Not long to go! Masterclass on Historical Fiction

 

I’m furiously prepping for the masterclass on How to Write Historical Fiction, which I’m running with (mainly interviewing!) Emma Darwin.

 

I’ve written two historical fiction novels, Sugar Island and The Priest and the Lily, so I’m no stranger to the months (years?!) of research it can take to make a story feel authentic – and yet you don’t want your reader to feel as if they’re wading through the entire British Library as they delve into your book. You simply want to immerse the reader in another time and place…

 

 

 

I’ve been reading Emma’s new book, The Bruegel Boy, as well as her text book (which I’d highly recommend getting) Get Started in Historical Fiction, as well as reading some beautiful historical novels, including The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell.

7-8.30 pm GMT Wednesday 26 November

You can book on Luma: https://luma.com/0m0ddh4y

We’ll be discussing:

• What makes historical fiction resonate with modern readers
• How to balance research with storytelling
• Create authentic characters and dialogue
• Find the right voice for your period
• Avoid common pitfalls in the genre
• Why and how Emma set about writing a novel set in the 16th century Low Countries (the forthcoming The Bruegel Boy) – and what happened when she did.

There will be plenty of time for questions, and you’ll also get a take-home handout with tips and practical exercises to develop your own writing.

Hope to see you there!

PS You might be interested in this post:

How to hook a reader from the very start of your novel