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How do I write a bestselling historical fiction novel?
I want to write a historical fantasy book, I love writing and it truly is my passion. I'm currently working on a historical fiction book and I need some help with learning to write a bestseller.
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Fred’s Answer
Believe it or not, there are books on how to write books. I've seen several prolific authors (like Stephen King) who have published them. They'll give you tips on narrative structure, character development, and so on. They can tell you what worked for THEM, but that doesn't mean it will work for YOU.
Also, nobody can tell you how to write a best seller. If there were a formula for doing it, everybody would. There are too many variables beyond your control, and the general public is fickle. Today they like wizards, tomorrow it may be vampires, and the day after we're back to dystopian societies. Since writing a book can take a year, by the time you publish, what is "in" may now be "out".
John Grisham is an extremely popular author, His first book allegedly sold like 200 copies across the entire country. NOBODY read it. Then he wrote "The Firm", which exploded. The bookstore I worked at couldn't keep it in stock. The publisher re-released his original novel, and it then became a best seller, which again, we couldn't keep in stock.
What I'm trying to say is there are things you can do to improve your writing, but there is no way to guarantee it will be a best seller - or even published. You can explore on-line publishing options, but that is a newer area that is still kind of figuring itself out.
Also, nobody can tell you how to write a best seller. If there were a formula for doing it, everybody would. There are too many variables beyond your control, and the general public is fickle. Today they like wizards, tomorrow it may be vampires, and the day after we're back to dystopian societies. Since writing a book can take a year, by the time you publish, what is "in" may now be "out".
John Grisham is an extremely popular author, His first book allegedly sold like 200 copies across the entire country. NOBODY read it. Then he wrote "The Firm", which exploded. The bookstore I worked at couldn't keep it in stock. The publisher re-released his original novel, and it then became a best seller, which again, we couldn't keep in stock.
What I'm trying to say is there are things you can do to improve your writing, but there is no way to guarantee it will be a best seller - or even published. You can explore on-line publishing options, but that is a newer area that is still kind of figuring itself out.
Thanks for your encouragement!
rin
Updated
david’s Answer
Hello, Rin,
I admire your interest in writing. As an author myself of eleven books, I know the sense of pleasure it brings to write. As mentioned by others, there are some good books that talk about the writing process. I'll leave that to the books and to others. My advice is more direct. On having a bestseller, that is largely by advertising. Once you have written with some modest success, a publisher may be motivated to advertise the book prior to publication. Such advertising is a big reason for bestsellers, many of which are purchased, but never read. And many bestsellers can be mediocre if published after a bestseller, riding on its coattails. So, just focus on writing something a little different. For example, Ken Follett wrote a book of historical fiction, "The Pillars of The Earth", which sold well and allowed him to write several more that were sequels. What helped the first book was that he focused on the building of a cathedral in a rural town in England. Cathedrals are romantic and draw our interest. Following his lead, writing a story about something that draws interest, helps. A simple love story won't do it. Look for a different point of view. Many would find a book written from a serf's perspective more interesting than a book written from the king's perspective. But that's just a comment, not a suggestion. An approach I've seen that was successful was taking an event from history, even a small one, and developing a novel around what might have transpired. Having the real story as a base can help the author. Plan to rewrite the book numerous times until it feels right. Is there tension at any point? There needs to be. For a good historical book, do lots of research. That's part of the fun. And, you can always self-publish for free at a few sites such as Amazon, and then talk to a local book store to keep a few copies in stock. That won't make you rich, but could give you much personal satisfaction. All the best to you.
I admire your interest in writing. As an author myself of eleven books, I know the sense of pleasure it brings to write. As mentioned by others, there are some good books that talk about the writing process. I'll leave that to the books and to others. My advice is more direct. On having a bestseller, that is largely by advertising. Once you have written with some modest success, a publisher may be motivated to advertise the book prior to publication. Such advertising is a big reason for bestsellers, many of which are purchased, but never read. And many bestsellers can be mediocre if published after a bestseller, riding on its coattails. So, just focus on writing something a little different. For example, Ken Follett wrote a book of historical fiction, "The Pillars of The Earth", which sold well and allowed him to write several more that were sequels. What helped the first book was that he focused on the building of a cathedral in a rural town in England. Cathedrals are romantic and draw our interest. Following his lead, writing a story about something that draws interest, helps. A simple love story won't do it. Look for a different point of view. Many would find a book written from a serf's perspective more interesting than a book written from the king's perspective. But that's just a comment, not a suggestion. An approach I've seen that was successful was taking an event from history, even a small one, and developing a novel around what might have transpired. Having the real story as a base can help the author. Plan to rewrite the book numerous times until it feels right. Is there tension at any point? There needs to be. For a good historical book, do lots of research. That's part of the fun. And, you can always self-publish for free at a few sites such as Amazon, and then talk to a local book store to keep a few copies in stock. That won't make you rich, but could give you much personal satisfaction. All the best to you.
Thank you, david for the advice.
rin
Updated
Tom’s Answer
A lot of people are going to try to help you in their own way. Some of us will simply tell you the honest, brutal truth. Listen to who you want, but take the time to listen to those who have been there. Don't expect to write a bestselling book. I know that's not what you want to hear, but starting out, it's what a lot of writers need to hear.
You might be pleasantly surprised if you write a great novel. But my advice, like always, is to JUST WRITE. If you like it, great, that's an important step forward. Don't worry what others will think of your work to start with. Write what you like and worry about everyone else later. My only other bit of advice for historical fiction would be to do your research and keep your history as accurate as possible, while tweaking it to fit the fictional narrative you want to use.
But just write, and don't worry about being a bestseller this early in the game.
You might be pleasantly surprised if you write a great novel. But my advice, like always, is to JUST WRITE. If you like it, great, that's an important step forward. Don't worry what others will think of your work to start with. Write what you like and worry about everyone else later. My only other bit of advice for historical fiction would be to do your research and keep your history as accurate as possible, while tweaking it to fit the fictional narrative you want to use.
But just write, and don't worry about being a bestseller this early in the game.
thank you so much, that's honestly really helpful advice i'll take with me.
rin
Updated
Fernando’s Answer
There's no real formula for writing a bestselling book. Writing a bestselling book is more about mastery of your craft and writing a story that resonates with the readers. Story beats, pacing, character development, themes and world build are what we learn when getting into the writing field, but in a bestseller all of that is firing on all cylinders. If you want a stronger beat on how to go about it I recommend researching how your favorite authors tackled the challenge. Don't just look up any best selling author, instead focus on the ones that inspired you and how they did it or what their thought process is. Another good thing to have is a good editor or someone you trust with regards to proofreading. A second pair of eyes can sometimes catch mistakes that you miss.
Thank you for taking the time to help.
rin
Updated
Allison’s Answer
Writing a novel is a challenging and ambitious goal - bravo! (I love historical fantasy!) To add to Fred's excellent answer, here are a few resources with great advice and tips on improving your writing and getting a book published:
- Elizabeth Gilbert's "Magic Lessons" podcast
- Gretchen Rubin's blog posts on sparking creativity: https://gretchenrubin.com/explore-topics-creativity/
- Read great works of historical fantasy that are new to you (check out the Hugo Awards for book ideas) or re-read your favorites
- Read/listen to Danielle LaPorte's blog posts on creative work: https://daniellelaporte.com/read-for-makers-creatives-entrepreneurs/
Listen to Elizabeth Gilbert's "Magic Lessons" podcast
Read Gretchen Rubin's blog posts on sparking creativity: https://gretchenrubin.com/explore-topics-creativity/
Read great works of historical fantasy that are new to you (check out the Hugo Awards for book ideas) or re-read your favorites
Read/listen to Danielle LaPorte's blog posts on creative work: https://daniellelaporte.com/read-for-makers-creatives-entrepreneurs/
- Elizabeth Gilbert's "Magic Lessons" podcast
- Gretchen Rubin's blog posts on sparking creativity: https://gretchenrubin.com/explore-topics-creativity/
- Read great works of historical fantasy that are new to you (check out the Hugo Awards for book ideas) or re-read your favorites
- Read/listen to Danielle LaPorte's blog posts on creative work: https://daniellelaporte.com/read-for-makers-creatives-entrepreneurs/
Allison recommends the following next steps:
Thank you Allison for listing down resources I can use. The advice is very helpful.
rin