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What does it mean to be Roman? by Alison Morton
What do you see in your mind’s eye when somebody says ‘Roman’? asks Alison Morton. A Roman soldier in segmented armour, a senator in a purple striped toga, a Roman matron in stola and palla? Or perhaps Vorenus, Pullo and Atia of the Julii from HBO’s Rome or Russell Crowe aka Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator. Or maybe the rather bizarre series Britannia with David…
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Dartington Hall – A Historical Novelist’s Dream by Chris Humphreys
To my fellow attendees at the conference this September! Oh my, have we got a treat in store! I have just spent four nights at Dartington Hall. I am considering a move to nearby Totnes later in the year and wanted to check out the locale. The Hall seemed to be the place to stay.…
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Balancing History and Fiction in Historical Fiction by Robin Henry
How do you know what the right balance is? asks Robin Henry. In my work as a book coach and developmental editor, I have spent a lot of time with historical fiction manuscripts in addition to the time I spend reading them for fun. I am a part-time humanities instructor and librarian; therefore I love…
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When a Story Won’t Let You Go by Gareth Williams
Can I write about cultures other than my own? What changes to the historical record might be permissible in historical fiction? asks Gareth Williams. I read Apple Gidley’s excellent blog ‘Taking Liberties’ with great interest and empathy. She raises profound questions that confront all historical novelists eager to stray beyond their own back doors. Can…
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The Historical Novelist Confronts Real-Life Characters by Patricia Bernstein
Patricia Bernstein on the pros and cons of depicting real-life characters in historical fiction. Contemporary critics have complained about novelists who depict characters of recent memory, even sometimes pretending to reproduce their thoughts without any proof that these people ever thought any such thing. In the novel Blonde, for instance, Joyce Carol Oates goes so far…
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Taking Liberties by Apple Gidley
Apple Gidley asks two pressing questions about historical fiction. Can a novelist write about any topic regardless of their own cultural background? Should historical novels use footnotes? I write, predominantly, historical fiction but I am not an historian. I do, though, believe that as historical novelists we owe our readers honesty in the facts as…
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HNS 2024 First Chapters Competition is Open
The First Chapters Competition is open for entries until 15 Feb 2024. First three chapters + a synopsis of a historical novel. £1,000 first prize. Full details are here.
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Conference Booking is Open
Early Bird conference booking is open on this link. Early Bird deadline is 1 May 2024 but capacities at Dartington are limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Part of the conference will be available for an online audience. You can register here for the online conference. We are also running a programme of sessions…
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Living Memory by Elizabeth Loudon
In this inaugural HNS UK 2024 blogpost, Elizabeth Loudon asks what is a historical novel and what can a historical novelist legitimately write about. Living Memory ‘I know this book is about historical events,’ said the editor moderating a book group discussion of my novel, A Stranger In Baghdad, ‘but I don’t think it is a historical novel.’…
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Call for Blogposts
In the run-up to the HNS UK 2024 conference, we are posting a series of blogposts here on the website, aiming to kick off dialogues and debates that we can continue together in the conference itself. Blogposts should address a current issue in historical fiction writing, reading, or publishing. They should be under 1,000 words.…
The Historical Novel Society UK 2024 conference
International conference for readers, writers and publishers of historical fiction
The Historical Novel Society UK 2024 conference 