What Is Historical Fiction?

by Susan F. Craft

This is my favorite historical ever!

Historical fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a specific period or significant event in history. It often presents actual events from the point of view of fictional people living in that era, but with actual historical people making appearances. Works in this genre often portray the manners and social conditions of the persons or times presented in the story, with attention paid to period detail. In historical fiction, setting and events drive the story.

Historical Fiction by Year or Time Period

Ancient Times-- Up to 1000 B.C.
1000 B.C. - 1B.C.
1 A.D. - 300A.D.
301 A.D. -500 A.D.
Early MiddleAges (501 A.D. - 1000 A.D.)
High MiddleAges (1000 A.D. - 1300 A.D.)
Late MiddleAges (1301 A.D. - 1500 A.D.)
1501 A.D. -1600 A.D.
1601 A.D. -1700 A.D.
1701 A.D. -1800 A.D.
1801 A.D. -1900 A.D.
1901 A.D. -1970 A.D.

This is one of my favorite novels. It
won 3 Christy Awards this year (2014).

Historical Fiction by Period Name (list taken from Historical Novel Society)

American Revolution

Ancient Egypt

Ancient Greece

Ancient Rome

Ancient World (Other)

Arthurian (ca 450-600)

Biblical

Colonial America

Early Medieval (to 1337)

Early United States

Edwardian

English Civil War

French Revolution

Georgian

Gilded Age

Great Depression

Jazz Age

Late Medieval (1338 to 1485)

Multi-Period

Napoleonic

Prehistoric

Regency (1811 to 1820)

Renaissance

Restoration

Tudor

US Civil War

Victorian (1837-1901)

Viking

WW1

WW2

Some of the Major Categories of Historical Fiction

• Alternate Historicals explore how history may have happened differently.

Another favorite novel!

• Biblical Novels can be set with actual people, places, or events from the Bible; can be set in a different time period but the characters or events are based on scripture; or can depict an era of history from the Bible, although the characters may not be biblical.

• Historical Fantasy Novels mix history with fantasy.

• Historical Mysteries are a cross between historical fiction and mystery.

• Historical Thrillers or Suspense put their heroes in danger.

• Literary Historical Novels examine contemporary themes in lyrical or dense language.

• Multi-Period Epics illustrate how specific places change over centuries.

• Traditional Historical Novels emphasize a straightforward and historically accurate plot.

• Romantic Historical Novels are love stories set in history; the relationship or romance drives the story. 

• Sagas follow families or groups of people over time, usually generations.

• Speculative fiction takes readers to the places between the realm of the seen and the unseen; contain angels, demons, visions, dreams, prophecies, vampires, monsters, and other supernatural phenomena.

• Time-Travel Novels take their characters between epochs/time periods.

• Western Historical Novels are set in the American West.

Word Count for Fiction

Microfiction—up to 100 words

Flash Fiction—100-1,000 (magazine article)

Short Story—1,000-7,500

Novellette—7,500-20,000 (difficult to sell to publishers)

Novella—20,000-50,000 (perfect for e-publishing)

Novel—50,000-110,000 (most publishers want a minimum of 70,000; over                                                    110,000 would give them pain)

Epics and Sequels—over 110,000 (trilogies) 

Susan F. Craft authored the SIBA Award-winning Revolutionary War novel, The Chamomile. The two sequels to The Chamomile, entitled Laurel and Cassia will be released January 12, 2015, and September 14, 2015, by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.  She is represented by Linda S. Glaz, Hartline Literary Agency.