Non-fiction historical novels...How?

beachbum21k · Nov 9, 2016

This may not apply to pieces about personal experiences or some self help projects but I have been googling and googling about this and I thought that I'd check here.
I'm not currently writing a non-fiction but I've toyed around with the idea. I know that some people do interviews but a lot of authors use a lot of research.

I don't understand how books can present facts without providing direct sources for each fact. How do you write a book and call it your own when you get most of the information in it from other sources? I'm thinking about historical non-fiction novels like Sea-biscuit and the Devil in the White city.

Is it really just the way that the information is provided?

Myrealana · Nov 9, 2016

I think the basis of a non-fiction novel is that you take real historic events and people, but fictionalize their interactions, conversations, tone, etc.

Books like "In Cold Blood" take the facts of events, and without changing them, add details, possibly unknowable details, to create a narrative structure for true events.

dinky_dau · Nov 9, 2016

beachbum21k said:
I know that some people do interviews but a lot of authors use a lot of research.

I don't understand how books can present facts without providing direct sources for each fact. How do you write a book and call it your own when you get most of the information in it from other sources?

To me, each segment or portion of the above questions--as they are phrased--represents perhaps a small misunderstanding about research and how research works. I assure you there are iron-clad rules about citation and the process of 'deriving' one work from another. If you clarify your question I'm sure we can satisfy you?

cornflake · Nov 9, 2016

beachbum21k said:
This may not apply to pieces about personal experiences or some self help projects but I have been googling and googling about this and I thought that I'd check here.
I'm not currently writing a non-fiction but I've toyed around with the idea. I know that some people do interviews but a lot of authors use a lot of research.

I don't understand how books can present facts without providing direct sources for each fact. How do you write a book and call it your own when you get most of the information in it from other sources? I'm thinking about historical non-fiction novels like Sea-biscuit and the Devil in the White city.

Is it really just the way that the information is provided?

I think part of the issue may be with how you're thinking of it, which is reflected in the title. There's no such thing as a non-fiction historical novel. It's either non-fiction or a novel.

A historical novel is not required to have all its facts correct, or cited -- it's a novel. A work of non fiction is.

AW Admin · Nov 9, 2016

cornflake said:
I think part of the issue may be with how you're thinking of it, which is reflected in the title. There's no such thing as a non-fiction historical novel. It's either non-fiction or a novel.

A historical novel is not required to have all its facts correct, or cited -- it's a novel. A work of non fiction is.

Yep. This.

veinglory · Nov 10, 2016

As soon as you start to describe actual scenes you depart from known historical fact, even if you are trying to recreate it as much as possible. So a novel trying to stick as close to the truth as possible, is still a novel.

Non-fiction historical novels...How?

beachbum21k

I'm tired

Myrealana

I aim to misbehave

dinky_dau

Cowabunga!

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

AW Admin

veinglory

volitare nequeo