Consider relevancy & reader interest before you start writing. It’s not going to do you any good to spend months or years writing something nobody is going to be interested in.<\/li>

Utilize all the research avenues before you start writing. Don’t just “google” it–use the library, the newspaper morgue, read journals & diaries & letters, visit the site of your story, etc.<\/li>

Create a system to document your research material before you start writing. I use Scrivener because it allows you to import websites and other forms of research, not just to copy and paste what you’ve looked up.<\/li>

Make a timeline before you start writing. You’ll need this to be sure you have all your dates correct and so you can get your scenes into order.<\/li>

Choose your construct carefully before you start writing. Downs & Wardle in Writing About Writing, say’ “One of the key features of an effective construct is that it quickly begins to seem ‘natural’ or inevitable, rather than made-up.”<\/li>

After you start writing, the story is king, not the historical backdrop. Don’t forget this fact. You may have a ton of research material, but you don’t need to do an “info dump” and preach at your readers about it. Tell an exciting story with a few historical tidbits scattered throughout.<\/li>

Strive for authenticity rather than total accuracy. You can always add a note at the end of your novel stating that you fudged a date or moved a railroad to suit your story.<\/li>

Make your historical setting a character. The world your characters inhabit should be as realistic as possible and your story shouldn’t be able to be plucked from that setting and placed anywhere else.<\/li>

No info dumps. Ever. See above, where story is king. Resist the urge to share your knowledge. If you must write everything down, create a nonfiction booklet and publish it along with your novel as a “freebie” on Amazon.<\/li>

Read great historical fiction. The more you read, the richer your own stories will become.<\/li><\/ul>\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t