Historical Fiction Genre Characteristics
Historical fiction is a story set in a time previous to that of the writer and reader, with characters who react in varying degrees to historical events.
Other People Are Reading
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Historical Setting
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Historical fiction should have a reasonably authentic setting, with plausible details concerning political, social and religious history; clothing; language; and technology.
Historically Accurate Characters
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Historical fiction should feature characters who look and sound like people of a particular historical era.
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Plausibility
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Historical fiction should depict the values, virtues and prejudices of a historical era accurately, especially where these affect the plot.
Accuracy
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Historical fiction should avoid distorting history for the sake of political correctness or cultural sensitivity of the current time.
Artistic License
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Historical fiction should adhere to established history but can also make reasonable changes for the sake of character and plot.
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