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Libby replied to the topic A gasp escaped me! in the forum Blogs 5 years, 8 months ago
I agree with you Jules. It’s worrying that schools will teach misleading literature.
One thought from my perspective as a writer of realist historical writer: the truth is more interesting than the invented even if it’s harder to work with. There’s a smaller point too that we can all make mistakes so might as well aim to get as much as possible correct.
I don’t write fantasy but am interested in what you say about access points. Is this like setting up your stall in the opening pages, as with all fiction, so the reader gets a feel for what are the fantasy elements and what is based on the real world?
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That’s mean to be ‘historical fiction’.
It’s the heat. I can’t remember what I’m supposed to be.
Or how to spell.
Haha right there with you! And I completely agree – the truth in historical terms is often far more interesting than the Everyone Knows version. Also agree that writers have to be free to make unintentional mistakes without being pilloried for them. It’s inevitable that some small detail will be wrong but as you say, why not try to be as correct as possible? It’s historical or historically inspired fiction writer’s problem that often facts challenge the baked in received understanding of events, so that’s always an interedting challenge.
Even in fantasy – I do some research! Not in depth, granted, cos I’m not seeking to reflect accuracy, but I do have to do enough to make the processes I describe (like melting precious metals; making a catapult out of just string; rules about coats of arms for example) so if anyone reads it who also has that knowledge, I’ve given enough to make it sound realistic, even if I don’t claim it to be accurate. Having said that, I’d never lift a set of instructions verbatim – they’re always written in ‘Squidge-speak’!