Ground Rules for Writing Historical Fiction

1. Ground Rules for Writing
Historical Fiction

2. YOUR CHARACTERS VALUES, BELIEFS AND MOTIVATIONS MUST BE EVIDENT
YOU MAY INCLUDE IMAGINARY CHARACTERS
MAJOR EVENTS AND THE STORIES CONTEXT MUST CONFORM TO THE HISTORICAL RECORD (CAN BE
SUPPORTED WITH HISTORICAL SOURCES)
YOUR CHARACTER DOES NOT JUST DESCRIBE EVENTS, BUT PRESENTS THEIR HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

3. Questions to Consider
HOW CAN I USE LANGUAGE AND DIALOGUE TO CREATE AN AUTHENTIC SENSE OF THE TIME PERIOD?
HOW CAN I MAKE MY CHARACTERS AUTHENTIC, WITH PERSPECTIVES THAT REFLECT THE TIME AND
PLACE IN WHICH THEY LIVED?
WHAT EVIDENCE DO I HAVE THAT THIS IS WHAT MY CHARACTERS WOULD BELIEVE OR DO?
WHAT OTHER OPTIONS MIGHT MY CHARACTER HAVE, GIVEN THIS TIME AND SETTING?

4. WHAT IS MY POINT OF VIEW?
FROM WHAT OTHER POINT OF VIEW COULD I HAVE TOLD THIS STORY?
HOW ACCURATE OR PLAUSIBLE IS MY STORY?
HOW DOES MY STORY HELP OTHERS UNDERSTAND THE PAST IN WAYS THAT OTHER SOURCES DO
NOT?

5. Approaching Your Dossier Clues
You got ‘em, now what?
HYPOTHESISE
DEVISE RESEARCH QUESTIONS
USE HISTORICAL RESEARCH TO PROVE YOUR HYPOTHESIS
Gender?
Nationality?
Social Class?
Occupation?
Allies or Axis?
Armed Forces or Civilians?
Religious?
Geographical location?
Personal Moral Code? Belief System
Marital Status? Family?

6. Use this graphic
to guide
your questions

7. Record the Process
Use your blog to record your process, from the most basic of assumptions about your
WW2 identity to the most complex construction, ensure that you are recording your
ideas and research
My blog can be found here: http://msstyles10hg.blogspot.com.au/