Researching and Writing Historical Fiction – Opening Doors to the Past
Instructor: Cindy Vallar
Active Class Dates: October 1-31, 2019
Cost: TBM Members: $25, Non-Members: $30
To Register: https://thebeaumonde.com/classes
Registration closes Oct 4th, 2019
One of the first books Cindy Vallar remembers reading was Marie McSwigan’s Snow Treasure, the story of how Norwegian children ferried gold bars on their sleds under the noses of the Nazis to a ship waiting to take the gold to America for safekeeping. That book was a childhood favorite, and from then on, she loved reading books set in times past. When she first decided to write a story, it had to be a historical novel. Back then she had no idea what that entailed, but luckily she became a librarian and acquired the skills she needed to research the stories she now writes.
The purpose of this workshop is to share some tricks librarians know and a variety of resources writers of historical fiction need to craft stories that transport readers back in time. We will:
- examine what historical fiction is and why research is important
- explore fact versus fiction and incorporating real life into a fictional tale
- discuss different kinds of resources and what types of information a historical novelist needs to write a convincing snapshot of the past
- create the time and place so the reader finds herself/himself somewhere in the past, rather than the present
- learn what can destroy that sense of time and place.
Workshop participants will examine the pros and cons of various issues related to the writing of historical fiction and its subgenres; knowing whether there’s too much or not enough historical detail in the story; and how to evaluate whether a resource contains quality information or just a lot of quantity. A variety of activities reinforce what’s covered in the class. At the end of the workshop, Cindy will provide a free edit of a chapter from participants’ manuscripts.
Past Workshop Participants’ Comments:
Your course presented what I as a writer wanted to know about the times—not just straight history. – Judith Hanes
Your course has been extraordinary to say the least. Thank you for the extensive information and feedback you’ve offered. – Kathleen Kirwood, His Fair Lady (Signet)
Your ability to put a lot of information in a succinct and entertaining fashion is truly amazing. – Elizabeth Bryant
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For information about becoming a Regency Academe presenter or submitting a workshop proposal, contact our Academe Coordinator, Courtney Scalo at academe@thebeaumonde.com.
For more general information about The Beau Monde chapter’s Regency Academe and upcoming Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 classes, visit: https://thebeaumonde.com/resources/academe.