Writing Historical Fiction
Westerns, Romance, Action, Adventure, Thrillers, and Mystery Guides
Aug 3, 2008
Although A Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1880"s by Marc McCrutcheon primarily deals with information about the 1800's, it also serves as a guide to writing about any historical period. The book is divided into fifteen chapters covering specific categories to be authenticated. Each one adds color, depth and realism to any fictional setting.
Writing Historical Fiction Categories
History writing categories include:
- Popular slang, colloquialisms, swear words, taboo words, and euphemisms, some used by the upper classes and lower classes and those in between.
- Driving customs, types of vehicles such as carriages, coaches, wagons, railroads, boats, roads and waterways.
- Homes including furniture, types of houses, lighting methods, decorations and housekeeping methods.
- Clothing and fashion such as styles for men and women, footwear, hats, accessories and hairstyles.
- Occupations such as jobs for men and women and working conditions.
- Money and coinage as to the types of currencies and their values.
- Health, medicine and hygiene including common illnesses and treatments, the medical profession and medicines.
- Food, drink and tobacco cover common foods, types of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks and regional favorites.
- Amusements in games, sports, shows, theater, popular pastimes, gambling, music, musical instruments,and popular dances.
- Courtship and marriage include dating, sex, sexual attitudes, wedding customs and honeymoons.
- Crime and criminals, crime slang and common punishments.
- Other historical details include books and magazines of the time, religion and politics.
Writing Historical Fiction Fact Checking
McCutchen advises that facts should be double checked before being included in the work. Reference books can provide cross-checking to verify facts and dates. One small error in a date or place can lose the confidence of an editor, reviewer or reader.
Writing Historical Fiction Research Using the Internet
Although this classic book depends upon print sources for documentation, today the Internet provides faster access to references. However in some cases, there is a conflict between entries. No writer should depend upon just one entry because inaccuracies do occur. Using the right key words in a search for historical information is vital. For example, it is important to be as specific as possible so that instead of transportation, use “travel by boat” in the appropriate time period.
Writing Historical Fictions Guides
Other books that are helpful to historical writers are:
- New Perspectives on Historical Writing by Peter Burke
- Writing Historical Fiction by Rhona Martin
- Writing Historical Fiction by Marina Oliver
- Telling True Stories: A Nonfiction Writers Guide from the Neiman Foundation at Harvard University by Mark Kramer and Wendy Hall.
There is nothing more important than accuracy when writing historical fiction. Writers who carefully research every fact before including it will earn confidence and a long-lasting reputation among critical readers.
McCutcheon,Marc. The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the 1800's: For Writers of Historical Fiction, Westerns, Romance, Action/adventure, Thrillers and Mysteries. Writer Digest Books, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1997. 308 pages.
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