“It must be easy writing historical fiction. You already know what’s happened.”
That comment always makes me laugh. When you write historical fiction, you wonder what really happened. According to historian Patrick Collinson, “It is possible for competent historians to come to radically different conclusions on the basis of the same evidence. Because, of course, 99 percent of the evidence, above all, unrecorded speech, is not available to us.”
That 99 percent leaves a lot of gray areas.
Happily, those gray areas are where historical novelists get to play. That’s where our imagination fills in what might’ve happened behind and between recorded accounts. It’s where we invent the characters, relationships, and motives that history books can’t supply. The challenge—and enjoyment—of writing historical novels lies in successfully weaving a story that meshes what’s known with what might’ve been.
THE RIGHT INSPIRATION
As storytellers, we find sparks of inspiration everywhere—history books, novels, films, a chance comment, or footnote. As history nerds, we dive into research and identify the spaces where sparks ignite into story. Since it can take months or years to complete a manuscript, what’s most important here is passion for your topic because it has to sustain your interest while you write the book your characters and their stories deserve. According to bestselling author Erika Robuck—whose upcoming novel,, releases March 1, 2022—it feels as though you’ve been handed a mission.
