13 Things to Remember When Writing Historical Fiction

By testing_gebz1x | January 14, 2022 |

Kelsye Nelson, the founder of Avasta Press, hosted a webinar with historical fiction author Gar LaSalle.

Gar talked about 13 things to remember when writing historical fiction. He answered questions from the audience at the end of the webinar.

Our favorite tip is number 13: Villains abound. Gar writes villains very well! We especially like the character Bocamalo from Isthmus.

Here are some of the Gar’s tips for authors writing historical fiction:

Find primary resources, if possible (3:44)
Look at maps…geography changes (9:18)
Understand customs (11:14)
See how subject matter has been handled by others, be aware of prejudices (12:27)
Find artifacts…handle them if possible (13:52)
Go to sites, walk in their footsteps (16:49)
When you do walk the fields respect what was done there (19:50)
Avoid solipsistic viewpoints (20:51)
Invent around what is known (25:02)
Look for treasures, celebrate serendipity (26:59)
All characters need motivation (31:49)
Every character has an arc (34:18)
Villains abound (36:22)

Gar LaSalle