Historical Fiction Writing with Universal Class LESSON 2

ELEMENTS OF HISTORICAL FICTION

Every genre of fiction has its own special elements. The elements of historical fiction are varied. They include characterisation, setting, plot themes, and specific styles and tones.

Characterization

Let’s start with characters.

Your characters may be real people that have lived in the past.

Oftentimes, these people are famous but, of course, they do not have to be. You may do research on someone who lived in the past and shape your story around them in order to give more notice to that character. They may be someone you feel should be noted for deeds accomplished but so far, is a bit overlooked, historically speaking.

A recent novel titled Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin is a good example of this. This is a historical fiction novel that tells the story of the girl who would later become Alice in Lewis Carroll’s, Alice in Wonderland. Additionally, it tells a bit of the story behind Lewis Carroll.

The story is historical fiction because we could never be privy to all of these conversations and thoughts, but for all the research the author did, we have an excellent idea of how things were and what happened.

Another option is to create completely original characters who are not based on anyone who has ever lived. If you do this, in order to make it historical fiction, you must set your characters in a historical period. Choose a specific date or event and then do as much research as you can to bring the story to life.

One thing that happens in historical fiction–that happens in all fiction, is that your characters will change over the course of your novel. The difference here is that this usually occurs because the characters are shaped by their settings.

Setting

The setting of your novel is so very important in historical fiction, almost more so than in any other genre of fiction. It is almost a character in itself. Your characters are shaped by it. Because your story is historical and set in the past, your characters will be defined by it.

It means you must also research the moral constraints of the time period.

What were the social constructs of the day?

What was acceptable and unacceptable in terms of behavior?

As your characters are shaped by this, they will change and grow throughout the story based on these morals, constraints, and patterns of behavior.

It is also important to note that you will set your story in a specific geographical place and time. This will require lots of research. Make sure you know everything you need to know about your chosen place and time, and everything your readers will want and need to know to help them through the story.

We will talk more about research in a later lesson, but be prepared. Know that research is your best friend and the most essential tool when writing for this genre.

Plot Elements

The plot elements in an historical fiction novel can be quite unique, especially when compared to the plots of other genres. For example, the problem or problems in your historical fiction novel will usually be a result of the time and place that the story is occurring.

Another way that your conflicts or problems will be a result of time or place may simply be those moral constraints we talked about before. If you are writing a historical fiction romance novel, the courtship rituals were much different back then and this could be your characters’ problem, or it could be some type of familial censuring, such as an arranged marriage, which is causing the difficulties in your story.

Your research will be a great help in showing the reader this problem and allowing them to understand where your characters are coming from.

You want your readers to read along and really feel as if your story happened, the way readers do in Alice I Have Been. You cannot possibly know everything about the characters or the time period, you want your readers to feel that you do. They should be so swept up in your writing that they never stop to question or contradict a point. This is where a good, solid plot line comes in, as does good, solid research.

Theme

The themes of historical fiction are somewhat similar to the themes of any genre, which mostly is good versus evil. However, in historical fiction, we use the people and events from the past to shed light upon some basic truth about the past.

Style and Tone

The style of an historical fiction novel includes a great deal of detail. You want to use as much accuracy as possible. Your reader must feel like they are there, in the story, in that place and time, if you want to be successful.

Style is a very important element when writing for this genre.

If you were to write an historical fiction novel without giving any thought to the style, it might come out a little, well, odd. Because you live today and you are writing about the past, the language, word choice, vocabulary, etc. might not sound quite right. What you need to do is to come up with a style and a tone that fit with your story.

For an assignment I have to choose one historical figure and characterise them, so off I go! There is an assignment to complete for this lesson for that and then an exam to submit.

I think character is important and setting are the main ones you have to start off with as it sets the tone for the rest of your writing.

I have a novel in the works while I write this, and have written three chapters but I may have to learn to be more verbose and include more dialogue in it as I included in my first assignment in the first blog post series I did for this. I mentioned in my Introduction that I am more descriptive rather than putting lots more dialogue but I believe that you have to have a balance.

This next week I will be working on the rest of the Lesson while working at small goals of assignments and exams for each lesson, so I will post each lesson on the blog!

I hope you enjoy!

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Novel Writing 101 – Lesson 1 and 2

Now that I am qualified as a Library Assistant and I have completed Styling Essentials, lots of new things are in the works.

I decided to take a novel writing course – a short one – online – so that I can further develop enhance my skills in that area of writing, so I am not just freely blogging, or typing away with no thought. Novel writing is not careless, it is complex, and there is so much to it that I thought it would be a challenge to take up a new course in something else that I love and am passionate about!

It is through Universal Class which is the same provider I used online when doing the Historical Fiction writing course online as well.

You start out with being shown what your Learning outcomes are, such as:

Defining what a novel is

Describe working philosophy

Summarize novel writing methods

Select a specific class to write about

Select a specific genre to write about

Select a point of view

Summarize manuscript formatting

Create a storyboard

Define the synopsis

Summarize 5 elements involved in fiction writing

Describe building character development

Describe plot/conflict development

Summarize plot requirements

Create the setting, theme, style and tone

Create the climax, identify critical scenes. Recognise cause and effect.

Create proper dialog and illustrative details

Write a conclusion. Edit and revise. Publish the work.

Lets begin with the first lesson!

LESSON 1

Definition of. a novel

“If there’s a book you really want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”– Nobel Prize-winning American author Toni Morrison

With origins dating back to poetic prose from thousands of years ago — Elizabethan times, fanciful French romance narratives from the mid-17th century, and episodic, central-figure adventures from the Spanish Don Quixote era — novel writing is an art form that has long been an integral part of our culture.

WHAT IS A NOVEL?

1. A fictional prose narrative of considerable length, typically having a plot that is unfolded by the actions, speech, and thoughts of the characters
2. The literary genre represented by novels

In our contemporary world, the use of “novel” has shifted to focus more on the central character, than on the plot. Also playing a defining role in the novel, is the sense of realism. novels are developed as fictional stories the underlying element inherent in all are truisms based upon human behaviour and the ways in which we interact with others.

Novel Features

As a whole, the three primary features of a traditional novel include:

• A cohesive, believable plot structure
• Well-defined, credible characters
• A strong undercurrent of reality

It has been said that a work of fiction is measured by how well, or poorly, the author is able to unify the story and control its impact. Therefore, the only obligation of the writer is to make the story flow well for the reader, and have strong elements of interest.

Classic Examples

• Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (1811), and Pride and Prejudice (1813); 
• Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre (1847); 
• Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights (1847); 
• Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter (1850); 
• Herman Melville’s Moby Dick (1851); 
• Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884);
• F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1925); 
• Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (1926); 

Can anyone write a novel?

wanting to write a novel, and actually writing it, are entirely different things. In order to produce a novel, you first will need to create a structure around your project, define your objectives, and prioritize this project in your life to ensure you follow it through to completion.

Novel Writing: Rewards and Payoffs

Attracted by the following rewards and personal payoffs, many people do go forth with their plans to write a novel.

• Satisfaction of achieving a hard-earned goal.
• Medium to utilize creative skills, which may not otherwise be used in one’s professional life
• Opportunity to hone one’s writing skills
• Forum to focus one’s ideas and life experiences
• Area over which one does not need to conform to anyone’s standards or rules
• Outlet to showcase one’s theories, ideas and creative visions (albeit masked within a work of fiction)
• Ego-gratification endeavor, culminating in one’s name appearing on the book jacket of countless copies
• Lasting legacy

Regardless of what becomes of the finished product — picked up by a publisher, self-published, bestseller, etc. — the fact that you stayed the course in writing your novel is something that will remain with you for your entire lifetime.

Committing to the generation of your novel, and seeing it through to completion, is an endeavor that will leave you with a new-found confidence that will carry over on to any project you put before yourself.

Ideally, the following chapters will help you feel more secure with the novel-writing process and, thus, better able to navigate as you head out on this memorable journey.

I had to upload an assignment

Lesson 1 Assignment

Here is what I did:

My favourite novel that I like to read is called The Governess of Highland Hall and the Author of the novel is called CARRIE TURANSKY

I am a sucker for English Historical Romance novels, and when I read this front to back, I loved it from the characters to the setting to the situations etc. It is a perfect and ideal novel to look at as it is my favourite english historical novel based in England.

This is one of my favourite books because I am a sucker for English Historical novels and out of all the ones I have read, this by far has to be my favourite because of the story, and the writing is so easy to read, yet so eloquent and very English at the same time without it being too verbose. 

It gives you a beautiful feel overall when reading, because of the choice of words, and the way it is written. The author puts words in a very articulate and expressive way through the characters view points and sets a delightful tone throughout the story. 

When the reader is reading this kind of book I believe that they would be experiencing something pleasant as even though there is a section with conflict, the way it is beautifully written, it would give a feeling of delightfulness, which is also captivating, enchanting, joyful and cheerful. 

I also had to submit three paragraphs for my novel and submit an Exam.

LESSON 2

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: Read a lot and write a lot…reading is the creative center of a writer’s life…you cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you.”– Stephen King

Novel Writing Boot Camp 101

Writing Schedules”Try to write every day; if you don’t, you’ll lose the rhythm of your prose, as well as features of the plot, characters and, most importantly, your ‘voice’, the very timbre of the book that you are trying to maintain.” 
— David Armstrong, author of How Not to Write a Novel: Confessions of a Mid-list Author

Thus, in order to acquire a manner of discipline around your novel writing process, the first thing you will want to do (before mapping out the story lines, or fleshing out your characters), is to assess your project in terms of the total time it will require you to invest.

Once you have gained an idea as to the amount of time your novel will demand of you, you will then be able to determine when — during the course of your busy life — you will realistically be able to sit down, concentrate, and write.

if we were to effectively use the time on our writing that we spend aimlessly wandering the Internet or mindlessly watching television, then we should be able to carve out a sufficient number of writing sessions per week.

Focus/Motivation

After formulating a working writing schedule, you can shift your focus to the best ways for sustaining your motivation and ability to focus solely on your novel.

It is at this point that you may find yourself falling somewhat short in your ability to hold your attention throughout long, intense writing sessions. Fortunately, should you find this to be the case, there are numerous methods you can employ to increase your levels of concentration and motivation.Capturing your ability to focus on one activity for a sustained period of time, is something that can be greatly enhanced by integrating some form of regular meditation into your life. The simple act of learning how to sit still, and focus your mind, offers immeasurable benefits. Not only can it increase the satisfaction you derive on a daily basis, it can also contribute to your writing, in terms of allowing you to hold your thoughts for longer periods, and to explore multiple story scenarios without losing sight of the principle idea.

Helpful Novelist Tips

Chart your progress — Documenting the number of hours worked per day, and specific novel-related tasks accomplished, can be helpful in numbers of ways

Create an incentive for meeting your daily/monthly/overall writing goals — If you need to encourage yourself to stay on course, you may want to build in a series of goal-oriented incentives. 

upon wrapping up the entire novel, do something very, very nice for yourself! Go to the movies, buy yourself a new piece of jewellery, perhaps a pretty journal like I posted in my previous post, 4 Books to read this year in 2020. And buy yourself some flowers if no one else is going to buy them for you!

Good Health

As a whole, it is probably most important that, as you divide your time up among your family, friends, work, and writing, you pay attention to what you are eating, the amount of sleep you are getting, the time you are allocating to physical fitness activities, and the degree to which you are using stimulants, e.g., tobacco and caffeine.

While you are attempting to stay focused and encouraged, it is essential that you take good care of yourself to ensure that your productivity and the quality of your work do not suffer.

Lesson articles featured are:

How to overcome writers block: 14 tricks that work

Lesson 2 Assignment was:

Exercise: To get a realistic sense of the amount of work/time you will need to commit to writing your novel, take a few moments to look at your calendar and block out the day\times you can allocate to the project. You can begin by answering the following questions: 

1.  Realistically, how much time will you be able to commit per week to writing?

2.  Do you have an ideal timeframe for completing your novel?

3.  What types of activities, e.g., exercise, meditation, establishing calming environments can help you get and stay motivated during your blocked out writing sessions? 

I am about to submit this exercise tonight and then tomorrow will work on Lesson 3!

I showed you my example of my first assignment in Lesson 1.

In the comments tell me if you would enjoy doing a course on Novel Writing. Would you do Novel Writing 101?

What is your favourite novel to read?

Can you write Lesson 2’s exercise in the comments below?

Do you like to write during the day or night?

If you could quit your job and write for a living would you do it?

Emmalisa

My Styling Essentials Online Course with Beautiful Home Magazine

STYLING ESSENTIALS

This online course I decided to do through ISCD International School of Colour and Design is endorsed by the Home Beautiful Magazine. They cover the latest design trends and you learn to identify and explain styling specialisations within the design industry.

And also to give you the skill set you need for product, set or home-interior styling.

It is ONLINE ONLY | and is for SIX WEEKS | you can do it ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

The Home Beautiful team is excited to be partnering with the International School of Colour and Design on a brand-new online course, Styling Essentials.

This course (which you can do from the comfort of your own home, anytime of day or night) is a great way to boost your design knowledge so you can style like a pro! Join an engaged community of design lovers and decorators – you won’t regret it.

With modules covering everything from the elements and principles of design, to mood, materials and furniture, Styling Essentials is a new online course for lovers of all things style. The course culminates with a project to put your new skills into practice.

Course content includes:

• Introduction to styling and elements and principles of design
• Developing mood
• Materials
• Spatial planning
• Furniture and accessories
• Styling in practice

Styling is the practice of creating a beautiful room, studio or set to meet a brief for a particular aesthetic for a large-scale photo shoot, product photography or flatlay. These skills are applicable for product styling, set styling, photography styling or interior styling.

This course, endorsed by the Home Beautiful editorial team, with inspiring, beautiful and course-relevant content from Home Beautiful magazine.

Covering the latest in local and international design trends; practical case studies with lots of take-out ideas, and expert styling tips, tricks and advice.

The course culminates in analysing a styling brief and providing a complete styling solution.

What you learn

• Identify and explain styling specialisations within the design industry.
• Apply elements and principles of design to a specified space.
• Communicate design concepts and choices in both visual and written formats.
• Demonstrate a styling concept in response to a specific brief; with consideration to spatial planning, furniture, finishes, materials and accessories.

How you learn

Our online courses are designed to optimise your touch points and create a dynamic and engaging learning experience. All your support is through a dedicated online learning portal and you will receive support from an industry trainer. Throughout your study, feedback is provided at key activities and/or projects. When studying online with iscd you will become a member of a community allowing you the opportunity to share, learn and network with other students.

You can also read more heon our FAQsection

Course Duration: 6 Modules, approx. 3 hrs each
Trainer Support Period: 6 weeks from date of enrolment
Subscription Duration: 8 weeks

COURSE TOPICS

Module 1: Introduction to styling and elements and principles of design

• Elements and principles in styling
• Composition and vignettes

Module 2: Developing mood

• Creating ambience and seasonal style
• How to create mood boards

Module 3: Materials

• Soft materials and hard materials
• Window and wall treatments

Module 4: Spatial planning

• Interior styling and room layouts
• Reading plans
  Planning for key rooms in the house

Module 5: Furniture and accessories

• Furniture selection
• Accessories and artwork
• Lighting design

Module 6: Styling in practice

• Trends in styling
• Design conceptualisation
• Concept analysis + how to develop a concept
• Final Home Beautiful Project

We are excited to see you in this course. We believe you will have a great learning experience with others and discover how to use colour in your current or future design projects!

WELCOME TO STYLING ESSENTIALS

Styling explores various areas of furniture and accessory sourcing and display to communicate a concept or design idea. Styling identifies both historical design context and current design trends for consideration in the application.

This short course will provide you with the skills and knowledge to thrive in the design industry and build a successful career. It will teach you how to explore your conceptual ideas and develop them into inspiring designs and create a full colour atlas!

See you in PART 2 ;

Module 1: Introduction to styling and elements and principles of design

of my ESSENTIAL STYLING COURSE WITH HOME BEAUTIFUL MAGAZINE

Emmalisa

Your Home should tell the story of who you are, and be a Collection of what you Love 💓

Historical Fiction Writing with Universal Class – with City of Joondalup – Whitfords Library

INTRODUCTION

What Is Historical Fiction?

I thought I would first show the definition of Historical Fiction to pinpoint what we are looking at exactly.

Historical, adj. 1. Of, relating to, or of the character of history. 2. Based on or concerned with events in history.

Fiction, n. 4.a. A literary work whose content is produced by the imagination and is not necessarily based on fact. b. The category of literature comprising works of this kind, including novels, short stories, and plays.

Writing historical fiction is simply writing a story that is set in the past which is usually during a significant time period. For example, the Victorian Period is the period during Queen Victoria’s reign. I find this period particularly interesting and a favourite.

The main thing that I will learn in this course is to do research to come up with the correct setting based on facts. It can also include real people but does not necessarily have to.

When You are writing fiction, it is very important to do your homework so that you can really pinpoint the mannerisms, costumes, conditions,  etc, in order to make the novel authentic. In fact, they also say that historical fiction novels can take years to write because of the amount of research you have to do when writing.

Historical writing includes historical figures placed in imaginary situations

Fictional characters placed in actual, factual historical periods of time or situations

(for example, you can place your fictional character “Alexandra” in Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812); or you can have variations of both.

For example, you could place historical figures in settings they have been proven to have been in or fictional characters in fictional settings in a real period of history.

To recap, historical fiction is writing that is fictional but in which elements from history play the main roles.

When you choose to write historical fiction, you are doing two things at once – you are both the historian AND the storyteller. You are going to tell your readers what happened at the time and what it felt like.

We are going to explore the genre.

We will discuss the various subgenres, the types of characters and settings you may want to explore, character motivations, conflict, plot, plot mapping, editing, and pacing, plus agents, queries, and so much more.

You will walk away at the end of this course feeling as though you know exactly what you want to write and exactly how to write it.

I have submitted my Introduction online and written what book I want to write and then did a multiple choice exam at the end.

You may have to be a member of the City of Joondalup library to access the course.

It is under Online Resources in the Spydus catalogue.

Xx

Emmalisa

Note: 📝 This is through onlineclasses.com

UniversalClass.com

There iare500+ courses to choose from and 6000000 Lessons delivered!

Oh! How I want to do Journalism!

I will possibly do a Book Review of The Governess Game in the near future! As that is the featured photo on my post!

❤️