In a recent post, I considered writing about real historical figures, both the famous and the not-so-famous. I find novels like this fascinating as do many other readers. In that post, I mentioned several novels and a few authors who have written such stories.
I’ve considered writing such a novel and have even come up with a few ideas:
- Margaret Bourke-White – a documentary photographer and journalist whose WWII photography is famous
- Berthe Morisot – one of the Impressionists who was also a model for Edouard Manet; there are even suggestions that she and Manet were lovers even though she married Manet’s brother!
- Marie-Madeleine Fourcade – a leader in the French resistance
- Rose Kennedy – the matriarch of the Kennedy family; married to Joseph Kennedy
- Lillie Langtry – British actress in the late 19th century and royal mistress to the Prince of Wales
And what are the challenges involved in writing about someone relatively well-known?
Upper left: Rose Kennedy; Upper right: Margaret Bourke-White; Center: Berthe Morisot; Lower left: Lillie Langtry; Lower right: Marie-Madeleine Fourcade
Scope – how much of the character’s life should one fictionalize? I recall reading a biography that seemed to include absolutely everything about a particular person (in this case, an author) from their birth to their death. The detail was so boring, I stopped when she was still a teenager. Fictional biographies – novels based on real people – have the same challenge.
The opportunity is to find the compelling parts of an individual’s life. To start with an event that will hook your readers just as you would with any novel. To end with an event that is climactic in its impact and defining for the character.
Research – famous people have typically been written about in great detail in history books and/or biographies. Some have left their letters (both received and sent) and their own writings behind. Some are the subject of learned dissertations. This wealth of information presents a conundrum: what is the truth? How does an author choose the right information? When there are conflicting accounts, can an author determine which one is correct?
You can’t overload a novel with research nor can you avoid the important facts of an individual’s life. When you do enough research, you will be able to choose the dramatic arc of your character’s life that will support the story you want to tell.
A well-known person represents constraints – authors have a responsibility to keep to the known truth. Some constraints are simple and don’t represent too much of a challenge: date and place of birth; marriage(s); major events; family structure; occupation. Others might be more problematic – were they present at a particular historical event? Did they cause something to happen or make an influential decision? Did they say or write something outrageous? Were their beliefs and values admirable? Did they act with noble purpose or were they self-serving? And in all cases: why?
As Maryka Biaggio, author of Gun Girl and the Tall Guy, said: “Readers expect biographers to research thoroughly, portray their subjects accurately, and avoid wild speculation about the unknown. Novelists, by contrast, are expected to fill in the gaps—to imagine motives, conversations, and private emotions. Fiction invites invention.” See this link for more.
What is the novel or story arc hidden behind all the facts or a particular person’s life? Where is the drama? The climax? The twists and turns? Like any novel, where are the high stakes of the story, the political tension, the moral complexity? What are the compromises this person made? Their vulnerabilities? Which characters from this person’s life will create a memorable story?
The ethics involved – when writing about real historical figures author Margaret George would advise that your treat your characters with great respect. Beyond that, you must be aware of potential issues involving the descendants of your main character. Balance fidelity to fact with fidelity to the emotional truth of your character. The best historical fiction interprets history responsibly. I wrote a post on this topic titled Historical Fiction featuring real people – a Debate.
Beyond the challenges noted above are various choices to be made:
- point of view – first person? close third person? a person adjacent to the main character?
- degree of invention – what latitude will you take with the facts? Why? Are you filling gaps or reframing the story of this person’s life?
- defining moments
- supporting cast of characters, some of whom might be invented; some might be given a more significant role than the history books define
- is your character looking back on his/her life or experiencing his/her life as the reader does?
- timeline – where does your story start and stop in this character’s life?
- key events – which events are seminal, dramatic, life-changing or life-defining?
- choose the emotional context of your character’s life that will create tension, lead to life-altering decisions, and entice the reader; put your reader into you real character’s shoes
K.D. Allen, author of Lady Codebreaker, based on the true life of codebreaker Elizebeth Friedman and her husband Robert, offers this advice:
“You must sift through the mountains of history for the true heart of your novel—and you find that in emotion, not a string of facts.
You ask tough questions: What does your character want out of life? What does she care about the most and why? What is stopping her from getting it? Once she does, how will she react if you take it away? What are your protagonist’s strengths, fears, insecurities, and flaws? What are her biggest challenges? Who is her nemesis, and how can she battle him or her? How high are the stakes of her journey? What catastrophe will occur if she fails?”
Before I close, let me mention one more challenge: who else has written about the character that fascinates you? What story did they tell? How will yours be different?
FOR MORE ON READING & WRITING HISTORICAL FICTION FOLLOW A WRITER OF HISTORY. There’s a SUBSCRIBE function on the right hand side of the page.
M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel THAT WAS THEN is a contemporary thriller. Mary’s other novels, THE ADMIRAL’S WIFE, PARIS IN RUINS, TIME AND REGRET, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook or on her website www.mktod.com.
