Technique in Historical Fiction - Remote!

In addition to the goal common to most novels – to tell a gripping story featuring compelling characters – historical fiction aims to transport a reader back in time. In this dynamic, text-based seminar, we’ll examine the strategies some of the great historical novelists of the past and present have used to achieve this special method of time travel. We’ll discuss aspects of research, historical accuracy vs artistic integrity, the concept of the Lost World, how to avoid the dreaded “info-dump” and other common historical fiction pitfalls, historical voice and dialogue, world building, and more. Several brief writing exercises will allow participants to hone practical skills in aspects of the craft of historical fiction writing. Authors examined may include Hilary Mantel, Mary Renault, Peter Carey, Leo Tolstoy, Ursula K. Leguin, Amitav Ghosh, Edith Wharton, Toni Morrison, Gore Vidal, Charles Frazier, Mary Renault, Kenneth Roberts, Bernard Cornwell, Dorothy Dunnett, Michael Ondaatje, Leslie Marmon Silko, James Welch, and/or others.

This class will be hosted using live Zoom meetings! You will be able to participate in class via Zoom videoconference from wherever you’re most comfortable. All you’ll need is a laptop or a phone! About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting via Zoom–no need to download anything or sign up for Zoom in advance! If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to reach out to [email protected] for more information.

For a glimpse at how remote learning works, look no further than the deep Zoom discussion of writing and literature below:

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.