Guest Post by Brenda W. Clough - In Victorian Britain, women teetered on the verge of a vast change in the laws that had constrained them since medieval times. This is a quick summary of some of the major legislative gains of that period. The clever author can select the period when the laws would … Continue reading Major Legislative Changes Affecting Women in the 19th Century
Guest Post by Indrani Ganguly - I have enjoyed reading historical novels since I was a child but have only recently started writing my own. Discovering and joining the Historical Novel Society has been invaluable in guiding novices like me on this journey. I decided to attend the 2021 all-virtual North America conference because it … Continue reading Zooming Through Time, Space, and Cultures: What I’ve Gained From HNS Conferences
Guest Post by N. L. Holmes - One of the most important aspects of any novel that aspires to literary quality is the depth of the characterizations. Unless the book is completely plot driven (is there any such book?), it’s through the characters that readers will be able to identify with and be drawn into … Continue reading Writing Historical Characters: Easier or Harder?
Guest Post by Stuart W. Mirsky - Modern film and streaming services have conditioned us to expect nonstop action in our stories, and I'm as addicted to that as anyone. That’s why, when I set out to write my historical novel about the Norse in North America (a fictionalized account of some wayward Greenlanders trying … Continue reading Bringing Norse Sagas to a Contemporary Audience
Guest Post by Deborah L. Williams - “Well, as you revise, think about food, clothing, wine, and gestures,” said my friend Allison. “The manuscript needs more texture.” When Allison talks, I listen. Her book about revision has become my new go-to writing handbook. Texture. The great challenge of writing historical fiction. How do you create texture—the sense … Continue reading Historical Fiction in Four Nouns
