8 Tips for Getting into the Historical Fiction Genre

This is a blog post I've debated publishing here to my blog. I publish so many tips and suggestions posts here. I thought this type of post would be a bit redundant and repetitive given similar posts in the past. However, as I started thinking about it (and after a few messages over on my Bookstagram about this), I thought this may be a nice type of post to draft and publish. So yesterday, today, and tomorrow, I'll focus on tips for getting into certain genres that I read a lot.

For today, here are 8 tips for getting into the historical fiction genre.

Tip 1: Do your research.

Historical fiction is not the end all be all of history. It is fiction for a reason. As a result, if you want to learn more about a specific point in time, you can start with historical fiction, but you should not end there.

Tip 2: Don't worry about not knowing everything.

With historical fiction, you don't need to know everything about when the book's taking place. That's partially what makes it enjoyable. And it's also where Tip 1 comes into play. If you're curious, the option to do your research is always open to you.

Tip 3: Look into the author of the book.

This is a similar reason as to yesterday's post when I included it there. It's always a plus to look into the author of the book: do they typically write historical fiction, how much research did they put into the book, and other similar questions.

Tip 4: Look for books that focus on histories you're interested in.

Again, I included this tip for similar reasons as to yesterday's post. For that reason, I won't go into too much detail. But, like yesterday's posts, if you're reading a historical fiction book on a particular point in history (country, people, or other) that you're not interested in, you're not as likely to enjoy the book.

Tip 5: Be aware that there are a lot of sub-genres in the historical fiction genre.

Most of the sub-genres in historical fiction are genres in their own right: romance, sci-fi, etc. As a result, you won't enjoy a historical fiction romance if you're not a big romance person. This is a good thing to be aware of.

Tip 6: Be aware of the time period of the historical fiction work.

This is a similar tip to Tips 1-2. This will help you do your research if you want. Additionally, as mentioned in Tip 2, you don't need to know everything.

Tip 7: Be cautious of "What If" scenarios in historical fiction.

"What If" scenarios can be fun to grapple with, and it can be good in historical fiction if done well. However, it's good to be aware, if not cautious, of these what-if scenarios. That way, you know that it's not going to be fully accurate to actual history.

Tip 8: Be wary of how high-profile historical figures are portrayed.

I'm thinking of figures like Napoleon Bonaparte or Queen Cleopatra. There are quite a few stereotypes surrounding high-profile historical figures. As a result, if they're the focus in a historical fiction book, be a bit wary of how they're portrayed.