DV Bishop emphasizes the importance of historical accuracy and staying true to the facts while weaving engaging narratives in his historical fiction novels.
Bishop's writing process involves improvisation and developing the plot as he writes, comparing it to laying train tracks, and discusses the character development of Cesare Aldo and Carlos Straki throughout the series.
Bishop tackles the challenge of balancing historical accuracy with storytelling, adapting his ideas when historical details don't align, and prioritizing credibility and avoiding filler content in his narratives.
Deep dives
Setting and Themes
The podcast episode features historical fiction author DV Bishop discussing his newest novel, Ritual of Fire, which is set in Florence during the Renaissance period. He explains how he plans books set in the past and keeps the stories and characters consistent throughout a series. Bishop also mentions his research process and how he incorporates historical events and details into his narratives. The themes of his novels, such as justice, morality, and religion, are explored in the context of the turbulent political and social climate of Florence during the 1500s.
Writing Approach and Character Development
Bishop shares insights into his writing process, explaining that he starts with a rough idea of the story's trajectory and then improvises and develops the plot as he writes. He compares his approach to laying train tracks in front of him as he weaves through the narrative. He also discusses the layered development of his protagonist, Cesare Aldo, and his sidekick Carlos Straki, explaining how their experiences and interactions shape their characters and attitudes throughout the series.
Challenges and Historical Accuracy
Bishop discusses the challenges of balancing historical accuracy with the demands of storytelling. He emphasizes the importance of respecting historical events and choosing not to alter them for plot convenience. He also shares examples of how he navigates historical research, such as adapting the storyline when certain historical details, like the absence of graveyards during a specific time, don't align with his initial ideas. Bishop highlights his commitment to maintaining credibility and avoiding unnecessary subplots or filler content in his narratives.
Writing Routine and Goal Setting
The podcast episode features a discussion about the writing routine and goal setting of a crime writer. The writer emphasizes the importance of setting specific writing goals each week and the flexibility to adjust the schedule based on other commitments. They give examples of attending crime fiction festivals and how it affects their writing output. The goal is always to write the best possible novel, focusing on engaging the reader with page-turning storytelling rather than elaborate prose.
Teaching Creative Writing and Genre Fiction
The podcast episode explores the benefits of teaching creative writing and the inspiration it brings to the writer. Teaching forces the writer to intellectualize their own writing process and articulate their methodologies. It prompts them to think about purpose, subverting genre conventions, and creating distinctive stories. The podcast also highlights the rarity of creative writing programs focusing on popular genre fiction, such as crime fiction, fantasy, and science fiction.
Happy New Year! Let's start 2024 with a bumper episode from a fantastic historical fiction author. D.V Bishop has published 3 'Cesare Aldo' novels, and the 4th is on the way. He's won the CWA Historical Dagger Award, and his novels are highly commended across the board.
His newest novel is 'Ritual of Fire'. It takes you to 1538 Florence, where a rich merchant is found hanged and set ablaze in the centre of the city, as a warning to put the fear of God into Florence... only Cesare Aldo can discover what's happening.
We talk through the process of planning historical fiction, how much he's strict on sticking to the facts of the day, and what happens when he's got something wrong. You can hear how he overcomes the challenges of using language approriate for the 1500s, why word-count isn't the end of the world, and what writing tie-in fiction is really like... how does it feel to be responsible for some of the most famous characters in the world.
This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a true-crime podcast about Scotland's most gruesome unsolved murder... which is being solved at this moment. Take a listen wherever you get your shows.
