An Introduction to Writing Historical Fiction
Do you want to write historical fiction?
Join Meredith Allard, the executive editor of The Copperfield Review, the award-winning literary journal for readers and writers of historical fiction, as she shares tips and tricks for creating believable historical worlds through targeted research and a vivid imagination.
Give in to your daydreams. Do the work. Let your creativity loose into the world so you can share your love of history and your passion for the written word with others.
An Introduction to Writing Historical Fiction is based on the book Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction.
About The Copperfield Review
The Copperfield Review, a journal for readers and writers of historical fiction, has been featured in publications such as Writer’s Digest, Novel and Short Story Writer’s Market, Writer’s Market, Killer Startups, Duotrope, The Los Angeles Times, and Las Vegas Seven Magazine. It was named one of the top sites for new writers by Writer’s Digest and it received the Books and Authors Award for Literary Excellence. In 2018, The Copperfield Review was named one of the top historical book blogs. Since its beginning in 2000, The Copperfield Review has developed a worldwide reputation as a leading market for short historical fiction and historical poetry.
About Meredith Allard
I'm the Founder and Executive Editor of The Copperfield Review. I've taught creative writing and writing historical fiction workshops at Learning Tree University, UNLV, and the Las Vegas Writers Conference. My writing has appeared in journals such as Moondance, Muse Apprentice Guild, Wild Mind, Writer’s Weekly, The Huffington Post, and Introvert, Dear. I received my B.A. and M.A. degrees in English from CSU Northridge and my Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I'm the author of the bestselling paranormal historical Loving Husband Trilogy, and my sweet Victorian romance, When It Rained at Hembry Castle, was named a best historical novel by IndieReader. My newest release, Painting the Past: A Guide for Writing Historical Fiction, was named a #1 New Release in Authorship and Creativity Self-Help on Amazon.
Praise for Painting the Past
"I found Allard’s voice down to earth, the tips useful for anyone, and was pleased to know that I'm on the right track with what I'm already doing. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in writing historical fiction. 5 stars.” ~Michelle, NetGalley
Praise for Painting the Past
“An excellent guide to writing historical fiction. 5 stars.” ~Mary, NetGalley
Praise for Painting the Past
"Because of its comprehensive coverage, the work is beneficial to both seasoned and aspiring authors. It explores topics such as traveling to historical sites for research, finding inspiration, which point of view to adopt, diversity, the basic components that make a great fiction story, and more." ~Readers' Favorite
Example Curriculum
- 1. An Introduction to Writing Historical Fiction (8:55)
- 2. What is Historical Fiction? And Why Should I Write It? (16:12)
- 3. The Spark of Creativity (16:49)
- 4. Research: Do I Have To? (20:01)
- 5. What Kind of Information Do I Need? (15:45)
- 6. Consider Your Sources (16:06)
- 7. Creative Inspiration (15:53)
- 8. Who Are You? Know Your Characters (17:44)
- 9. What Did You Say? Dialogue in Historical Fiction (12:36)
- 10. Did That Word Exist Then? Language in Historical Fiction (6:30)
- 11. Historical Fiction is Fiction (21:06)
- 12. We Are Not Historians (15:21)
- 13. Conclusion (10:05)
- 14. Bonus: FAQ (9:03)