Hello everyone,
I am currently writing a short fantasy story in a historical setting. I am using some historical names of people and places, as well as events, and wondering if there is anything inherently wrong with that in the context of the competition.
I wouldn't have thought so, just be sure to get your facts right 😉
R:6 RWC:1 HM:9 SHM:3
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Small Gods and Little Demons - Parsec Issue #10
I don't believe there would be a problem with this. It anchors things in a time and a place, and there's no conflict I can think of that might arise from it. Historical fantasy, or alternate history, are definitely valid genres of fantasy, and the Contest is open to them all.
DQ:0 / R:0 / RWC:2 / HM:15 / SHM:7 / SF:1 / F:1
Pending: Q3.V42
You may want to go back and redact some of the details in your post. Revealing too much information about your story here in the forums may spoil the anonymity and, thus, disqualify you. Unless of course this is a story you won’t be submitting to the contest, then you’re probably fine.
"There are three rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
— W. Somerset Maugham
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx6
R/RWCx6
@morgan-broadhead I edited it. Thank you for telling me.
So far as I can tell, there is no problem with using genuine historical facts and people. Rebecca Treasure’s published finalist in V38 was a historical fantasy. It didn’t revolve around a primary historical character (i.e. Napoleon wasn’t her protagonist), but she used genuine events and characters from the Napoleonic wars to build a historically and culturally accurate fantasy (and a freaking good story).
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We have little history with Jody yet, but Dave loved specificity. Historical figures add specificity.
General advice is to avoid disparaging living people or people with living heirs. Disparagement is in the eye of the beholder, of course; and some people are fair game for disparagement. Say as many disparaging things as you want about dead world leaders of the past. People may dispute your claims, but they won't sue you for them.
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As a reader I LOVE when real historical people and events are included. And as a note if you can make it so you make the first reference kind of a 'teaser' so that folks who like history will probably easily guess who it is or what event is coming up and then shortly later you reveal the who or event it gives readers that thrill of figuring it out before it is fully revealed. But that is just my 2 cents about what I like when reading something placed in a historical period. I think it still gives the specificity mentioned above but adds in an extra layer for the reader.
v36 Q1, Q3 - HM; Q4 - R
v37 Q1 - R; Q2 - SHM; Q4 - HM
v38 Q1 - HM; Q2 - SHM; Q3 - HM; Q4 - HM
v39 Q1 - SHM; Q3 - HM; Q4 -RWC
v40 Q1, Q2 - HM; Q3 - Pending
A great title always helps too. Thinking here about a classic…Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
"There are three rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."
— W. Somerset Maugham
Drop me a line at https://morganbroadhead.com
SFx1
HMx6
R/RWCx6
