Aline Soules

Poet and Fiction Writer

Aline Soules

World Building in Historical Fiction

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Every fiction writer engages in world building, the creation of a fictional universe in order to make their work believable for the reader. This is particularly critical for historical fiction writers who write a fine line between the real and the unreal. Their stories may be fiction, but those stories are set in real worlds of the past. Below are some particularly useful online articles to help with that process.

Tim Weed (https://timweed.net/essays-articles/on-the-writing-craft/narrative-as-time-machine-five-tools-for-world-building-in-historical-fiction/) discusses five world building tools, with examples: vivid descriptions of nature, accurate portrayal of recognizable human emotions, incorporating the exotic, defamiliarization, and using period details sparingly.

On Reedsy (https://blog.reedsy.com/worldbuilding-historical-fiction/), a selection of authors talk about elements that they have found helpful in creating a historical world.

David Gaughran (https://davidgaughran.com/2011/11/13/incorporating-historical-figures-into-a-narrative/) discusses the challenges of incorporating historical figures into a narrative and, in a later post (https://davidgaughran.com/2011/11/25/world-building-in-historical-fiction/) offers a perspective on world building and point of view, discussing why he chose third person omniscient point of view for his novel, A Storm Hits Valparaiso.

And, in my last post, I referenced M. K. Tod (https://awriterofhistory.com/tag/world-building-in-historical-fiction/) and her seven elements of historical fiction, one of which is world building.

In an interview, Jenny Davidson wrote: “Your world will inevitably be colored by other fictional worlds that you’ve encountered… but try to go back to the ‘real stuff’ for your world-building, i.e., your own imagination plus historical materials” (https://www.creative-writing-now.com/world-building.html), succinct advice I find helpful.

I know the importance of world building, but it’s easy to let it recede to the back of my mind as I focus on other elements of my novel–characters, plot, and so on. As I work through my current novel, set in WWII, I go back to these writers’ posts periodically to re-set my focus on this all-important element.


Historical Fiction Elements

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In historical fiction, a story is made up but is set in the past and sometimes borrows true characteristics of the time period in which it is set. That story can appear in movies, novels, even poetry (e.g., Omeros, by Derek Walcott, or Brébeuf and His Brethren, by E.J. Pratt). One of the most succinct blog posts on the elements of historical fiction was written by M. K. Tod in 2015, 7 Elements of Historical Fiction (https://bit.ly/2ChaCo1).

Many of the elements she describes are applicable to all story making–plot, character, dialogue, and so forth–but one is particularly interesting for this story genre, namely “world building.” Of course, all stories have “worlds”, but historical fiction calls for a world that requires extensive research into what Tod says are “the customs, social arrangements, family environment, governments, religious structures, international alliances, military actions, physical geography, layouts of towns and cities, and politics of the time.” She then quotes Harry Sidebottom, author of Warrior of Rome:

“The past is another country, they not only do things differently there, they think about things differently.”

She continues by listing an extensive list of “topics” to consider when conducting research into the period of your story (please see Tod’s post for the list).

Among the comments is one by “jazzfeathers”, who basically expressed concern about lecturing rather than presenting the historical setting, but also commenting that, sometimes, readers would like to be lectured. In response to the dilemma of how much historical “fact” to include, Tod compared  Conn Iggulden, who is sparing, to Sharon Kay Penman, who includes extensive historical fact. 

Finding the balance in any writing is never easy, but I recommend Tod’s post and subsequent discussion. It may be four years old, but it’s timeless.

The Research Dilemma

Magnifying glass
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Until I retired to write, I spent my formal working life as an academic librarian.  As part of that job, I engaged in research and writing, along with helping others in their research and writing work. I regularly faced this question:  If I don’t find what I’m looking for, is it because it isn’t there or did I miss it?

This dilemma is less intense for fiction writers, even historical fiction writers, because we aren’t conducting original research that must be complete and accurate or where results will affect life and death decisions, but we still face the same dilemma.  If our work doesn’t come across to the reader as ‘authentic,’ the fictive dream is broken and the reader’s gone. That requires extensive and intensive research.

There are also certain historical periods that are fanatically known and researched by professionals and amateurs alike. Examples include the American Civil War and World War II.  If a devotee disagrees with the tiniest fact that we’ve researched and swear is correct, he/she/ey can pillory us in a review that goes viral.  Readers will accept fictional characters, but any real characters, the setting, the details must be as accurate as possible.

One of my adult students wrote about his favorite books by Mary Renault.  She wrote fictional novels set in ancient Rome and Greece, a period he enjoys and he’s a fan, partly because she wrote good stories and partly because she conveys the authenticity that comes from a deep knowledge the period. Her main characters were fictional, the rest was not.

I can think of other fiction writers who carry that same authenticity.  I am not a huge fan of historical romance, but I’ll read a book by Georgette Heyer anytime.  She knew the manners, the culture, the diction of the historical periods where she set her books.  

I was born in Scotland. Well-meaning acquaintances will draw my attention to historical fiction set there.  Once, I was offered a book set in 16thcentury Scotland. I began reading, but gave up when I encountered dialogue that included the phrase “No problem” in response to a favor one character had bestowed upon another.  I found this so egregious, I couldn’t continue.

When I get discouraged about my research—just one more fact, just one more book to read—I remind myself that my goal is to transport my reader to another time and place, as well as tell the reader a story.  I think about the phrase “no problem,” and I return to my research with renewed vigor.


The Joy of Year-End Lists

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Although some people lists annoying, I revel in year-end lists, especially of books. What have I read? Not read? Do I agree with the list? Do I not? It’s like being given the mast of a ship against which I can test my sails. Even a month into the new year, I still go back to the lists. Here are some to consider:

you get the idea. There’s plenty of overlap, but that, too, is one of the good things about these lists. The overlap is instructive, whether it shows popularity or reader interest or just plain great writing. That’s what to look for, if you’re a writer. The great writing. Have at ’em.

“Truth” and “Fictive Truth” in Historical Fiction

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Writing fiction means making choices, but historical fiction adds another dimension to that process. So far, I’ve read well over a hundred history books about the period in which my novel is set (World War II). I’ve been warned that fans of WWII historical novels will find every error I might make, anything that isn’t “true.” Yet, this is fiction and I am making choices that are bound to introduce non-truths because they are made-up people. What I aim for is the “ring of truth,” what’s believable, expecting that it will carry “fictive” truth and that the details that are true will allow the reader to stay in the fictive dream I create. Thinking about this made me look up the definition of these words and phrases.

Starting with “truth,” I discovered that many of the definitions included the word that was being defined, e.g., “the quality or state of being true.” Finding this unsatisfactory, I looked at the suggested synonyms: veracity, truthfulness, verity, sincerity, candor, honesty, genuineness. That helped. But another definition provided something closer to what I hope to achieve, i.e., “that which is true or in accordance with fact and reality.” While the focus is still on truth as “the fact of the matter” and “what actually/really happened” and “the case,” the phrase “in accordance with fact and reality” spoke to me.

I may not offer 100% of “the facts,” because I’m not writing a history, but I do aspire to offer a story that is “in accordance with fact and reality” to offer a form of “truth” that is inherent in the plot of the story (the foundation of which is actually “a reported fact”) and, more importantly, in the characters, their relationships, and the way they deal with what’s around them.

The third definition I encountered was “a fact or belief that is accepted as true.” The plot of my story is “a reported fact,” but it was reported by one individual to another and the second person told me the story, making it third-hand. This immediately calls into question what the first person said and didn’t say, what the second person said and didn’t say, and what I, the third person, remembers and doesn’t remember. What’s left out is often as important as what’s included. Yet, in all three cases, the story is “accepted as true.

Next is the definition of the phrase “fictive truth.” Willow Naomi Curry wrote “that fictive truth allows one to explore possibilities and dive into motivations that literal truth can only speculate about. Rather than simply reflecting reality, fiction can reach into its mysterious, hidden, contradictory depths and bring them into the light. In a way, it becomes truer than the truth” (https://medium.com/@willathewisp/what-cat-person-taught-me-about-writing-reading-and-the-infinite-potential-of-fiction-580614541162). I agree, but the key phrase is “in a way.” Is it “truer than the truth” in a way? Or is it simply how one person sees or thinks about what is “true”?

The concept of truth is a slippery slope. In my historical novel, I want to be “true” to facts, as much as I can, but I also know that I can never be entirely true to those facts and that my interest really lies in the exploration of those “mysterious, hidden contradictory depths” that Curry describes.