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Library | Shelf Number | Material Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
Searching... Umlazi-W Library | 808.025 MART | Non Fiction | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
There are many different kinds of historical novel - the family saga, the romance, the nostalgia novel, the adventure story, the 'straight' historical. However you may decide to handle your chosen theme it is essential that the novel is well-constructed and believable, with a strong sense of period and a storyline which keeps the reader turning the pages. In this revised edition Rhona Martin takes you through the painstaking, but enjoyable, research needed to establish both convincing background and characters, looks at ways of handling dialogue and language effectively and offers excellent advice on all aspects of structuring and crafting your work.
Author Notes
Rhona Martin is the author of Gallows Wedding (first winner of the Georgette Heyer Historical Novel Award), The Unicorn Summer , Mango Walk and Goodbye Sally .
Reviews (1)
Booklist Review
These two how-to-write guides offer advice from two experienced genre novelists. Both authors share many of the same basic writing tips-how to meld lively characters and a plausible plot into an entertaining story-though Pianka does so in a bit more detail. In discussing historical fiction, Martin doesn't offer an exhaustive step-by-step outline, but she draws effectively on her professional experience to provide both general advice and practical hints that prove quite helpful. There are also useful descriptions of the categories of historical romances and clues on getting published and coping with the aftermath. A final chapter supplies advice from agents. Pianka's guide on writing romances has a very contemporary tone, with lots of suggestions for meeting today's market trends. For example, her chapter on sensuality and sex discusses whether the issue of ``safe sex'' belongs in escapist fiction. She blends the advice and successes of many contemporaries with her own practical writing lessons. Checklists, exercises, and lots of quoted passages further enhance this tutorial. For the new writer, or one snagged in the middle of a project, these up-to-date lessons should prove quite valuable. Both books include bibliographies and indexes. DPD.