Eight Simple Rules for Dating Your Historical Fiction

Here are the eight key rules for writing historical fiction, explained using only the facts and information provided in the source material:

Rule 1: Use modern language sparingly. While researching the setting is important, being overly literal with early modern English can make the novel feel like a pretentious imitation of a different time period rather than an authentic contemporary story. Stick to a simple, period-appropriate writing style.

Rule 2: Avoid archaic spellings and orthography from earlier periods unless absolutely necessary. Modernizing the spelling of words like "choose" to "chuse" would destroy the illusion of the story's historical setting. Only use older spellings when authentically period-appropriate.

Rule 3: Don't overload the story with researched details as decorations. Conduct thorough research, but resist the temptation to pepper the narrative with every fascinating fact you uncover. Only include research details that are directly relevant to the plot or characters.

Rule 4: The author's voice and point of view should be consistent with the historical setting. While omniscient narrators were common in older literature, modern readers are accustomed to a more intimate first-person or limited third-person perspective in contemporary fiction. Unnatural shifts in point of view will jar the reader out of the historical immersion.

Rule 5: Show, don't tell. Rather than explicitly stating exposition, convey historical details through the characters' experiences, dialogue, observations and actions. Let the details emerge subtextually rather than spelling them out directly.

Rule 6: Respect the period's sensibilities and taboos. Historical novels must honor the mores, prejudices and customs of the time. Glaring anachronisms or moralizing that doesn't fit the era will seem anachronistic and out of place.

Rule 7: Be authentic to the historical context without being overly rigid. While staying true to the period is crucial, historical fiction also allows artistic license. The author should exercise artistic judgment to shape the story, as long as it remains faithful to the spirit of the time.

Rule 8: Use historical details to enrich the narrative, not overwhelm it. The best historical fiction seamlessly incorporates research to create a vivid, immersive time and place. But if the details are intrusive or serve no narrative purpose, they risk pulling the reader out of the story.