The History Quill Podcast: Writing and Publishing Historical Fiction

The books we read as children are hugely formative, shaping our tastes long after we’ve moved on to adult literature, and often drawing us back to old favourites to re-read to ourselves or future generations. 

It’s an opportunity and responsibility that Karen Inglis is well aware of. Karen talks about drawing inspiration from everyday life, digging beyond the moment of initial inspiration, and the importance of not preaching to or trying to teach children in fiction. The author-publisher of timeslip series The Secret Lake, among other books, also shares some of her recipe for success in self-publishing, while explaining how traditional publishing models have helped her sell overseas and in additional languages.

Go to https://thehistoryquill.com/bonus to get access to our special bonus podcast episode on how to succeed in historical fiction, available exclusively to our email subscribers. The episode features accomplished historical fiction authors Gill Paul and David Penny exploring how they’ve achieved success during their very different writing and publishing journeys and how you can achieve success on your own journey.

To get the transcript for this episode, visit https://thehistoryquill.com/12 for the episode page on our website.

Learn the secrets of writing great historical crime fiction with Vaseem Khan, international bestseller and winner of the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Historical Dagger. 

Vaseem, who is also the first non-white chair of the CWA, is a fount of knowledge on creating charismatic crime-solving characters who grow over the course of a series, how to adjust when you find your carefully planned plot shifting beneath you, and challenging the often risk-averse publishing industry. He’s also keenly interested in balancing familiar tropes and motifs with historical revisionism that challenges and informs readers in the West, as well as in markets like India, where his series are set. 

Go to https://thehistoryquill.com/bonus to get access to our special bonus podcast episode on how to succeed in historical fiction, available exclusively to our email subscribers. The episode features accomplished historical fiction authors Gill Paul and David Penny exploring how they’ve achieved success during their very different writing and publishing journeys and how you can achieve success on your own journey.

To get the transcript for this episode, visit https://thehistoryquill.com/11 for the episode page on our website.

Research is so important to piecing together the material world of your novel. Not only are archives an important tool in helping you avoid anachronisms that can be jarring for readers, but good archival research can have a huge positive impact, helping you access primary details that make your setting and characters come alive.

In this episode, Julia and Theo speak with Steve Dacus, founder of The Research Arsenal, which offers keyword searchable access to thousands of American Civil War documents including photographs, letters, diaries, ordnance returns, quartermaster specifications and more. 

Steve is passionate about helping authors bring the past to life. Listen in to get over the intimidation factor when conducting primary research and to learn how primary materials can help you capture characters’ sentiment and reactions to major events and daily life, adding nuance to your characterisation and description. 

Go to https://thehistoryquill.com/bonus to get access to our special bonus podcast episode on how to succeed in historical fiction, available exclusively to our email subscribers. The episode features accomplished historical fiction authors Gill Paul and David Penny exploring how they’ve achieved success during their very different writing and publishing journeys and how you can achieve success on your own journey.

Hazel Gaynor, bestselling author on both sides of the Atlantic, joins Theo and Julia to talk about the processes and priorities for writers of dual-timelines. She explains how weaving back and forth between characters and eras can create mystery and allow the author to provide both light and shade in order to ensure variety in tone and mood. 

Having written novels set both close to home and far afield, Hazel is also eager to talk about how to find the right story for you. She explains how she finds her stories and characters and explores what it feels like to find the nugget of gold that becomes the foundation for a story. 

This episode also explores Hazel’s ongoing collaboration with co-author Heather Webb and the unique demands of co-writing historical fiction.

Go to https://thehistoryquill.com/bonus to get access to our special bonus podcast episode on how to succeed in historical fiction, available exclusively to our email subscribers. The episode features accomplished historical fiction authors Gill Paul and David Penny exploring how they’ve achieved success during their very different writing and publishing journeys and how you can achieve success on your own journey.

Join bestselling novelist and writing coach Katherine Clements as she discusses the deep, human connection between reader and characters that distinguishes historical fiction from history. This episode also takes in topics including how to remain teachable as a writer, following your gut, and what a meaningful and bold writing career looks like.

Those wanting more detail on this crucial topic or to learn directly from Katherine in an interactive setting can also join her upcoming masterclass of the same name. Taking place on Friday 1 March 2024 and exclusive to The History Quill members, the Creating compelling characters masterclass will give you practical tools for developing major and minor characters and then transferring them to the page. For more information, visit our masterclasses page at https://thehistoryquill.com/masterclasses/. Members can join live or access the recording after the event.

Go to https://thehistoryquill.com/bonus to get access to our special bonus podcast episode on how to succeed in historical fiction, available exclusively to our email subscribers. The episode features accomplished historical fiction authors Gill Paul and David Penny exploring how they’ve achieved success during their very different writing and publishing journeys and how you can achieve success on your own journey.

To get the transcript for this episode, visit https://thehistoryquill.com/8 for the episode page on our website.

For the first episode of season two, returning hosts Theo and Julia are joined by bestselling author of Lancelot, Camelot and the Raven and Sigurd trilogies, Giles Kristian. 

Although best known for writing bloodthirsty but heartfelt, lyrical tales set in the Dark Ages, the former pop star is a renaissance man. His many talents have seen him collaborate with Wilbur Smith, release the captivating contemporary thriller Where Blood Runs Cold, and put the expertise forged while working on novels into use on video game scripting.

In this rousing and thought provoking episode, Giles discusses writing historical epics, how his style and focus has changed over time, and how to deal with loneliness while writing. He also explains his hopes and fears for the future of the novel, with discussion on how writers might diversify and tell stories through different media.

Go to https://thehistoryquill.com/bonus to get access to our special bonus episode on how to succeed in historical fiction, available exclusively to our email subscribers. The episode features accomplished historical fiction authors Gill Paul and David Penny exploring how they’ve achieved success during their very different writing and publishing journeys and how you can achieve success on your own journey.

To get the transcript for this episode, visit https://thehistoryquill.com/7 for the episode page on our website.

In this episode, hosts Theo and Julia are joined by Syd Young, an author, lawyer, and longstanding participant in The History Quill’s group coaching programme.

Syd's debut novel is a biographical contemporary historical fiction piece, centered around Lady Bird Johnson in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination. Together with our hosts, she explores the unique challenges and opportunities of writing about more recent historical figures. During the conversation, Syd discusses how working with a critique group helped shape her novel and writing process, sharing insights from her own experience as part of a community of historical fiction writers.

If you're eager to receive guidance, connect with fellow writers, and elevate your craft, follow the link below to join The History Quill’s group coaching programme.

https://thehistoryquill.com/group-coaching/

If you want to find out more about the topics discussed, visit https://thehistoryquill.com/6 for the episode page on our website, where you can access a range of relevant resources. You can also join our email list at https://thehistoryquill.com/join-our-email-list/ to receive new podcast episodes and more content for historical fiction writers.

In today’s episode, Theo and Julia are joined by Anna Mazzola, the award-winning and bestselling author known for her captivating gothic historical novels. With a background in law as a human rights and criminal justice solicitor, Anna brings a unique perspective to her storytelling, exploring the impact of crime and injustice in her works.

Throughout the conversation, Theo, Julia, and Anna discuss writing across different genres, the importance of confidence in one's own writing, and how to balance a successful writing career with another profession. Her latest novel, The House of Whispers, is a ghost story set in Fascist Italy and is a Sunday Times Historical Fiction pick for 2023.

In this episode, hosts Theo and Julia are joined by author Piper Huguley to explore the power of historical fiction in uncovering hidden narratives, and the art of crafting compelling biographical stories. 

Piper's dedication to writing about African American characters shines through as we delve into the lesser-known story of Ann Lowe for her historical fiction work, By Her Own Design. Listeners can expect to gain insights into the challenges and rewards of exploring and resurrecting these narratives, and the role that historical fiction plays in amplifying underrepresented voices.

​​In today’s episode, hosts Theo and Julia are joined by Octavia Randolph, author of the critically acclaimed Circle of Ceridwen Saga. With eleven books (and counting) set in 9th century England and Scandinavia during the Viking incursions, Octavia's meticulously researched and imaginatively crafted Norse sagas have gained a cult following among readers and listeners worldwide. 

During the conversation, Octavia shares insights into the challenges and rewards of building a community of loyal readers, as well as the process of writing and researching historical fiction. Listeners can expect to hear about the importance of authenticity in historical fiction, and how Octavia's passion for the subject matter (and persistence) has driven her success as an independent author.