Essentials of Historical Fiction

Class Description

Reading historical fiction can be a wonderfully immersive experience, giving us not only gripping stories and characters but also windows into unfamiliar worlds from the past. Writing historical fiction, however, offers a host of genre-specific pitfalls: How do we capture the language and customs of an era without alienating modern readers? How do we incorporate fact with fiction, research with invention? How do we balance the necessities of story-telling with the requirements of world-building? In this seminar, we will focus on the essentials of writing historical fiction, from the challenges of creating approachable dialogue to the best strategies for weaving real-life figures into a fictional story. We will analyze examples from published authors and engage in brainstorming and writing exercises to explore the most important facets of the genre. By the end of the seminar, participants will have gained a thorough grasp on how to write historical fiction that both brings to life past eras and creates brand-new stories for the future.

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.

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