How do I create historical fiction characters?
AttitudesExplore how your historical characters think differently than contemporary ones. A 19th-century woman will have a different view of marriage than her 21st-century counterpart. Children were treated differently in the 16th century. Religious beliefs played a different role in 17th-century lives. Chores were handled differently. Don’t put a 21st-century sensibility into a historical character’s mind.ResearchGet the details right. Part of why people read historical fiction is because they want to learn about different time periods. Descriptions of clothing, food and conversation must be accurate. Historical novelist James Alexander Thom cautions that a good historical novelist has “to do the same research that a historian does–and then maybe even more.”Original sourcesTry to find original sources for your writing. Go to a museum and look at dresses in paintings. Read through old letters and journals. Talk to people who have first hand information. Don’t rely too much on the inte
