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Archives for Topic: HF Craft

Topical deep dives, curated ideas, and inspiring conversations related to historical fiction craft for Historical Fiction Craft Notes (HFCN.)

HFCN #06: What I’ve Learned From Teaching 8+ Historical Fiction Workshops

Aug 04, 2023 10 Comments

A reflection on my own learnings from teaching historical fiction workshops, and some thoughts about persistent trends in the genre.

HFCN #05: Notes on Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey

Jul 21, 2023 4 Comments

A close read of a scene from Peter Carey’s Booker-winning historical novel, Oscar and Lucinda, and some other literary updates.

HFCN #03: Discovering both “Know-Why” and “Know-How” in Historical Fiction

Mar 07, 2023 4 Comments

On imaginatively interpreting “why” things happened as they did along with “how” they happened in our historical fiction. Book recommendations: Martin Puchner. George Eliot, Jerome de Groot, Richard Cohen, Ashutosh Mehndiratta, Michael Ondaatje, and Maggie O’Farrell. And a reading and writing exercise.

historical fiction craft notes the central 'what' question

HFCN #02: Framing the Central ‘What’ Question

Feb 02, 2023 5 Comments

In historical fiction, a central ‘what’ question can help us find a story’s beating heart. Let’s consider how two historical novels—one relatively new and the other a classic now—framed their “what” questions.

Jenny Bhatt is an author, a literary translator, and a book critic. Currently, she is a Ph.D. student of literature at the University of Texas at Dallas. She has taught creative writing at Writing Workshops Dallas and the PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship Program. Sign up for her free newsletters, We Are All Translators and/or Historical Fiction Craft Notes. Jenny lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Texas.

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