riting The Historical Novel
Author: John H. Manhold

For many years, I had written nothing but textbooks and
scientific research papers. It was my job and one that I
thoroughly enjoyed. Several years ago, I retired, but remained
quite active and in demand as a consultant. In the more recent
past, a number of people seeking my help began to wonder how
much longer it might be available, and began looking for a new
source.

Having been accustomed to a ten to twelve-hour day, the gradual
decrease in workload left me with unwanted time on my hands.
From a newsletter I receive as an emeritus member of the
scientific society, Sigma Xi, I discovered I was not alone in
this situation. Fortunately, my wife suggested I write a novel.
The thought to me was quite unique and jolted my own thought
processes. After more than sixty years of searching for facts
and condensing all verbalization to minimal proportions, would
it be possible to write a novel? The writing method was totally
reversed. Instead of condensing all of the material, there would
be a need to expand it. The thought became more intriguing the
longer it simmered.

Historical novels always have been favorites of mine since I
first was introduced to Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe and then to
works of James Fennimore Cooper, and others. If I were going to
write a novel, this appeared to be the best type to attempt.
Furthermore, research is what I do and have done for many years.


By definition, a historical novel is one whose story deals with
people and events of a period preceding one's own, and more
usually by a considerable amount of time. The definition
provides a wide latitude in which to operate, and some writers
follow only loosely a historical thread.

To me, a novel in this genre must pick its time and follow
closely the geography, as well as the mores, of that period.
This does not apply to languages, of course. If the time
selected is far enough removed from the present, attempts to
provide differences not only would be awkward, but usually also
would not be well accepted by the reader. The same applies to
dealing with a foreign language. Inclusion of too many foreign
words or phrases, especially italicized, interferes with the
smoothness of word flow in a passage.

With respect to following the mores of a specific period in
time, a bit more research may be required than one normally
would believe. Mores vary significantly from time to time,
culture to culture, and most importantly, from one geographical
area to another. And a bit of explanation of the differences
easily may be included in the body of your story. I have found
that three or four pages of explanatory text often are well
received. It may not be totally palatable to a few readers, but
overall, most will enjoy learning something new and, if the
material can be adequately condensed and included as part of the
overall story, as it must be, it often is enjoyed enough to be
mentioned favorably in reviews. Similar inclusions are
worthwhile if it aids or clarifies a pertinent bit of history.

Geography is the second most important consideration for the
historical novelist. One must remember that the world's
topography is, and has been, constantly changing. European
countries no longer look as they did even a few years ago. I
remember living outside of Marbella, Spain some twenty years
ago, in a small villa right on the seashore. I returned there
five years ago and could find the place only after an intense
search. The area is unrecognizable with myriad small houses
crowding the once beautiful and spacious expanse.

So, any persons finding themselves in a similar situation,
might keep these thoughts in mind, and prepare to embark on the
journey of writing a historical novel. Just remember as an
additional aside, that writing about something with which you
are familiar makes the task much more enjoyable and considerably
easier. Don't try to write about the 'Silk Road' in China,
unless you at least have been in similar terrain, and have
researched the history quite thoroughly.


About The Author: John H. Manhold is a retired professor and
scientific journal editor. He is an author of several textbooks,
a lexicon in four languages and now novels that often require
extensive research. He provides coaching on various types and
phases of writing. Please see http://www.johnhmanhold.com/ for
more information, and an address.