Fiction Writing Basics – How to Write a Historical Novel
Novel writing is often considered by many to be the most difficult of creative disciplines to master, but that’s not necessarily true. In fact, the hardest part is seeing what your story should be about, rather than how to get from point A to point B. A creative work of fiction doesn’t have to be about anything specific. It can be about anything, in any genre, including romance, science fiction, action, comedy, horror, and so on.
Novels are often grouped into genres. The most popular of these is Western fiction. It comprises mysteries, action, western, detective, heroic realism, and heroic unconventional. A more generic term for novels in this category would be mystery, sci-fi, or hard-core pornography. No specific word count is necessary for a novel to qualify as one of these genres, although you should plan to employ a reasonable word count for most plots and chapters.
Historical novels deal mostly with time management and historical facts as they pertain to certain time periods in the distant past, usually around the time of World War II or the Cold War. Historical fiction can be written about almost any period in history, though popular themes tend to remain in circulation for decades. These novels tend to be highly fictionalized, so you’ll needn’t worry too much about literary quality. If your objective is to provide “proof” of a specific historical event or “fact”, this will not be of great help. However, if you’re planning to write a novel as part of a class, you should consider using sources which support the time frame and period of your plot.
Character development involves all of the interactions, the protagonist has with other characters. Most protagonists will undergo some sort of transformation, from fairly good guy/girl, to sort of evil person, to the hero we’ve come to know and love. Depending on the age of your readers, you may have to deal with issues of sexual orientation and/or disability. The plot needs to support the character’s transformation, or readers will likely grow bored with the story quickly.
Historical novels can also follow the main theme of a time in history. For example, you can write a novel about the civil war. Focus your plot on one aspect of this long war and allow your characters to survive, fight, or fall in battle. If your protagonist is an officer in the war, you might need to include a description of a certain situation or a historical detail. If your novel is based on real events, use historical fact to back up what your character is saying.
Character development within a fictional work normally occurs off stage, only revealed towards the end of the story. However, in a fiction novel, the characters are allowed to develop over time. This gives the reader a view of how the characters see the world, and what drives them on. Characters who are not developing properly will feel very weak, and readers will lose interest if they don’t feel the character is real.
Most fiction novels follow a typical format, consisting of a beginning, middle, and end. Each novel will have at least one main conflict, usually relating to a specific character, and several minor conflicts that develop throughout the novel. In many fantasy novels, however, the novel may simply take place in a universe where magic is common.
Historical fiction can be tricky to write. You must first set up the background, such as the period of time in question. Next, you need to create your characters. Finally, you must let your characters overcome their conflicts, usually by making a personal sacrifice. Although historical fiction does not always have a clear resolution, it can provide excellent material for your written work.
