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Historical fiction writing course: special offer for Historia readers

27 September 2020 By Editor

We’re delighted to announce a special offer for Historia readers who’d like to join the first Writing Historical Fiction course run by Curtis Brown Creative (CBC). The six-week online course is tutored by Stephanie Merritt, who, as SJ Parris, writes the best-selling and much-loved Giordano Bruno spy thrillers. Steph spoke to Curtis Brown Creative about […]

Historia interviews: Alexandra Walsh

28 July 2020 By Frances Owen

Author Alexandra Walsh talks to Historia about her books, writing, research, women’s friendships, and her links with historical figures

How much should I explain? And how?

3 February 2020 By Emma Darwin

Dear Dr Darwin, As a reader of historical fiction I want to be in a place which may resonate in my world, but is not my world. That’s not only about politics and clothes, and how the people think and feel and believe, but in how they talk and write, and what they talk and […]

My writer’s circle friend keeps getting his facts wrong

15 November 2019 By Emma Darwin

Our resident agony aunt, Dr Darwin, answers a common question: how can we make sure our historical details are accurate – and believable? Dear Dr Darwin, Someone in my writers’ circle keeps getting facts wrong: things like calling a 17th-century character Tiffany, and giving her mother a vote in elections. He makes both of them keen […]

I want to write a parallel narrative novel, but I don’t know how

31 July 2019 By Emma Darwin

Historia’s resident agony aunt, Dr Darwin, answers another question about the craft (and art) of writing. This time: how to write a parallel narrative novel which grabs – and keeps – your reader. Dear Dr Darwin, I have fantastic idea for a novel which is made of two almost entirely separate historical narrative threads plaited […]

How do I convey necessary information without it being clunkingly obvious?

28 April 2019 By Emma Darwin

Woman writing: Pamela

Author Emma Darwin explains how you make sure historical fiction readers get necessary information without it being clunkingly obvious

Finding your historical voice

16 December 2018 By Emma Darwin

Jan Ekels the Younger: A Man Writing at his Desk

Our resident agony aunt, Dr Darwin, answers a common question: How can I find a voice for my historical fiction? Dear Dr Darwin, Writing courses boast they’ll help you to “find your voice”, and “the voice” is the thing that publishers and therefore agents say they are looking for almost above all. But what does […]

What counts as historical fiction?

29 September 2018 By Emma Darwin

Painting by Vermeer of a woman writing

Our resident agony aunt, Dr Darwin, answers a common question: what counts as historical fiction? Dear Dr Darwin, I told my grandmother that I was writing a historical novel set in the Liverpool of the early Beatles, and she laughed so hard she nearly fell off her motorbike. I told my brother the Beatles weren’t […]

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Latest Releases

The Mystery of the Hawke Sapphires by JC Briggs

26 January 2021

Shake Loose the Border by Robert Low

25 January 2021

The Straits of Treachery by Richard Hopton

21 January 2021

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Editor’s Picks

Concentration camps and the politics of memory

26 May 2020

An appearance of serenity: the French fashion industry in WWII

16 April 2019

Entrance to Auschwitz

Torn from home

27 January 2019

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The Historical Writers’ Association

Historia Magazine is published by the Historical Writers’ Association. We are authors, publishers and agents of historical writing, both fiction and non-fiction. For information about membership and profiles of our member authors, please visit our website.

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ISSN 2515-2254

Recent Additions

  • The Minister for Illusion: Goebbels and the German film industry
  • The Mystery of the Hawke Sapphires by JC Briggs
  • Shake Loose the Border by Robert Low

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