Article on writing historicals from 3 Oz authors
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06-17-2006, 06:38 AM
pdr vbmenu_register("postmenu_652041", true);
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Article on writing historicals from 3 Oz authors
http://www.magpies.net.au/magpies/pu...pagename=MCI_E
Worth a read, especially on the accuracy count!
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Article on writing historicals from 3 Oz authors
Worth a read, especially on the accuracy count!
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06-17-2006, 07:25 AM
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pdr - interesting article. It didn't open in a full window (no scroll bar) so I had to figure out what was on the right side.
I think one of the issues has sort of been addressed on the sci-fi board. In sci-fi, there should be science underlying the story; but at some point the writer can take "writing license" and add incredible things beyond the current science. In historical fiction the issue is more one of fiction vs. non-fiction. In historical fiction the story should have real history (and real historical accoutrements) underlying it; but usually the main characters are fictional and sometimes locations are fictional.
What else can be fictionalized (somewhat in the same manner as sci-fi) and not be fantasy? Here I don't totally agree with the article writers (tomatoes, roses, etc.) We accept what we've been taught about when things were developed - but, in some cases, what we've been taught may not be completely accurate. For example - I learned that a hot fudge sundae was first made for Napoleon who wanted something "hot as summer, cold as winter." Someone made that for him. How do we know that the same someone hadn't made hot fudge sundaes for his own family for fifty years prior to that? We don't really know that good creative cooks weren't making specific dishes before the time that they were officially introduced. If the ingredients were available, there's a good chance someone stumbled onto different dishes. The same thing's sort of true with flowers and plants - anyone familiar with pollenization could have cross pollinated plants and developed a hybrid hundreds of years before they were officially created. Inquiring minds were always experimenting with ideas in all fields. So in certain circumstances, I think true fiction could play a part in historical fiction; but it would have to be carefully done. Anyone else have thoughts on the subject? Puma
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pdr - interesting article. It didn't open in a full window (no scroll bar) so I had to figure out what was on the right side.
I think one of the issues has sort of been addressed on the sci-fi board. In sci-fi, there should be science underlying the story; but at some point the writer can take "writing license" and add incredible things beyond the current science. In historical fiction the issue is more one of fiction vs. non-fiction. In historical fiction the story should have real history (and real historical accoutrements) underlying it; but usually the main characters are fictional and sometimes locations are fictional.
What else can be fictionalized (somewhat in the same manner as sci-fi) and not be fantasy? Here I don't totally agree with the article writers (tomatoes, roses, etc.) We accept what we've been taught about when things were developed - but, in some cases, what we've been taught may not be completely accurate. For example - I learned that a hot fudge sundae was first made for Napoleon who wanted something "hot as summer, cold as winter." Someone made that for him. How do we know that the same someone hadn't made hot fudge sundaes for his own family for fifty years prior to that? We don't really know that good creative cooks weren't making specific dishes before the time that they were officially introduced. If the ingredients were available, there's a good chance someone stumbled onto different dishes. The same thing's sort of true with flowers and plants - anyone familiar with pollenization could have cross pollinated plants and developed a hybrid hundreds of years before they were officially created. Inquiring minds were always experimenting with ideas in all fields. So in certain circumstances, I think true fiction could play a part in historical fiction; but it would have to be carefully done. Anyone else have thoughts on the subject? Puma
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06-17-2006, 07:00 PM
pdr vbmenu_register("postmenu_652948", true);
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Tomatoes et al
No way, Puma.
Modern roses took many many years to develop. If someone had done it secretly or privately the secret would soon be out. Everyone loves roses.
Gardeners are insulted when a supposedly 1820s rose is no other than a modern hybrid.
Roses back then looked very different.
As for tomatoes they came from the New World - S and Central America in the 15thC. To put them in a market place in the 12thC is appalling.
Puma many people reading historicals do notice and howl when they do!!!
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Tomatoes et al
Modern roses took many many years to develop. If someone had done it secretly or privately the secret would soon be out. Everyone loves roses.
Gardeners are insulted when a supposedly 1820s rose is no other than a modern hybrid.
Roses back then looked very different.
As for tomatoes they came from the New World - S and Central America in the 15thC. To put them in a market place in the 12thC is appalling.
Puma many people reading historicals do notice and howl when they do!!!
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06-17-2006, 07:46 PM
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PDR, I know about roses and tomatoes - but that was the reference in the posted article. So, no, I'm not as dumb as you may have thought I was. I was indicating that some things may not have been/undoubtedly were not invented/created at the time they supposedly were. Puma
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PDR, I know about roses and tomatoes - but that was the reference in the posted article. So, no, I'm not as dumb as you may have thought I was. I was indicating that some things may not have been/undoubtedly were not invented/created at the time they supposedly were. Puma
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06-18-2006, 02:21 AM
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Oops! Sorry about that.
Reading in a hurry again.
But readers do have certain areas of knowledge and they expect to be told/shown how that knowledge might be wrong by the author. They don't like being just told to accept that the author wants to make hir book that way!
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Oops! Sorry about that.
But readers do have certain areas of knowledge and they expect to be told/shown how that knowledge might be wrong by the author. They don't like being just told to accept that the author wants to make hir book that way!
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06-18-2006, 06:18 AM
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I enjoyed the articles. Accuracy is an issue across the entire industry. Ask someone who writes PI novels about being bashed about firearms or police procedure. It goes with the territory. Hollywood is the only place that seems to be totally immune. If you are lucky enough o have your novel made into a movie, there is a good chance that much of your careful research will go down the tubes anyway. Directors don't usually read the book.
I think it is important to be as technically accurate as possible. That's it, no more. When you start digging into history you quickly learn that it is written by the winners, not the losers. Revisionist history is the norm in many cases. Unfortunately, people will take fiction for the truth. Stories can develop a life of their own. If you are a successful writer, your work will be scrutinized in direct proportion to your success.
But fiction is fiction. I write fiction. I tell lies on paper. Lying is fun. Listening to lies can be fun. The best lies have enough truth to make them believable. The only caveat is that is this: The writer and the reader must have the understanding up front that the work is fiction.
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I enjoyed the articles. Accuracy is an issue across the entire industry. Ask someone who writes PI novels about being bashed about firearms or police procedure. It goes with the territory. Hollywood is the only place that seems to be totally immune. If you are lucky enough o have your novel made into a movie, there is a good chance that much of your careful research will go down the tubes anyway. Directors don't usually read the book.
I think it is important to be as technically accurate as possible. That's it, no more. When you start digging into history you quickly learn that it is written by the winners, not the losers. Revisionist history is the norm in many cases. Unfortunately, people will take fiction for the truth. Stories can develop a life of their own. If you are a successful writer, your work will be scrutinized in direct proportion to your success.
But fiction is fiction. I write fiction. I tell lies on paper. Lying is fun. Listening to lies can be fun. The best lies have enough truth to make them believable. The only caveat is that is this: The writer and the reader must have the understanding up front that the work is fiction.
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06-18-2006, 08:20 AM
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S'okay, PDR. I'm discovering that sometimes I'm not making myself as clear as I think I am - always seems logical to me.
I do know that in the instances of some of the inventions, there are now other people claiming that someone else invented the forerunners of our modern gadgets before the person the gadget is attributed to did. As 1dSquared said, revisionist history. So in some cases I don't think we can automatically say anymore that Thomas Edison discovered the electric light since there are counter claims - and, if the counter claims are accurate, the time frame might actually be earlier than what we've been taught. Puma
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S'okay, PDR. I'm discovering that sometimes I'm not making myself as clear as I think I am - always seems logical to me.
I do know that in the instances of some of the inventions, there are now other people claiming that someone else invented the forerunners of our modern gadgets before the person the gadget is attributed to did. As 1dSquared said, revisionist history. So in some cases I don't think we can automatically say anymore that Thomas Edison discovered the electric light since there are counter claims - and, if the counter claims are accurate, the time frame might actually be earlier than what we've been taught. Puma
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