Demystify history
What counts as historical fiction, and how authentic does it have to be? Look at how to make writing set in the past vivid and relatable with advice from Margaret James
Margaret James
What is a historical novel? One set in the past, presumably?
But when does the present end, and when does the past begin: ten minutes, ten days, a decade, a century, a millennium ago?
Do novels set during an author’s own lifetime have any claim to be historical? I don’t see why not. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, Sons and Lovers, David Copperfield and Frost in May are all set during the childhoods and early adulthoods of their central protagonists, who are fictionalised versions of the authors themselves. So, in a sense, they are all historical novels, aren’t they, reaching back into a well-remembered but now-vanished past, recreating those times for both fellow novelists and readers alike?
Lisez l'article complet et bien d'autres dans ce numéro de
Writing Magazine
Options d'achat ci-dessous
Si le problème vous appartient,
Connexion
pour lire l'article complet maintenant.
Numéro unique numérique
May 2023
Ce numéro et d'autres anciens numéros ne sont pas inclus dans une nouvelle version de l'article
abonnement. Les abonnements comprennent le dernier numéro régulier et les nouveaux numéros publiés pendant votre abonnement.
Writing Magazine
Abonnement numérique annuel
€69,99
facturé annuellement
Abonnement numérique de 6 mois
€35,99
facturé deux fois par an