What Is Historical Fiction: 200 Years of Success

I’m a sentimental fella, and history has always captivated me. So, it goes without saying that I fell straight into learning what is historical fiction when I began my writing journey.

Now I’m here, I find that it’s an amazing genre that blends made-up stories with real historical events. And I absolutely love how it teaches, and entertains in the very same breath!

Many readers might think this genre is pretty recent, but guess what? Its roots stretch back thousands of years. Works like The Iliad (around 762 BCE) contain elements that absolutely land within historical fiction canon.[1]

As Hilary Mantel, two-time Booker Prize winner, once said. ‘Historical fiction comes alive when the writer can transport readers to another time and let them live there.’

This transportation has literally been happening throughout the millennias’.

However, the genre we know today really took shape in the early 19th century.

Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley (1814) laid the platform for historical novels and set the standard for weaving historical events with fictional characters. And historical novel grew as an offshoot of the novel itself.

Further to that, literary realism went on to shape its development by showing everyday experiences of ordinary people. But over time, the definition of historical fiction has been moulded to include various literary forms that tell history through fictional narratives.

With that said, I want to take you through the remarkable 200-year journey of what is historical fiction. So, humour me here, as we travel from ancient epics to those modern dual-timeline narratives that are everywhere these days![4]

Throughout the article, I hope to show you how historical fiction’s meaning has changed through different eras. So, let’s discover why this genre continues to engage readers.

And let’s face it – who doesn’t love a story that brings the past to life!

1. The Origins of Historical Fiction: From Ancient Epics to Modern Novels

Ancient epics and early storytelling
Historical elements in classical literature
The role of oral traditions

2. The Rise of the Historical Novel in the 19th Century

Sir Walter Scott and the Waverley Novels
Influence of Romanticism and Nationalism
Spread across Europe and America

3. Realism and the Evolution of Narrative Style

The effect of literary realism
Depicting ordinary lives in historical settings
Tolstoy and the philosophy of history

4. How to Write Historical Fiction: Balancing Authenticity and Creativity

Historical fiction definition and meaning
What makes a novel historical
Balancing fact and imagination

5. Popular Historical Fiction Sub-genres That Reader’s Love

Historical romance and family sagas
Historical mysteries and thrillers
Alternate history and historical fantasy
Fictional biographies and docuficition

6. Global Perspectives in Historical Fiction

Historical fiction in non-Western cultures
Arabic, Chinese and Latin American contributions
Cross-cultural storytelling

7. Historical Fiction Today: Modern Trends and Future Directions

World War II and 20th century settings
Dual timelines and time-slip narratives
Myth retelling and classic reimagining

8. Diversity, Representation, and the Indie Boom

Underrepresented voices in historical fiction
Rise of indie publishing and self-published authors
Changing reader expectations

The Origins of Historical Fiction: From Ancient Epics to Modern Novels

People were telling historical stories long before anyone came up with the term historical fiction.

When I first started researching this genre’s history, I was stunned to discover that humans have mixed history with imagination. Even as far back as our earliest civilisations!

Ancient epics and early storytelling

Historical fiction has its roots in ancient civilisations where fact and myth naturally merged.

But what is historical fiction has a rich tradition in world literature, with fascinating examples found across so many cultures.

Three of the Four Classics of Chinese novels tell stories set in the distant past:

These early works often mixed historical records with creative storytelling.

But the Ancient Greek novelists generally preferred writing about people and places from earlier times!

Homer’s The Iliad, composed around 762 BCE, represents one of the earliest Western examples. And it’s here where historical events blend with artistic interpretation.[5]

And even today, scholars continue to debate whether it belongs in historical fiction or epic poetry. So, I guess that goes to show just how much the meaning of historical fiction has morphed over time.

Historical elements in classical literature

Classical literature appeared in ancient Greece around 500 to 320 BCE and created storytelling patterns that shaped Western literature for thousands of years.

I can still remember having my mind blown when I first realised how much these ancient patterns still influence our modern stories!

Epic poetry moved from spoken to written form during this time. It goes on to preserve mythological stories that often-contained historical elements.

Homer’s epics created narrative rules that became common in classical literature, usually written in dactylic hexameter—the standard meter for classical epic poetry.

These works often started in medias res (in the middle of the action). It’s a technique historical fiction writers still use today. Myself included. And I still remember the first time I tried this technique. It completely transformed how I approached storytelling!

Pierre Vidal-Naquet suggests that Plato created the foundation for historical novels through his myth of Atlantis in the dialogs Timaeus and Critias.

This early mix of fictional narrative with ‘supposed’ historical events shows the deep roots of historical fiction in classical literature.

The Tale of Genji, written before 1021, stands as an early Japanese example of fictionalised history.

Its author believed her work could show a fuller and therefore ‘truer version of history than factual accounts alone. And I guess that’s an argument many historical fiction writers still make today.

The role of oral traditions

Before writing existed, oral traditions served as humanity’s only way to form and maintain societies and their institutions.

This early storytelling method shaped how historical narratives grew and spread.

Research across six continents shows that oral tradition remains the main form of communication even today, despite more people learning to read.

Isn’t that surprising?

But it also shows how vital oral storytelling is to human culture and our understanding of history.

American scholars Milman Parry and Albert Lord recorded more than 1,500 orally performed epic poems in the former Yugoslavia during the 1930s.

Their work showed how storytellers used systematic forms of expression. Special oral languages made of formulaic phrases, typical scenes, and story patterns. It all helped with memorisation for artistic performances.

This research helps explain works like The Iliad and Odyssey, which came from oral traditions. Which had very similar composition rules. And, ultimately, that tradition goes on to provide us with a better explanation of Homer’s identity and his connection to these texts through studying oral tradition.

The Judeo-Christian Bible. The Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. And the medieval English Beowulf all have one thing in common—their strong oral tradition roots.

Though varied, oral traditions share common features across time and place. In that, they follow rules. Use special languages and performance settings. Employ flexible patterns to help composition and memory, involve active audiences. And, ultimately serve clear purposes to their relevant societies.

So, I guess you see how understanding oral traditions helps us learn about historical fiction’s evolution from these ancient storytelling practices. But it’s a genre which continues to mix facts with compelling stories that strike a chord with readers across generations, and even millennia.

The Rise of the Historical Novel in the 19th Century

The literary world changed forever in the early 19th century with a new way of experiencing the past through storytelling.

Stories with historical elements had existed for centuries. But the historical novel emerged as a distinctive literary form during this time and established what we now know as the historical fiction genre.

Sir Walter Scott and the Waverley novels

Sir Walter Scott became the undisputed pioneer of the historical novel.

He had earned fame as a poet before making a crucial choice in 1814. And, in that same year, he anonymously published Waverley, with the subtitle ‘Tis Sixty Years Since. It’s a book that scholars widely call the first true historical novel in Western tradition.[6]

Scott chose anonymity with purpose. He later wrote: I shall not own Waverley; my chief reason is that it would prevent me of the pleasure of writing again.

Scott’s literary breakthrough turned into a soaring win. His later works came out simply as by the author of Waverley, and readers came to know the series as the Waverley Novels.

But these books fascinated European readers for almost a century and set new standards for historical storytelling.

Scott revolutionised writing with his narrative approach.

His novels always featured a middling character. Someone. Usually an ordinary person. Often caught between conflicting social groups. This let readers see historical conflicts through relatable points of view.

Looking at history from below instead of from commanders’ perspectives became a hallmark of historical fiction, and I highly recommend using this technique in your own writing, then see if it makes a difference in how readers connect with the story!

Influence of Romanticism and nationalism

The rise of the historical novel was closely tied to the Romantic movement.

And I guess you could call this a cultural and artistic response to Enlightenment rationalism. However, romanticism celebrated the past, emotional sensitivity, and nature, which created perfect conditions for historical fiction to blossom. Which I find… quite romantic—

Scott’s works reflected the second phase of Romanticism (around 1805-1830s).

And it was in this period where writers showed a stronger sense of cultural nationalism and renewed interest in national origins.

People started collecting and imitating folklore. Folk ballads, too. And medieval works that had been ignored in the past. Meaning that historical fiction often became a way to express these nationalistic feelings.

Scott’s Scottish novels like Waverley (1814) and Rob Roy (1817) created huge interest in Scottish history. Simultaneously they explain it. And writers throughout Europe picked up on this pattern and begun employing historical settings to explore and build-up national identities.

Many 19th-century historical novelists shared an interesting approach to national identity.

They often showed a nation’s character through outsiders’ eyes. This was typically an English traveler meeting a foreign culture etc. But it helped authors look at their own cultural heritage from different perspectives. I had to use this approach when I was drafting ‘Afghani’. And for me it became much more than just a writing experience. That’s because it was truly eye-opening how it let me see my own culture (and the culture of my ancestors) in a new light!

Spread across Europe and America

Scott’s ideas spread faster beyond Britain.

His approach to historical fiction inspired writers across Europe and America who adapted his methods to their own national stories.

European writers who followed Scott’s lead included Alessandro Manzoni in Italy. Victor Hugo and Honoré de Balzac in France. And Willibald Alexis and Theodor Fontane in Germany. Writers like Bernhard Severin Ingemann. Miklós Jósika. Mór Jókai. Jakob van Lennep, and others also adopted Scott’s storytelling approach.

American writers embraced the historical novel too.

Samuel Woodworth published The Champions of American Freedom in 1816.

James Fenimore Cooper became America’s leading historical novelist.

Cooper’s own works included his Leatherstocking Tales, where he adapted Scott’s narrative techniques to uniquely American settings.

Historical novels stayed popular throughout the 19th century.

They made up much of all novels published in Britain and France between 1820-1840.

Great historical fiction kept appearing later too. And these included works by Leo Tolstoy in Russia and Eduard Bornhöhe in Estonia.

This broad adoption shows how historical novels met modern readers’ hunger for history during times of rapid social change.

The genre crossed language and cultural boundaries. Then it went on to become a worldwide phenomenon that still shapes our understanding of the past.

Realism and the Evolution of Narrative Style

The historical novel grew and changed throughout the 19th century, going on to transform into a narrative style which revolutionised the genre.

Margaret Atwood masterfully blends historical elements into her works like Alias Grace. And she observes that the past belongs to those who claim it. And those who are willing to explore it. Or… to infuse it with meaning for those alive today.

Literary realism also grew as a powerful force against romanticism and changed how writers crafted historical settings and characters. But it was this development which marked a significant point in defining what historical fiction meant to authors and readers.

The effect of literary realism

Realism dominated Western literary representation. But its success is closely linked to capitalist modernity. The rise of the novel. The emergence of the bourgeoisie, and growing middle-class readership.

The historical novel grew from the novel itself and used realism to explain history through common people’s views—rather than some aristocratic heroes.

Literary realism wanted to move audiences away from intangible, fairy-tale-like narratives about the upper-class, and grandiose characters.

The focus shifted to simple, authentic stories of middle and lower-class individuals.

This movement changed the historical fiction definition by emphasizing mimesis. The faithful imitation or representation of the physical world. As opposed to the idealised visions of the past.

Nineteenth-century realist writers often reflected on their form.

They created theories that set realism apart from romance and sentimental fiction.

But it was our deepest understanding of realism which came through its comparison, and onto later modernist forms. This resulted in a more diverse approach to historical representation.

Depicting ordinary lives in historical settings

Realist historical fiction showed historical development as a resultant made up of the components of ceaseless class struggles and their bloody resolution rather than a bird’s-eye view of a philosophy of history.

This change let audiences examine not just history’s mixture but also the tiny individual threads that wove it.

The historical fiction genre goes on to develop, and to show everyday experiences as they might have happened in past eras.

Stories are focused on familiar people and places. Especially the middle and lower classes of society. And writers need to be telling these stories truthfully, and without dramatising or romanticising them. This, of course, often goes beyond style and crosses into philosophy.

Plus, the realist approach suggests that history developed not through great historical figures. But all the way through millions of individual decisions that shaped historical progression. And this is the view which democratised historical narratives. All by making ordinary experiences worthy of literary attention.

Tolstoy and the philosophy of history

Leo Tolstoy’s historical fiction, especially in War and Peace, showed a deep philosophical exploration of history through narrative.

He believed history developed not through great historical figures but through millions of individual decisions that shaped historical events.

His unique approach did cop a bit of criticism. However, he gave a great explanation via his historical representations. Plus, Tolstoy’s battle scenes often showed even commanding officers, like Prince Bagration at Austerlitz having limited awareness of actual events.

These battles appeared chaotic. Yet historians created coherent narratives about the influence of leaders. Which was a view Tolstoy heavily doubted, because he saw history’s fabric as detailed and diverse. Without grand historical laws. And, without purpose.

He also believed that only unconscious activity bears fruit, and the individual who plays a part in historical events never understands their significance.

This view suggested that historical fiction meaning should include the limits of human understanding. Or limits we’re confronted with when facing history’s complexity.

Isaiah Berlin described Tolstoy as a fox who thought himself a hedgehog when dealing with freedom and necessity in history. And the tension between determinism and free will became central to the historical novel as it matured. But writers and readers had to face how historical understandings were developing.

How to Write Historical Fiction: Balancing Authenticity and Creativity

Readers, writers, and critics all face a fascinating challenge when attempting to define historical fiction. That’s because the genre has grown and changed over many years. Yet no one can agree on a single definition.

Plus, people see it differently based on how they view history and literature, and where these two align.

Historical fiction definition and meaning

What is Historical fiction has a simple core idea, in that it’s any story set in the past.[2]

Philippa Gregory, who is renowned for her Tudor novels. And she explains that historical fiction is not just about recreating the past, but about finding the human truths that transcend time. We write about then, but we mean now!.

This description brings up several questions in its own roundabout ways. But first we need to know how far back the story should go and whose past we’re actually talking about.

The Historical Novel Society[10] says historical fiction covers stories written at least fifty years after the events described.[3]

Many people in the field see this 50-year rule as a gold standard. That’s because this gap gives enough time to look back at events with a clear, and detached point of view.

One expert in the field even points out that: The idea is to take readers out of the events of their lifetime.

But different groups suggest different time periods.

The Historical Writers Association likes 35 years as the cutoff point, while the Walter Scott Prize wants 60 years.

More than that, critics like Sarah Johnson say these books should be set before the middle of the last century.

But time isn’t the only factor.

These stories need settings people can recognise from history. Yet they often weave in real events and historical figures, or, at the very least, real people.

You’ll find historical fiction in many forms.

There’s literary works to romance. Fantasy. Mystery. And thrillers. However, the boundaries are changing everyday. Now more and more we’re beginning to see time-travel, or dual-timelines and the like slipping their way into the genre.

What makes a novel ‘historical’?

Several key elements are needed to create true historical fiction.

Setting plays a vital role.

The story must happen in a real place during an actual period in history, and writers have to pay close attention to social rules, living conditions, and small details in order to make an authentic story.

The story needs to be historically accurate, too, and characters should match their time period in how they look, talk, and act. Even made-up characters must behave in ways that make sense for their era and deal with problems people faced back then, otherwise your readers are going to sniff it out and eventually put down the book.

Margaret Atwood suggests: these books should cover times before the writer came to consciousness.

This means writers should rely on research rather than personal experience.

Some critics say a real historical novel should be so tied to its time that the story couldn’t happen in any other period, but this just goes to show how the historical setting should shape the whole story, not just serve as a backdrop.

Balancing fact and imagination

Good research paired with good writing is the true essence of historical fiction, but writers must walk a fine line between historical truth and creative freedom.

Ken Follett, author of: The Pillars of the Earth,’ emphasises this balance:

I spend a year researching before I begin writing. But historical accuracy is just the foundation. The story must stand on its own as entertainment, or all that research is wasted.

Historical fiction has some firm rules:

But writers can still get creative in areas such as dialogue, how they craft their descriptions, tone, made-up characters, and even how broad their overall story is.

Readers know authors did their homework, when they are working through the finished, but, like us, they also need some room to imagine, so use that to your advantage.

As one example, let’s see what one reader says: Most book lovers agree that Historical Fiction is the closest we’ll get to actual time travel.

This captures why people love these books, because it takes us back in time through facts and storytelling.

Historical fiction makes us think hard about what historical truth really means, but sometimes, it’s our imagination which can show us deeper truths, as being more than just the facts.

In fact, Alexandre Dumas showed with The Count of Monte Cristo that great storytelling can overcome historical mistakes if the story’s world stays believable.

Global Perspectives in Historical Fiction

Historical fiction exists in rich and varied forms beyond European and American traditions, and different cultures have their own unique ways of understanding and interpreting their pasts through storytelling.

Historical fiction in non-Western cultures

Chinese literary tradition has a remarkable legacy of historical storytelling that goes back centuries, where Chinese authors crafted sophisticated narratives blending history with creative interpretation long before European classics like Beowulf came into existence.

The Four Classics of Chinese novels show this clearly, and three of them set their stories in historical periods.

Luo Guanzhong’s 14th-century: Romance of the Three Kingdoms depicts 3rd-century wars that ended the Han dynasty.

These works show how historical fiction meaning goes well beyond Western literary boundaries.

Japanese literature leaves its mark too, and The Tale of Genji from the 11th century stands alone as what many call the world’s first novel, because it’s a narrative which expertly mixed court history with fictional elements.

Arabic, Chinese, and Latin American contributions

Arabic and Latin American literary traditions share their own fascinating links.

Latin American classics, for example, found their way into Arabic translations throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, creating an exchange between continents that brought about fresh views to the historical fiction genre.

Gabriel García Márquez’s: One Hundred Years of Solitude led the Goodreads’ list of historical fiction set in Latin America and brought global recognition to Latin American historical fiction.

Chinese historical novels developed their own unique features by organising chapters, so each one had two major events and ended with a cliffhanger; developing a technique they learned through oral storytelling.

Cross-cultural storytelling

Modern authors bridge the cultural divide through historical fiction more than ever before, and writer, Tong Ge displays this approach with expert nous by combining her personal history with a broader historical context, because she believes in creating authentic historical fiction with the added touches of cultural sensitivity and emotional depth.

Women’s historical fiction from global perspectives has grown significantly, too, and these works often draw from intersectional, transnational, and even de-colonial approaches. Plus, they bring women’s historical experiences to light and challenge colonial, hetero-patriarchal, or official histories. But these narratives also serve another crucial role, in that they start conversations between women’s past experiences and present situations. And it’s in this setting where historical injustices can become a powerful call to action.

Historical Fiction Today: Modern Trends and Future Directions

Recent studies show some interesting changes in the historical fiction world, where modern authors now picking different time periods, in stark comparison to writers of the past.

World War II and 20th-century settings

Modern historical novelists love writing about the 20th century.

The Walter Scott Prize submissions reveal that 38% of historical novels take place in the 20th century.

Victorian era settings come second at 19%, while publishers seem to agree that 42% of all upcoming historical novels are being set in the first half of the twentieth century.

The World War II era stands out in 20th-century historical fiction:

And it makes sense, too because we have so much research materials available to us, and memoirs, oral histories, newspapers, or magazines that grant us access to real first-person accounts of daily life.

Plus, WWII also gives writers a clear good-versus-evil story that appeals to readers.

Dual timelines and time-slip narratives

Authors now use dual-timeline structures more often to connect past and present storylines. These stories usually have:

Kate Morton, whose novels often feature dual timelines, notes that:

Connecting past and present allows readers to see how history echoes through generations. It’s not just about what happened then, but how it continues to shape us now.

Readers who enjoy both contemporary and historical fiction love these novels, and present-day characters help make historical events feel more relevant to modern readers.

Myth retellings and classic reimagining

Modern authors have taken up retelling ancient myths and classic literature with great enthusiasm, and it’s a trend which has literally exploded, with the focus lying on:

These new versions do more than just retell old stories. They—more or less—reshape familiar tales through a fresh set of eyes.

Diversity, Representation, and the Indie Boom

Diversity and independent publishing have sparked a renaissance within historical fiction that has expanded its creative side by developing how readers connect with stories of the past.

Underrepresented voices in historical fiction

Historical fiction now tells more stories from marginalised communities, and writers actively pursue women’s historical experiences with the aim of challenging the colonial, heteropatriarchal/official history, with publishers like Jacaranda Books purposefully looking for historical fiction from underrepresented groups, strong female characters, women’s stories, and even the urban literary landscape.

But these changes go well beyond subject matter, and into authorship itself.

For instance, The OwnVoices campaign, launched in 2015, supports books where authors share their main characters’ identity through first-hand cultural knowledge that adds an authenticity that research alone cannot match. Plus, sensitivity readers play a vital role in that historical accuracy.

Rise of indie publishing and self-published authors

Independent publishers have given historical fiction writers unique advantages, and unlike major publishing houses, indie presses give individual attention and editorial support. Plus, they’re willing to take on more risks when it comes to unconventional narratives, because they’re able to maintain a flexibility that helps diverse storytelling to thrive.

Self-publishing has become a powerful alternative that offers:

Award-winning historical novelist Anna Belfrage shows this path’s success, and she notes she does very well in the independent space after leaving behind the soul-draining and rather vicious hunt for an agent/publisher.

Changing reader expectations

Modern readers are now showing a growing interest in diverse historical viewpoints, and their attitudes toward publishing methods have also changed alongside that, and Belfrage has discovered that readers frankly do not care whether you’re traditionally published or not; they judge you by your work.

But historical authenticity balanced with compelling narrative matters more now than ever, and Self-publishing helps to preserve that historical accuracy while also speeding up the path from manuscript to market, and it’s these changes which have helped the historical fiction genre expand beyond its traditional roots.

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Conclusion

What is Historical fiction, and what makes it one of literature’s most enduring and flexible genres, and it has grown by a lot since Sir Walter Scott first published Waverley two centuries ago. This experience shows how the genre moved from epic poetry and oral traditions to modern stories that blend fact with imagination.

The genre’s remarkable flexibility explains why readers love it so much, but that it also keeps reinventing itself through Tolstoy’s philosophical views of history and other storytelling traditions from around the world—including modern dual-timeline stories etc. Yet it stays true to its main purpose: bringing the past to life.

What makes a story historical fiction stays fluid, and whether we use the 50-year rule or look at cultural distance from the author’s time, or even in spite of that, the core tension between historical accuracy and creative interpretation continually drives its progress.

Historical fiction today now welcomes voices and points of view that were once pushed aside, thus causing voices from other cultures and communities to be left out in historical cold. But this modern shift gets to create a deeper, more nuanced view of our shared past, and fosters an openness that extends into publishing too.

Indie presses and self-published authors have breathed new life into the genre with fresh ideas and different viewpoints.

World War II settings, mythological retellings, and time-slip narratives go to show how today’s writers adapt historical fiction for modern readers while still honouring the genre’s rich traditions. And though approaches differ, all good historical fiction does something special… it turns distant events into deeply human stories that strike a chord across time.

Historical fiction gives readers something unique: both escape and understanding.

As Pulitzer Prize winner Geraldine Brooks puts it:

Good historical fiction brings forward something that relates to our lives today, some thread of continuity that runs through human experience in any age.

Now we get to visit different times and places while learning more about our own world, and it’s the genre which now shows us that while historical circumstances change, human nature stays the same across centuries, and that it’s this aspect which creates deep connections between past and present.

I don’t doubt, not even for a minute that historical fiction will keep growing and finding new ways to interpret the past while addressing current concerns, but after 200 years of growth, many untold stories are still waiting for their storytellers to come to the fold, so this genre can fascinate readers for generations to come.

FAQs

What is historical fiction?

What is Historical fiction is typically writing set at least 50 years in the past, in a recognisable historical period and place.

It blends fictional narratives with real historical events and often includes both invented characters and actual historical figures.

The genre aims to bring history to life through storytelling while maintaining a level of historical accuracy.

How has historical fiction evolved over time?

Historical fiction has evolved from ancient epics and oral traditions to the modern novel form pioneered by Sir Walter Scott in the early 19th century.[7]

It has since expanded to include various sub-genres like historical romance, mysteries, and alternate history.

Recent trends include a focus on 20th-century settings, particularly World War II, and an increase in diverse voices and perspectives.

What are some popular sub-genres of historical fiction?

Popular sub-genres include historical romance, family sagas, historical mysteries and thrillers, alternate history, and historical fantasy.

Each sub-genre offers unique approaches to exploring the past, allowing writers to emphasise different aspects of historical storytelling while appealing to varied reader interests.

How do authors balance historical accuracy with creative storytelling?

Authors typically conduct thorough research to ensure historical accuracy in major events, dates, and portrayals of real historical figures.

However, they also use creative license in areas like dialog, descriptions, and fictional characters to craft compelling narratives.[8]

The goal is to create an authentic historical atmosphere while telling an engaging story.

How has diversity impacted modern historical fiction?

Diversity has significantly influenced modern historical fiction, with an increasing focus on underrepresented voices and perspectives.[9]

This includes stories from marginalised communities, feminist retellings of classic tales, and narratives that challenge traditional historical accounts.

The rise of indie publishing has also allowed for a broader range of historical stories to reach readers.

Bibliography

Resources

Books & Academic Works

de Groot, Jerome. (2010): The Historical Novel. Routledge.

de Groot, Jerome. (2009): Consuming History: Historians and Heritage in Contemporary Popular Culture. Routledge.

Wallace, Diane. (2005): The Woman’s Historical Novel: British Women Writers, 1900-2000. Palgrave Macmillan.

Lukács, Georg. (1962): The Historical Novel. Beacon Press.

Johnson, Sarah. (2002): Historical Fiction: A Guide to the Genre. Libraries Unlimited.

Mantel, Hilary. (2017): The Day Is for the Living. BBC Reith Lectures. BBC Radio 4.

Articles & Essays

Doctorow, E.L. (1983). False Documents. In E.L. Doctorow: Essays and Conversations, edited by Richard Trenner. Princeton University Press.

Mantel, Hilary. (2009). Meet the Author: On Historical Fiction. The Guardian, April 17, 2009.

Atwood, Margaret. (1998): In Search of Alias Grace: On Writing Canadian Historical Fiction. American Historical Review 103(5): 1503-1516.

Gregory, Philippa. (2011): Authenticity and the Historical Novelist. History Workshop Online, November 28, 2011.

Weed, Tim. (2015): Imagination and Research: The Two Sides of Historical Fiction. Literary Hub, August 7, 2015.

Primary Sources

Scott, Sir Walter. (1814): Waverley. Archibald Constable and Co.

Eliot, George. (1872): Middlemarch. William Blackwood & Sons.

Tolstoy, Leo. (1869): War and Peace. The Russian Messenger.

Online Resources

Historical Novel Society. Defining the Genre.

The International Association for Historical Fiction. Historical Fiction Resources.

American Historical Association. (2021). Seeking Truths through Fiction: Historians on Writing Historical Genre Fiction. Perspectives on History.

Quoted Authors in Article

Hilary Mantel, two-time Booker Prize winner.

Philippa Gregory, renowned Tudor novelist

Ken Follett, author of: The Pillars of the Earth

Margaret Atwood, author of: Alias Grace

Kate Morton, dual-timeline historical fiction specialist
Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winner

Primary Academic Sources

1. Lukács, Georg. (1962). The Historical Novel. Beacon Press.

2. Johnson, Sarah. (2002). Historical Fiction: A Guide to the Genre. Libraries Unlimited.

3. de Groot, Jerome. (2010). The Historical Novel. Routledge.

4. Wallace, Diane. (2005). The Woman’s Historical Novel: British Women Writers, 1900-2000. Palgrave Macmillan.

5. Doctorow, E.L. (1983). “False Documents.” In E.L. Doctorow: Essays and Conversations, edited by Richard Trenner. Princeton University Press.

6. de Groot, Jerome. (2009). Consuming History: Historians and Heritage in Contemporary Popular Culture. Routledge.

7. American Historical Association. (2021). “Seeking Truths through Fiction: Historians on Writing Historical Genre Fiction.” Perspectives on History.

8. Atwood, Margaret. (1998). “In Search of Alias Grace: On Writing Canadian Historical Fiction.” American Historical Review 103(5): 1503-1516.

9. Weed, Tim. (2015). “Imagination and Research: The Two Sides of Historical Fiction.” Literary Hub, August 7, 2015.

10. Historical Novel Society. “Defining the Genre.” https://historicalnovelsociety.org/guides/defining-the-genre/