this book—which is Kai Thomas’s first novel—is marvellously done, technically speaking. It’s stories-within-stories, a bit like Scheherazade . There are two women, one old, one young, telling each other stories and these stories and how they tell them are intrinsic to the book. It’s a brave construction, and very successful.

The novel is set not on the Underground Railway by which Black people fleeing from slavery crossed the border into Canada, but in the free town established at the end of the Railway. We’re in the complicated world of individuals from different communities – the Black community, the Indigenous community, the Métis community – whose histories are rich and whose choices are complex. Everybody wants ‘freedom’ but freedom is more complicated than it sounds, as we learn through the aftermath of the shooting of a slave hunter by an old woman.

In most novels, the propulsion is forward. In In the Upper Country , the energy is more flexible, flowing forwards and backwards, sweeping the reader along as if in the tide, never ceasing, but you’re not always sure exactly where you’ll find yourself. In other words, the experience of reading is more like sitting and listening to a storyteller, which is just as it should be given the construction of the book.

But don’t misunderstand me. The stories aren’t random. Each story is a small revelation, so it’s like doing a jigsaw when you haven’t got the picture on the front of the box. You’re there, in this book, piecing it all together. Particularly for a first novel, In the Upper Country is very sure of itself and confidence is such a big thing in writing, particularly in a novel like this. If the author is confident, you feel carried along.

Right. As if the author is grabbing you by the hand and leading you somewhere.

We’ve reached Rose Tremain’s Absolutely and Forever. Tremain has previously been shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for her historical novels Merivel: A Man of His Time and The Gustav Sonata .

Yes, Rose Tremain always offers the reader so much! Absolutely and Forever is the coming-of-age story of a girl, Marianne, from a well-to-do family—boarding school, tennis courts, ponies—who, aged 15, falls ‘absolutely and forever’ in love with a boy. It doesn’t work out. The story may not be unusual in itself but in Rose Tremain’s hands it’s so ‘funny, piercing, singular’, as one critic described it, that it turns into a small masterpiece. Marianne may be as naïve and guileless as girls of her age in the 1960s were, but her sense of herself completely bewitches the reader. And Rose Tremain keeps a tight hold of her story. The book is short and may, to some, seem slight, but every word, every detail, is carefully chosen. It’s a book you can read a second and a third time and still find new aspects to admire.

Charming, and indeed sad, this isn’t a tragic book. Amongst other things, it’s a book about recognising what things actually are, which, and this is so bitter-sweet, Marianne never quite does with her ‘absolutely and forever’ love.

It sounds like a grown-up I Capture the Castle .

I think that brings us to the final historical novel on the 2024 shortlist: Tan Twan Eng’s The House of Doors , which is set in the Federated Malay States, a British colony, in the 1920s.

There are a lot of different strands to this novel, one of which is secrets. But it’s also about memory and loss, and the stories we tell to ourselves and to others. Set in 1921 in the Straits Settlements of Penang, we have Somerset Maugham and his lover coming to stay with the Hamlyns: Robert Hamlyn, a lawyer, and his wife Lesley a society hostess. The visit is uneasy. Everybody has secrets, and Somerset Maugham was notoriously good at persuading people to share them, and then, barely disguising the characters, using the stories to his own authorial advantage. With great artistry, Tan Twan Eng shows us how the unravelling of secrets leads to other stories—and so, in The House of Doors , we have, through Lesley Hamlyn’s eyes, the story of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the revolutionary, the story of Ethel Proudlock, who shot a man and was charged with murder, and the secrets of Lesley herself. Stories within stories, and all told with what has been called the ‘reverse colonial gaze’.

How interesting.

Yes, it’s a different angle. Brave! And Tan Twan Eng has a wonderful style, sharp and clear. Those painted doors! ‘They spun slowly in the air, like leaves spiralling in a gentle wind, forever falling, never to touch the earth.”

Perhaps I could draw us to a close by asking whether the process of judging so many novels has left you with a sense of optimism about the state of historical fiction today?

It has. Given the apparent strictures on novelists, whether real or imagined – accusations of cultural appropriation, for example –there’s always the worry that writers might avoid writing about anything beyond themselves. Of course, we’ll never know how many historical novels will not be written because in the climate of culture wars people are nervous, but among the novels that have arrived I think there is a brightness, yes, a kind of optimism, and a determination to write about things in which the writer is interested, and in which writers feel readers will be interested. So that’s heartening, and I’m sure I can speak for my fellow Walter Scott Prize judges when I say that we’re already looking forward to next year.

The winner of the 2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction will be announced at the Borders Book Festival, Scotland, on 13 June.

May 10, 2024

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Katharine Grant

Katharine Grant is a British novelist and has been a judge for the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction since 2017. Her novel Blood Red Horse was a Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth and a USBBY-CBC Outstanding International Book for 2006. The sequel, Green Jasper was shortlisted for a 2006 Royal Mail Scottish Children’s book award. She has ten novels published to date. Sedition , her first novel for adults, was longlisted for the 2014 Desmond Elliott prize.

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Lansing, MI Author Publishes Historical Fiction Novel

GET IN TOUCH Natasha Hlinka Dorrance Publishing http://www.dorrancepublishing.com

You can see the original version and more on PRLeap here: http://www.prleap.com/pr/296577/lansing-mi-author-publishes-historical-fiction-novel