“You don’t have to be a historian to write historical fiction. But you DO have to care enough to get the big stuff right and the small stuff interesting.”

— L.A. Walton, The Book Maven

Historical fiction exists in a beautiful, terrifying gray zone between ‘this actually happened’ and ‘I made some of this up.’ The challenge is making the reader trust you with both. Get the history wrong, and readers who KNOW will lose all faith in your story. Get it too right, and you’ve written a textbook, not a novel.

The Historical Fiction Balance Sheet

Get This RIGHTYou Can Fudge ThisNever Do This
Major historical events and timelines.Exact dialogue (nobody recorded it).Rewrite history without acknowledging it.
Technology and inventions of the period.Minor characters and their backstories.Give characters modern sensibilities without reason.
Social norms and power structures.Exact weather on a specific day.Use anachronistic language carelessly.
Geography and place names.Interior thoughts of real figures.Ignore marginalized voices of the era.
Consequences of real decisions.Composite characters for narrative flow.Romanticize oppression or brutality.

Research Tips That Won’t Derail Your Writing

  1. Set a research deadline. Research for X weeks, then START WRITING. You can fill gaps during revision.
  2. Focus on sensory details. What did the era smell like? Sound like? Taste like? These details create immersion.
  3. Read primary sources. Diaries, letters, and newspapers from the era are gold. They capture voice and perspective.
  4. Hire a sensitivity reader AND a historical consultant. Fresh eyes catch errors your research-brain missed.
  5. Include an author’s note. Tell readers where you took liberties. They’ll respect the transparency.

Your Move, Creative

Pick one scene in your historical fiction project. Fact-check the three most specific details in it. Then add one sensory detail you discovered in your research. History comes alive through specificity.

Stop letting your stories stay stuck.