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Historical Fiction: Minor Details to Consider

An introduction for creative writers to the minor details that matter in historical fiction.
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Created by kpatterson

Published on Feb 3, 2025
a fountain pen on a pad of paper
Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Writing historical fiction makes me wish we had time machines. Wouldn't that make all the research easier? Imagine seeing the glimmer of dancing ballrooms, hearing the gruff voices of ancient rulers and tasting the air of the past. This genre involves mixing facts with your own imagination and can be a combination of interests for the history geeks. Myself included. However, getting stuck in to your plot comes with a set of challenges unique to this area. Here's where you could start!

Time Period

Consider the time period. The setting will mean a lot for your story in terms of what characters can/can't access, where they can visit and their culture. Why does your story need to be set during that time? It should be relevant to the plot. For example, a book about broken alliances set during a war. Could your story be set during any century? Figure out why your plot requires that time period and how the particular challenges of that time (social beliefs, historical events, lack of technology) can be used as instruments to progress your plot. One exercise could be writing a short version of your story set during a different time. It might flow more naturally that way.

Clothes and Objects

What clothes would they wear? Someone living in the 1500s (probably) wouldn't wear trainers. Try researching the formal and everyday attire of people. Remember that characters will wear different clothes depending on their class and their outfit can be very reflective of their status in society. Use this to show their standing and not tell the reader directly. 

Similarly, think about the objects that they carry. Would they have a satchel instead of a backpack? Letters and not a phone? If this is an epic novel would they have old-fashioned weapons? This could lead to considering their methods of communication and the limits that they face compared to today. 

Language

Your cast may not speak in thee’s and thou’s purely because a reader might not understand, but you can consider how they do speak. Perhaps they aren't entirely Old English but are very formal and use high-level vocabulary to remind readers of their era. There is beauty in the ancient ways of speaking but remember your audience. Are they teenagers or kids? Even adults? Would they be able to grasp that speech for an entire book? You could add a mixture of modern and old language. In my historical fantasy novel, I tried to maintain a balance of formal English with modern ways of speaking to simultaneously remind the reader that the main characters were teenagers and that they lived centuries ago. 

Laws and Society

The culture surrounding your protagonist will inevitably impact them. Consider the expectations of your time period. For example, how were women treated? Would certain characters have advantages over others? Are any of them influenced by stereotypes or prejudice? Reflect on whether your characters oppose the tacit societal beliefs or conform to them. In terms of the law, certain rules might have applied then that no longer apply today. Moreover, historical events most likely occurred during that year. Research your location and the major parts of history. These could be defining moments for the life of your protagonist. 

Names

What names were popular back then? This is one of my favourite parts of plotting as a self-proclaimed ‘name geek.’ You might name your characters based on meaning, style or simply how the name sounds but do consider the period. Biblical or traditional names might have been the most popular back then and while this shouldn't stop you from picking a name you love, think about how fitting your selection is. Could you give your character a fancy full name but a trendy nickname? Certain names are specific to a location or time period so research the religious, social, and cultural context. For instance, you should consider whether religious names were mandatory, if naming after relatives was a common practice, and if names were typically derived from traditional languages.

Jobs and Hobbies

Finally, what jobs were popular then? What hobbies would they have had? This sounds obvious until you accidentally write about a 15th-century character making videos. Be careful, but remember that every historical fiction writer gets too focused on their own century at times and forgets these minor details. Would your characters enjoy fencing or wrestling or sewing? Pastimes like writing and reading could suit the vast majority of time periods but that still depends on the context like every aspect of historical works. Remember that your protagonist’s job and hobbies must be a factor that progresses their story and character development, or at least tell the reader something about their personality or background. 

Once you've sorted out the history, write your story. Historical fiction can be fascinating and stressful (both are perfectly normal) but the pressure should ease when you're nearly an expert on your period. If you haven't tried this genre before, consider one area of history that you love and enter that world. 

You might find yourself in a mental time machine. 

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