Comments on: Six top tips for writing historical fiction

By: Luccia Gray

Luccia Gray — Wed, 11 May 2016 14:03:30 +0000

Great tips:) I write Victorian fiction and what concerns me most is ‘information dumping’. I need to give information readers aren’t aware of but need to know, like how long it took to travel from Yorkshire to London, in a subtle way…

By: Author Tips on Writing Historical Fiction | A Writer of History

Author Tips on Writing Historical Fiction | A Writer of History — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 13:34:18 +0000

[…] 6 Top Tips for Writing Historical Fiction by Dinah Jeffries author of The Tea Planter’s Wife […]

By: Misty Urban

Misty Urban — Sat, 19 Sep 2015 21:55:25 +0000

I entirely agree! Your fifth tip is what most frustrates me about some books of historical fiction, especially it feels like modern characters simply playing dress up. (Doesn’t stop me from reading historical fiction, but still disappoints me.) I especially like your point about distinguishing between accuracy and authenticity. I’m preparing to lead some workshops on writing historical fiction, so I’m happy to know that my own strategies are in tune with that of the pros. Thanks!

By: Alison

Alison — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 14:02:54 +0000

Nicely illustrated. The goal is to make the characters live natural lives in their environment, whether historical or off-world.

By: Cynthia Robertson

Cynthia Robertson — Mon, 18 May 2015 16:17:17 +0000

All good points.
It’s a matter of speculation how people from past times thought, though, and we must remember that there have always been those people who were forward thinkers, even in their times.

By: Pick of the Twitter: January, 2015 | Annie Daylon

Pick of the Twitter: January, 2015 | Annie Daylon — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 13:57:54 +0000

[…] Top Tips for writing Historical Fiction by @DinahJefferies via @WomenWriters […]

By: Charli Mills

Charli Mills — Tue, 30 Dec 2014 07:06:35 +0000

Practical tips and an interesting read! Thank you!

By: JL Oakley

JL Oakley — Mon, 29 Dec 2014 03:25:08 +0000

All good points. Like the way you introduced each point with anecdote. I also am careful to give secondary characters some of the worst aspects of a time and place. Modern readers want their heroes to be heroes, with faults that aren’t too hard to overcome or turn off the reader right off the bat.

By: Dinah Jefferies

Dinah Jefferies — Tue, 23 Dec 2014 10:04:49 +0000

In reply to Caryl McAdoo. Thank you Caryl. So glad to hear you liked the article and I agree - doing the research is wonderfully rewarding. Dinah.

By: Caryl McAdoo

Caryl McAdoo — Sun, 21 Dec 2014 14:56:24 +0000

Hello, Dinah,
Thank you very much for a right-on article! I, too, write historical fiction and agree with every point! Though in school I was never a history buff, I find that I absolutely love the research necessary to right a true-to-life story, digging for the slang words of the period, the clothes, and daily news. Your books sound awesome. Blessings from Texas!