When writing fiction about any era, historical records can be inaccurate, even contradictory. Think about all the media and news sources available today, and imagine trying to sift through all that information in the future to write a historical novel. There are so many different perspectives and interpretations written about a single event. Because personal experience and core values color the recounting of any incident, it may be difficult to narrow it down to just the facts.

My grandfather would often say, “There are three sides to every story—your side, my side, and the truth.” I grew up hearing this phrase, so imagine my surprise when I tried to source the quote and discovered it is attributed to film producer Robert Evans in his autobiography published in 1994, The Kid Stays in the Picture. But my grandfather died in 1992, meaning he could not have lifted it from that book. Obviously, the originator of the quote did not receive the credit due them. Perhaps it is very old, even anonymous.

If I can rightly question the origin of this quote which is dated recent history, how much more uncertain is ancient history? If we need to view recent records with a skeptical eye, imagine going farther back further in time, even centuries, and the difficulty in determining the accuracy of those records.

Consider Alexander the Great, who lived from 336-323 BC. The earliest surviving record about him was written centuries after his death. Of course, there are a few artifacts that give insights into who he was and what he did. There is even a tomb built in his honor, yet his body has never been found. After so many generations, how much of what we know about Alexander the Great is fact and how much is lore? Consider the legend of the Gordian knot. Did Alexander untie it, pull the linchpin, or cut the knot with his sword? The debate goes on. The truth never to be known.

The challenges of writing about ancient, even medieval, times, are many. Some civilizations kept few written records, their history passed down from generation-to-generation through oral traditions. Other causes both natural (fires, floods, and decay) and man-made (wars and migrations) serve to erase much of the past. Historians and archeologists have the difficult task of putting together the pieces, but the full picture can never be completed.

That is where the historical fiction author has a unique advantage over non-fiction. Writing fiction gives them the freedom to use their imagination to fill in the gaps. Just remember the story needs to be logical, probable, and consistent with the era.

That leads me to my contribution to the new Paper Lantern Writers publication, Crafting Stories from the Past: A How-To Guide for Writing Historical fiction, and my chapter entitled How to Research with Limited Source Material. As you research, and prepare to write your story, I offer strategies you can follow. This chapter discusses how to overcome this challenge and includes topics such as:

• Biographies
• Religious practices
• Geography
• and more

Although it is impossible to discover the full truth, historical fiction allows the author the freedom to craft a story as they imagine it could have happened. Yet they still bear a responsibility to their readers to craft a story that strikes the balance between invention and plausibility as they create a work that feels authentic and engaging.

Happy writing!