Commentaries on Our World

Truth and Fiction

Just recently there have been a number of issues surround ing truth in non-fiction stories and fact in fiction. What are the boundaries and limits for writers and how do we approach creative non-fiction where real historical and even contemporary figures are involved in the plot?

When one sets out to write historical fiction, I should imagine you start with some research of the history books, newspapers and other rescourses to get a feel for the times and environment your characters have to live in. Invariably you can include real world stuff, or historical facts peripheral to the story, unless your main character is an historical person. This is where a good editor and advisers can help, after all you wouldn't want to have some relative or historian having a go at you or do you?

There are many examples of Historical Fiction and even some examples of Fiction masquarading as Historical Fact. The problem for the writer is that the Historian rarely gives the reader a feel for life in the times they are set for most ordinary people, simply because history is written by the rulling classes of themselves, only recently have attempts been made to address this gap in the historical discussion.