Today's guest is my writing 'twin.' I say that because we seem to do everything together; we got agents, sold, got our covers, and will release our debut novels, all within a month of each other! She's an amazing author - remember, you heard of her here first!
Anne has agreed to give away an advance copy of her Regency novel,
As a writer of regency novels, I strive for accuracy. There are some things that can't be changed: the years of the Napoleanic War, when the Prince Regent was in power, the names of famous places in and around London.
But what about other, smaller facts? Regency England has a language of its own, and, it is hard to write in a time where there was no medicine, no lights, no toilets not much of anything. So many every day items we take for granted in our daily lives did not exist. Thankfully there are resources to fact check, and if that fails, there's always Ella Quinn. ;)
As an example, I used the word nightmare. Ella informed me that that word had not been recorded prior to 1829, and my book is set in 1818.
So for all of you historical novelists out there:
How important is historical accuracy in your writing? do you take it to the nth degree, or di you cut some slack on certain things.
As a reader, does it bother you if the writer is historically inaccurate?
February 21, 2013 at 8:03 am
I do love accuracy whether it be a contemporary setting or regency. I once felt compelled to write to Harlequin about a cover on one of the military based novels… the hero was Army and the hunk on the cover wore a Navy uniform! Now that kind of inaccuracy makes me crazy. But I read for pleasure and try not to nitpick. I seriously doubt that the use of the word “nightmare” would bother me… but oh boy the grammar errors light up and blink in neon. Yesterday it was “heard” when the author meant “herd”.
Just let me keep reading and I’ll blame it all on the unseen editor and please continue those sleepless nights of writing… the written word is our lifeline in this crazy world.
February 21, 2013 at 8:13 am
Oh, crap. I use the word “nightmare” in my Tudor-era historical. Good thing I’m still in the editing phase and can wipe it right out!
Despite that, I strive for accuracy as well – and I want it in the historical books I read. I’m completely okay with artistic license to suit the plot as long as it’s not a glaring inconsistency (as you mention, certain dates, locations and people simply cannot be changed). But there’s also a fine line between exhibiting artistic license and just being lazy. Last year I read a book set in the final 3 years of Anne Boleyn’s life. Within the first five pages, the author had the heroine (not Anne Boleyn, but a cousin of hers) having tea. What?? Even a casual Tudor historian should be aware that tea didn’t exist in England in the 1530s. It didn’t come to England until Charles II’s wife, Catherine of Braganza, brought it with her from Portugal in the mid 1600s. Then at another part of the book, Mary Boleyn shows up and talks briefly about her children – Henry and Mary. Mary Boleyn’s daughter’s name was actually Katherine – again, something anyone with even a casual interest in Tudor history would know. Katherine Carey was actually a fairly prominent figure during the latter years of Henry VIII’s reign all the way through Elizabeth’s. And to make it all worse, the author claimed to be a descendant of the heroine of her novel and had spent “her whole life” fascinated by the Tudor period. Wouldn’t you think, then, that she might know a thing or two? I can’t claim any Tudor-era ancestors, but I still knew this stuff. That, to me, was the epitome of laziness. I finished the book, but I won’t read another by the author. (I’ll continue to read Philippa Gregory, though. There’s a woman who knows how to use artistic license to enhance a story rather than mutilate it.)
Whew. Okay, off my soapbox. If any question remained, yes, historical accuracy is VERY important to me, both in my reading and my writing! And thanks for the heads-up on “nightmare”!
February 21, 2013 at 10:47 am
Well, I’m a reader, not a writer, so I would “cut some slack” on the specifics of historical accuracy. Mainly, I’m not that knowledgeable about European or British history dates. Now if it were American history, I’m more knowledgeable and would not favor glaring errors in dates, etc. Regarding general facts such as what amenities were available at a given time, an obvious error would disincline me to read more of that author…and I would probably contact the author privately to let her/him know about the error(s). I do NOT leave negative reviews, however.
February 21, 2013 at 5:53 pm
Way before I began writing, I had huge problems with the historical inaccuracies, so much so that I limited myself to very few writers. Unfortunately, there are some very big names who just don’t seem to care.