If you are around authors or readers, questions might come up about different books and if they are historically correct or not.
Photo copyright Read Another Page Publishing.
I read a book recently written by a popular author, and published by a well known publishing house, but as I read, I felt the gnawing of uncertainty. Would this have really happened? Would they have actually done such and such during this time period? Because it was a well known author, I wanted to believe it. But all my reading and research was saying something else. Who was right?
Have you ever felt that way? Or am I the only one who rants and raves over historically inaccurate books?
- Are there any good reasons to keep your books historically accurate?
- Does it even matter? Some people say no.
- Should someone reading a non-accurate “historical fiction” book leave a review saying so?
- Would anyone even notice if it wasn’t accurate? Yes!
Here are 5 reasons for keeping your writing historically accurate:
1. You don’t want to disappoint.
When a book is labeled “historical fiction” it gives the readers a reason to expect accuracy and if the book doesn’t fulfill those expectations, the reader will be disappointed. And disappointed readers . . .
2. You could lose sales.
If your reader discovers glaring historical inaccuracies in your work when they were expecting real life, it’s highly probable that they won’t come back for more. I’ve read some books where the inaccuracies were so obvious that I wasn’t interested in any other books by that author.
3. You give your readers a false view of history.
A reader who isn’t a history buff is very likely going to believe whatever a book says. For example, my best friend isn’t that into history and she told me that if she reads it in a book, then in her mind it must be true, even if it isn’t.
4. People believe everything you write.
If you are well known (like the author I read), people will believe that the way you said things happened, was the way things really happened, even if the idea is completely modern and no one back then would have spoken/acted that way. (You probably wouldn’t be able to get away with cars during the Civil War, but the way people talked is a big one! And it drives me nuts!)
5. This is how History is changed.
Believe it or not, authors are greatly responsible for the the changes in our history books. Yes, it also has to do with political correctness, but authors help it along. By making your story inaccurate (politically correct perhaps), yet saying it is “historical fiction,” gives added “proof” to your readers that things happened differently than they did. That people talked and acted just like they do now, that words, phrases, and such were the same back then as they are now. Even if you don’t label it “historical fiction” but set it in a certain time in history, the readers are going to expect it to be historical.
Please don’t revise history!
Does it matter to you if your books are historically accurate or not? Do you tend to believe other writers when they write “historical fiction” or do you sometimes doubt? I’d love to know your thoughts.
I agree- historically inaccurate books are horrible, because I don’t know what’s fact and what’s untrue. I like to believe people, and think that they researched enough. But when authors aren’t so experienced, (young, for instance) I easily disbelieve something that I think looks inaccurate. That’s why I try to learn as much as possible (in any subject), so I can discern right from wrong! Isn’t that what the Bible says, after all?
CutePolarBear
Yes, learning all you can does help. 🙂 There are many young authors that are actually more accurate than some adults who write. But it can be hard to know if they are true unless it’s something that you’ve learned.
I really dislike historical inaccuracies in books … but sometimes, if the era is new to me especially, I miss them, and so of course I’ll believe them! But then I usually end up having a friend who knows better than me review it and comment on inaccuracies, thank goodness, so I don’t think I’m missing too much … I hope. :O
Anyway, yes, I definitely dislike historical errors, and I definitely need to research harder so I won’t have any in my own books! 🙂
It’s always nice to have a friend who can let you in on the inaccuracies of a book. 🙂
One way I’ve found to be very helpful in research is to read books written in that time period. Or memories of people who actually lived back then.
Yes, it’s definitely a perk to Goodreads. 😉
Yes, that’s a great way! I honestly need to do that more often. I’ve been reading too much historical fiction lately!
Historical fiction is fun, but it doesn’t work well for research. 🙂
You make a very good point, especially as Christians we need to make sure everything we write is accurate and true. I have not run into too many Historically inaccurate books, but if I have I think I may believe them if I do not know better about the topic. I love History and changing it is not an option!
It’s very easy to think something is true when you read it in a book if you’ve never heard anything different. Reading real stories written back then, or by people who actually lived then, can help.