Historical novels are stories informed by the past. They can be based on a historic person, an event, artifact, invention, era, or more. Though there are many types of historical novels, the one thing they all have in common is bringing the past to life, and to do that takes a writer willing to go hunting and digging for facts and information.
GETTING STARTED
The research a writer conducts for their historical novel is the defining element. Miss details or information and your story may not be taken seriously. Sticking too closely to the “truth” might eclipse your creative vision and imagination (it is fiction, after all). Aim for balance. The more you can get at the tried-and-true history, the more you can inform your own work.
But where do you start? A historical fiction writer is much like a historian or detective looking to bring out the truest form of a particular topic. You need to delve into the past and sort out
