If I stacked all of the “how to write” and literary criticism books I have read over the years, it would probably be taller than I am (I am not short). Sure, I have all the usual ones that have been thrown around for the last two or three decades, John Gardner’s The Art of Fiction, Stephen King’s On Writing, Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird.

During my MFA program, I designed a historical fiction course, and found the only pertinent book at the time: Persia Wooley’s How to Write Historical Fiction. Immediately after I graduated from my two and half year MFA program, I still felt under prepared for my writing journey, so I looked up every single writing book I could find. These included books by Eudora Welty, Flannery O’Connor, and Annie Dillard. But that still didn’t satisfy me, and I branched out into craft books on poetry and screenwriting.

Adding to the Canon

I cannot tell you how pleased I am to present, two decades after my MFA program, another book to add to the craft book canon. There are not many books like this one–a distinct, clear, how-to on the specific problems historical fiction encounters. Sure, memoirists could absolutely benefit from our chapters about writing family histories and organizing extensive research, and fantasy authors could benefit from our chapters on dialogue, world-building, and mechanics of the horse. And absolutely any writer would benefit from our discussion on including non-mainstream community members in their works.

But put all of these chapters together, and you have our best guide for historical fiction. We are getting some initial advanced reviews, and they are glowing. Every single Lantern involved with this worked so hard on their chapters, showcasing our particular areas of expertise. No one person is good at everything, so how wonderful to have a book where twelve different working writers were able to share their knowledge.

What Other People Are Saying

“I’ve edited novels by many of the writers who contributed to this collection, so I know firsthand that the authors of this book are masters of their craft. (And they’ve got the awards to prove it!) In Crafting Stories from the Past, twelve talented writers have united to share their deep expertise via accessible essays that illustrate the key tenets of historical fiction. Beginners and seasoned writers alike will find something useful here, no matter their story’s subgenre, time period, or locale.”

-Signe Jorgenson, Writer, Editor, & Owner of Signe Jorgenson Editorial Services

Paper Lantern Writers is all about lifting up everyone, and I hope that we are able to bring that rising tide for new authors, established authors wanting to try something new, and anyone who needs a push to sit in the chair and type on Ye Olde Manuscript.

“This may be the best guide to writing historical fiction published to date. What makes it special is the perspective of so many different authors on their individual areas of expertise. This well-rounded guide featuring advice on a multitude of topics is a must-have for any historical fiction author’s reference collection.”

~Jenny Quinlan, Founder and Executive Editor at Historical Editorial, Historical Novel Society of North America Conference Chair

Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers!

Whether I am over-enthusiastic (yes), or overly-optimistic (also yes), I will be out and about at conferences this year. So if you find yourself at one, look for me, and I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about historical romance, historical research, or anything else about Crafting Stories from the Past. 

What I am perhaps most proud of is that Crafting Stories from the Past is unique in that not only does it contain writing advice, researching advice, and organizational advice, it contains an extensive referral section at the back. Are you stumped as to where to start researching your idea for Ancient Rome? There is a section for that! Do you need to know more about non-war WWII living? We have a section for that, too!

Full Confession

I have written or co-written three of the chapters in the book. I also formatted the book, so I have been through every comma, margin, header and footer in that manuscript. And my legitimate, hyper-critical eye says, This is more than the sum of its parts. 

There really is a nugget for everyone in this book, and I cannot wait for it to be out in the world.

You can now also preorder the paperback! And just a word to the wise, the price increases after the May 1st publication date! Preorder now and save yourself some valuable coin.