Historical Fiction – think of it as a painting rather than a faithful photograph – Hilary Mantel QUOTES FOR WRITERS

Some readers are deeply suspicious of historical fiction. They say that by its nature it’s misleading. But I argue that a reader knows the nature of the contract.

When you choose a novel to tell you about the past, you are putting in brackets the historical accounts – which may or may not agree with each other – and actively requesting a subjective interpretation. You are not buying a replica, or even a faithful photographic reproduction – you are buying a painting with the brush strokes left in.

To the historian, the reader says, “Take this document, object, person – tell me what it means.” To the novelist he says, “Now tell me what else it means.”

Hilary Mantel
The Guardian June 2017

I’m running a free writing workshop on historical and period fiction in September. Find out more HERE