Plagues, Witches, and War: The Worlds of Historical Fiction
- 4.6
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Approx. 15 hours to complete
Course Summary
This course explores the genre of historical fiction and how to write it. Learn how to research and incorporate historical facts into your writing while creating compelling characters and storylines.Key Learning Points
- Understand the conventions and expectations of the historical fiction genre
- Learn how to conduct research and incorporate historical facts into your writing
- Develop the skills to create compelling characters and storylines
- Explore the ethical considerations of writing historical fiction
- Gain feedback on your writing from peers and the instructor
Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have
- USA: $55,000
- USA: $55,000
- USA: $45,000
- USA: $55,000
- USA: $45,000
- USA: $50,000
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Develop a clear understanding of the historical fiction genre and its conventions
- Learn how to conduct effective research and incorporate historical facts into your writing
- Create compelling characters and storylines that reflect the time period being written about
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of writing
- Access to research materials
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online self-paced
- Video lectures
- Online discussions and peer feedback
Similar Courses
- Creative Writing: The Craft of Character
- The Writing Process
- Writing in the Sciences
Notable People in This Field
- Hilary Mantel
- Bernard Cornwell
- Phillipa Gregory
Related Books
Description
A unique and exciting introduction to the genre and craft of historical fiction, for curious students, aspiring authors--anyone with a passion for the past. Read classics of the genre, encounter bestselling writers of historical fiction, and discover your own historical archive while interacting with a global community of interested readers.
Outline
- Course Roadmap
- Professor Holsinger Provides an overview of "Plagues, Witches, and War"
- How to Get the Most out of this Course
- How to Use Discussion Forums
- Get to Know Your Classmates
- What is Historical Fiction?
- Defining the Genre
- The Pre-History of Historical Fiction
- From Archive to Novel
- Differentiating fiction and history in the 18th and 19th century
- A look at Sir Walter Scott and work of the 18th century
- The global reach of the historical fiction genre
- What Is Historical Fiction?
- Poetry and Exile in Ancient Rome: Jane Alison
- Introduction of Jane Alison
- Using characters to set the set the historical context
- An indepth look at the characters and story
- Some challenges in historical fiction writing
- Two Centuries of Historical Fiction
- Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales: Fiction on the Frontier
- Cooper's Leatherstocking Tales (continued)
- Brown's "Clotel": Slavery, Fiction, and a Founding Father
- Dickens and the French Revolution: "A Tale of Two Cities"
- Two Centuries of Historical Fiction
- 19th Century Historical Fiction
- Anna Katharine Green and the Invention of the Historical Mystery Pt. I
- Anna Katharine Green and the Invention of the Historical Mystery Pt. II
- Modernism, Metafiction, and the Mass Market, 1920-1980
- The New Historical Novel in Latin America Pt. I
- The New Historical Novel in Latin America Pt. II
- 19th Century Historical Fiction
- Seminar with Katherine Howe
- Professor Holsinger introduces Katherine Howe
- Katherine Howe discusses "Deliverance Dane"
- Katherine Howe dives into her characters and their historical traits
- Katherine Howe session wrap up
- Seminar with Geraldine Brooks
- Professor Holsinger introduces Geraldine Brooks
- Geraldine Brooks discusses the balance of the research and the evolution of the story
- Geraldine Brooks discusses the evolution of the characters and story
- Geraldine Brooks session wrap up
- Seminar with Mary Beth Keane
- Professor Holsinger introduces Mary Beth Keane
- Mary Beth Keane discusses the evolution of characters
- Mary Beth Keane discusses integrating historical features
- Mary Beth Keane session wrap up
- Seminar with Yangsze Choo
- Professor Holsinger introduces Yangsze Choo
- Yangsze Choo discusses selecting the point of view for your characters
- Yangsze Choo discusses the idea of parallel worlds and making decisions about the direction of your story
- Yangsze Choo session wrap up
- Dialogues in Historical Fiction
- Michael McKeon and Bruce Holsinger discuss what it meant to be writing historical fiction in the 18th century
- Eva Stachniak and Bruce Holsinger discuss the context of historical fiction in their writing
- David Robbins and Bruce Holsinger discuss revealing characters through historical events
- Matthew Pearl and Bruce Holsinger discussing writing within the genre of historical fiction
- Andrew Taylor and Bruce Holsinger discussing writing in relation to the history of historical fiction
- Assignments and Wrap-Up
- Wrap-up with Professor Holsinger
- Facebook Group
- Resources
- Readings
- Archives Primary Sources
- Visiting Authors and Scholars
Summary of User Reviews
Learn about the craft of writing historical fiction in this online course. Find out how to research and use historical context to create compelling and accurate stories. Users have praised this course for its informative content and engaging instructor.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
Many users found the course content to be informative and engaging.Pros from User Reviews
- Instructor provides excellent examples and feedback.
- Course covers a wide range of topics and offers valuable insights.
- Assignments are challenging but rewarding.
- Community forums allow for interesting discussions and feedback from peers.
Cons from User Reviews
- Some users found the workload to be heavy and time-consuming.
- The course may be too advanced for beginners.
- Technical issues with the platform caused frustration for some users.
- Some users found the peer feedback to be inconsistent in quality.
Bruce Holsinger
4.6 Raiting
Plagues, Witches, and War: The Worlds of Historical Fiction
- 4.6
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A unique and exciting introduction to the genre and craft of historical fiction, for curious students, aspiring authors--anyone with a passion for the past....
