Fiction writers often draw on real events and people to inspire their stories. Many writers undertake extensive historical research as part of their craft. A story about the past can be made to come alive with the small details that immerse us in a time before our own. Where does the history stop and the fiction begin? What is it about the past that makes it such a good setting for spinning new narratives?   Our panel of writers (Emma Ashmere, Victoria Purman and Pip Williams) discuss the role of history in their own work, and share their thoughts more broadly on the relationship of history and fiction.