How to write historical fiction for teen readers

Posted on 02/21/2021 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

The amount of research that goes into a historical fiction novel can seem daunting. And author Phyllis Still won’t claim...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: C.S. Lakin / Live Write Thrive, Historical fiction, Young adult literature

10 steps to successful world-building in historical fiction

Posted on 10/13/2020 at 02:48 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

World building isn’t just something for fantasy and sci-fi authors to study. It’s equally important for writers of historical fiction...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Writing historical true crime? Check out these research resources

Posted on 09/22/2020 at 11:18 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Research is, of course, key to any type of historical fiction. But those of you writing about historical true crime...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Writing advice

Editor shares the six do's and don'ts of writing historical fiction

Posted on 07/16/2020 at 02:54 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

There’s no way around it: historical fiction can’t be nothing but the literal truth. The dialogue will confound or annoy...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Jane Friedman, Writing advice

Work through your anxieties about writing historical fiction

Posted on 08/18/2019 at 12:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Caitlin Horrocks has taught fiction and nonfiction writing, in addition to writing short stories and novels herself. So she’s both...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Literary Hub, Writing advice

4 tips for balancing fact and fiction in your historical novel

Posted on 06/04/2019 at 04:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Bestselling author Melanie Benjamin doesn’t have a magical ratio for the balance of fact and fiction in historical novels, she’s...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Character study: How Vlad the Impaler became a romantic lead

Posted on 05/29/2019 at 11:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

View post titled Character study: How Vlad the Impaler became a romantic lead

As Tudor geeks, we’re no strangers to historical fiction starring monarchs with dark sides. But we still found ourselves taken...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Author interview, Characters, Historical fiction, Romance

Sweat the storytelling, not the details, in historical fiction

Posted on 10/11/2018 at 04:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

One of the most telling comments we ever heard in a job interview was that a prospective manager didn’t believe...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Writer's Digest, Writing advice

Balance accuracy and authenticity for better historical fiction

Posted on 09/26/2018 at 11:00 AM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Specialist editor Andrew Noakes knows that fear can often inhibit a historical-fiction writer's creativity. If you’re among those terrified of...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Joanna Penn, Writing advice

Authors' advice on writing good historical fiction

Posted on 07/11/2018 at 03:00 PM by Sadye Scott-Hainchek

Historical fiction novels by C.C. Humphreys and J.R. Tomlin

How many times have you eagerly picked up a historical novel, only to feel like you’d grabbed a textbook by...

Categories: Behind the scenes

Tagged As: Historical fiction, Writing advice