writing historical fictions

[Smiley]

okay so I want to write a historical fiction

I really want to write the victorian or maybe a little later set in England

but besides that, I don’t know what I’m doing XD

I love Downton Abbey, and I want to do something similar to that

like showing the different classes and their struggles

but I don’t know where to start on research or even figure out my story

so any help would be wonderful

Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-Thorne

[hybridlore]

@smiley

Welllll I don’t know much about historical fiction, but @freedomwriter76 might be able to help!

I would try to find some similar books, and then takes notes off what they did, and of course research. Maybe Mistborn?

I’m happy to help brainstorm if you want help with other stuff, though!

 

"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12

[Anonymous]

@smiley

*SQUEALS*

Historical Fiction is the most fun genre out there!!!! (no offense to anyone who writes something different 🤪😂)

Soooo…I don’t write in that era (i have one WIP idea tho 😉) but I do know a thing or two about research 😀

(i’m gonna copy some advice I gave Esther a while back, lol!)

 

1. Books. Books. Books! I cannot count the History books I have gotten over the years from the library. History books/biographies/autobiographies are wonderful resources, but again, be cautious and alert, as History has been tried to be rewritten in recent years. One of my favorite Historical Fiction authors, Jayna Baas, has recommended to me to read history books that are both modern and old, as modern books may try to rewrite history, whilst older ones can over-glorify people and events. So, she said to read both, as balance is key! So, try to find a good library close to you. (or get Ebooks if you like those more. 🙂 ) Ask them for books on the Victorian era or look at their catalogue yourself, and I’m serious when I say get as many books as you can. Books are always my number one resource for researching because they can be filled with soooo much information. Even though it can sometimes feel like a pain, it’s always worth it in the end. 😉

And a few tips on books:

Check the bibliography. Chances are, especially if you’re reading an actual History book, there will be a bibliography, which will contain the sources the writer used for their History book, which means that it will likely contain more and maybe even better resources for you to look into, though not all History books have these, so you won’t always be able to check it.

Check the notes/footnotes. Like the bibliography, the notes/footnotes will usually list sources that the writer used and possibly lead you to even better resources.

 

2. Internet. Just like books, the internet can be a great resource for getting information. Although personally, I always head for books first, but it’s always up to your opinion. But again, just like with books, always be cautious, vigilant, and alert, and if you have a question about something that may not seem right about History, talk to someone you trust and find other resources to see if that really is true or not. And that’s one key note: Please, please, PLEASE don’t use Wikipedia. It is not a trusted resource for Historical facts. However, you can look at the endnotes, and, you guessed it, again find resources that were used. XD

And a few notes for this.

Always use trusted Historical websites. History.com is one example. But again, use your discretion and the holy spirit when researching about truly anything!
Again, read endnotes! You never know what resources you’ll find!

 

And a few other things to add:

Stay true to the time. Now, this doesn’t exactly mean that your characters need to say and believe in everything people did then, however, it does mean that their life, their culture, the community and world around them will affect the way they think. (And trust me, even for me, it’s been a struggle to try to let go of some of my beliefs to keep my characters and story true to the time) @gracie-j wrote a wonderful article that puts that and a few other things way better than I could. XD https://kingdompen.org/faith-in-your-historical-fiction/

Don’t be afraid to let your research change your story. This one has also been a struggle of mine, but in the end, it makes your historical fiction all the richer. I’ve had to change some parts of my story so it would be historically accurate, but in the end, it often made my story better.

[Anonymous]

@smiley

And as for coming up with a story idea, what I usually do is find a specific historical event (be it a war, one battle, the culture of that time, etc.) and build a story off of that!

I usually come up with the characters first, (be sure you try to use names that aren’t too modern, btw XXD) but the plot pretty quickly follows, even if it’s changed after time.

 

Considering what you want to write about, I would HIGHLY recommend reading the book “Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London” by Andrea Warren, a book about Charles Dickens, his life/books, and it also has a lot of information on what life was like in the Victorian Era. You could also research about George Müller, an evangelist in the Victorian Era who also started the orphanage system to help orphaned children!

 

showing the different classes and their struggles

You could do this in a lot of ways!

You could have 1 MC be poor, whilst the other is rich.

You could show how the rich went to schools (although they were horrid) and how the poor had to work. (often in factories, selling wares on street corners, chimney sweeps, etc…poor people (especially children) were treated VERY horribly in the Victorian age 😔😢)

 

You could also have a character that’s poor (or rich) but their circumstances change over time (kinda like Charles Dickens).

Either way, there are many possibilities. If you ever need some info or someone to help you brainstorm, don’t hesitate to tag me 😉

[Smiley]

@freedomwriter76

Wow I can tell who’s the historian writer XD

But this was immensely helpful

and I can’t thank you enough

I’m thinking about like Downton Abbey, having my story take place right after the Titanic

especially because England was affected quite a bit since it was mostly English people on the boat

And WWII would be right around the corner

this era has always fascinated me, and I find it so intriguing and rich to learn about

Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-Thorne

[Anonymous]

@smiley is it really that obvious??? 😂😂🤪 Glad I could help!! 💖

That’d be a fun time period to do, for sure!!! it is an interesting time period. Not one of my favs, but still, all of history is interesting in it’s own way!!!

[Allison]

@smiley

Yay! I’m so glad you made this! I am trying to write a historical fiction book (after my WIP) I have a plan for it though. Its about a lady who lives in NY in 1899. I have done a lot of research so far online, but I have been looking for a book in the library, but haven’t found anything but children’s books, (Those are pretty helpful also). @freedomwriter76 do you have any suggestions on books?

My book takes place sometimes on a train, and sometimes in Jades house. To find old houses I go to “Circa old houses” It is a website that sells very old houses, some original. Looking at those helps me see what they looked like back then and give you a ton more information, like you can pretend your character lives in it and use the plans (f it has it) to design your house!

I hope that helps!

"Would you kindly...?"

[Smiley]

@hybridlore @acancello @freedomwriter76

Ahem

I have the blurb of the story… but I still have so much more to figure out

so any ideas or tips would be amazing

here are the characters and the blurb is below

this takes place in Manchester England

Harrison family

Kate: Oldest, but won’t inherit, falls for a boy, who drowns on the Titanic, gentle and ladylike

James: Air to the estate, and works beside his father, falls for a girl who’s quite different, caring and compassionate

Anna: the youngest, but is the wildest, hates to be proper, much prefers to speak her opinion, loves to live in the moment, doesn’t get along with her conservative father

Elizabeth: John’s wife, and strong Christian, hoping to lead her children the right way and is always a moral support for them

John: the head of the household and the earl of the Harrison estate, hoping the best for his children, he teaches his son how to run the estate, and pushes his daughters to fall for respectful and powerful men, sometimes losing sight of God in his own plans

The Clarks family

Rose: the daughter of poor but loving parents, she has always known what’s right and what’s wrong, and has always trusted in the Lord’s goodness. Her mother had died of smallpox only two years prior, and her father was tragically on the Titanic as a worker, and dies of hypothermia, leaving her and her brother orphans

Joseph: After losing their father, it becomes clear that they only have each other, and both take jobs at the Harrisons’ estate. Trusting in God, they both learn about the Harrisons’ family and their own struggles

 

The Harrison family is in complete dismay after the Titanic sinking and with the feminist movement, and the workers’ movement affecting their daily life, it’s hard to know where to go. 

Kate is losing sight of God in her overwhelming grief. And she feels that her fiance’s death was downgraded by the business behind the engagement. Now her father is pushing eligible men on her, want thing the best for her, but not understanding how much grief came with his death. 

Rose is the new lady’s maid to Anna and Kate, and keeping up with the two has proven immensely difficult. Both are so different but both are so stubborn, and both are trying to make a name for themselves. Rose is just the poor maid, dressing the two in diamonds and gold jewelry. She struggles to see God in any of her life, but as she sees Kate’s grief and Anna’s personality slowly being put out by her father, she starts to understand that’s she not here just to be a lady’s maid. 

But there’s one problem, the difference between classes makes things so much harder for her to help them in the ways they need it. 

 

 

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by Smiley.

Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-Thorne

[Smiley]

@hybridlore @acancello @freedomwriter76

Also just to note, the blurb is very rough and there’s a lot more story XD I just couldn’t cover it all

also, I came up with two more charries

Florence: the youngest maid in the Harrison Estate, she works as a kitchen maid. With a bright attitude and a hopeful spirit, she leans on only herself. Not knowing the Lord, she feels alone a lot of the time but finds comfort in Joseph and Rose the new hands. Both showed her a type of love she hadn’t ever seen before. The love of Christ. She’s an orphan and is only age eleven

Richard: Perhaps the rudest man in the servants’ family. He’s very much slimy and always scheming Valet. He knows he has one of the best positions in the house and treats everyone as lower than him. He bullies and teases everyone, especially Joseph and Florence.

 

 

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by Smiley.

Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-Thorne

[Allison]

@smiley

Wow! I love them all! He drowns on the titanic?! That would be so cool to write/read! I also found that reading some “Dear America” Books (usually found at the library) help me see what the time you are looking at was like (They are fiction, so also do your own research!)

"Would you kindly...?"

[hybridlore]

@smiley

Aww, so sad!! I love it so far though! 😭

"Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out." Eccl. 12:12

[Anonymous]

@smiley aww, I love it!!!! 💖💖💖💖

[Smiley]

@acancello

Thanks

I’ll have to check them out

@freedomwriter76 @hybridlore

Awww Thanks guy

I really love this story XD

And uh… I already started writing a Marvel Victorian times AU XD

I’ll rant about it later today or tomorrow XD

Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-Thorne

[Anonymous]

@smiley

You’re very welcome!!! 💖💖💖

 

And uh… I already started writing a Marvel Victorian times AU XD

 

🤪

YOU DID!?!?!?

(why am I not surprised?? 😂😂)

 

do tell me more at some point!!! ahhhhh!!!!

[Smiley]

Okay so I just put in a lot of research about WWII

mostly about Poland and other countries invaded by Germany, and that has to be the most overwhelming and saddest research I’ve ever done

I’ve obviously heard about the holocaust and stuff, but it’s just so hard to grasp that people had to live through that

But now I have ideas for some historical fiction…

Do me a favor…. Tell Cress I meant it
-Thorne

[Author]

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