I have a question about writing historical fiction....?

Question

I am currently writing a historical fiction novel, and have come up with a couple of questions:
1) Can the book be about a real time period with a made up monarch?
2) Can the book be about a real monarch, just with different events in his/her life? (Some major some minor.) It's almost as if I'm giving them a new life!

Thanks guyz.

So can I have a time period and a common person and a monarch from a distant far away land that in "untitled"?

Answer 1

Both of the situations you mentioned are a part of speculative fiction, not historical fiction. Historical fiction, as someone else has already mentioned, does not alter the course of history, nor does it change documented events or people. Most historical fiction features fictional people around the events, but not involved with the events, or if they are, the author is able to provide a credible reason why they haven't been documented as having been involved. Basically, the historical event is the setting, or template, for the fictional lives of the characters in the novel.

Historical fiction requires an enormous amount of research, and anyone not willing to do it should not attempt it. Believe me, historical fiction has a lot of fans, and they know when the author has no clue what he/she is talking about.

However, if you wanted to do a bit of speculative historical fiction, you might try to delve into the minds and motivations of the historical characters. For example, perhaps you might explore the story behind Abe Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation; the turmoil he must have been under psychologically, what the wife thought, etc. In other words, explore the "behind closed doors" events surrounding the public and documented events. (This still involves an enormous amount of research, though, so it's not for the faint of heart.)

Answer 2

Sure you can. The Mummy (both the 1930's and 1990's remake) were both written about a real pharoah named: Imhotep.

My first novel Spook Rock was written about a real place in upstate NY and had historical facts about the witch trials of New England.

You just need to be careful about people who are still alive and kicking. That's where research in writing comes along.

Of course there's always a blurb similar to this that states:

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of person's living or dead are strictly by coincidence. All person's, places and dialogue are a product of the author's imagination.

Answer 3

To be called "historical" fiction, the author stays carefully within actual time-lines and well-know events. Historical characters can be put through fictitious events that weave realistically into actual historical events. An OUTSTANDING example of this is author Nicholas Meyers' story, "Seven-Percent Soultion." Rent the movie sometime. It's very entertaining. Meyers uses Arthur Conan Doyle's characters, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, in a realistic, historical period piece that revolves around Sigmund Freud!

Answer 4

1. yes. it can even be in a real time period with a made up country.
2. not exactly. at that point you're doing what the musical dream girls did. taking the life of someone famous (in this case diana ross) and fictionalizing/theorizing on it. change the name, but be open about which historical figure your character was inspired from.

Answer 5

you may desire to do it on the assasination of President Lincoln from john wilx sales area's attitude? or consistent with hazard something on the subject of the twin Towers from a workers attitude interior the Pentagon?

Answer 6

If you do either of those things, it's no longer "historical", it's an "alternative history".

Answer 7

You can write anything you want to, that's why it's called fiction.

Answer 8

you can do whatever you want man