RAR #247: Why We Love Historical Fiction, Anna Rose Johnson
Aug 8, 2024
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In this conversation, award-winning author Anna Rose Johnson shares her passion for historical fiction, delving into its charm and the powerful worlds it creates for readers. She breaks down her research process, revealing how she overcomes the challenges of blending authenticity with creativity. Anna reflects on her personal writing journey influenced by homeschooling and highlights her favorite works that sparked her storytelling. The discussion also features recommendations for historical fiction aimed at young readers, showcasing books that inspire imagination.
Historical fiction captivates readers by blending engaging narratives with real historical contexts, making history relatable and dynamic.
Anna Rose Johnson emphasizes the importance of layered research in writing, ensuring authenticity while managing the overwhelming nature of historical accuracy.
Deep dives
The Allure of Historical Fiction
Historical fiction captivates readers by seamlessly blending engaging narratives with real historical contexts. It allows readers to absorb history in a way that feels natural and enjoyable, turning facts into personal stories. This genre appeals to many because it offers a lens into different times, making history more relatable and dynamic. The immersive quality of these stories often leaves readers with newfound knowledge about the past while being engrossed in the characters' experiences.
Personal Journey into Writing
The journey of writing historical fiction often begins with a deep-rooted passion for the genre, which can take shape from a young age. The speaker shares their early fascination with specific historical periods, particularly the Edwardian era, igniting a lifelong love for historical narratives. Influenced by vintage literature and imaginative play, the desire to write historical fiction grew stronger over time. This passion ultimately led to the creation of successful works that resonate with readers who cherish these time periods.
Researching Historical Fiction
Research is a critical element in crafting authentic historical fiction narratives, as accuracy is essential in portraying the time period correctly. Writers tackle research in layers, allowing them to gather foundational knowledge before delving deeper into specifics as needed. This approach helps to manage the overwhelming nature of historical research by emphasizing gradual discovery rather than forcing exhaustive information upfront. Utilizing a variety of sources, such as old newspapers and literature from the era, enriches the storytelling with genuine dialogue and cultural insights.
Representation in Historical Stories
Including diverse perspectives, especially those from underrepresented cultures, enriches historical narratives and provides depth to conventional coming-of-age stories. By incorporating Ojibwe heritage in their works, the author emphasizes the importance of showcasing different backgrounds that are often overlooked in historical fiction. This representation allows readers to connect with characters and histories that may mirror their own or expand their understanding of past cultures. Such narratives highlight the universality of human experiences, illustrating that individual stories are intertwined with broader historical contexts.
We recently took a poll in RAR Premium about favorite reading genres, and it turns out that historical fiction isn’t just my favorite genre, but it’s the favorite of many of you as well.
Today, I’ve invited historical fiction lover and award-winning author Anna Rose Johnson to join me to discuss just what it is about historical fiction that draws us in.
We’re also chatting about the inspiration for her stories, her research process, and what her parents did to support her as a budding writer. In turn, she shares a ton of recommendations for her favorite historical fiction for young readers.
In this episode, you’ll hear:
How historical fiction sweeps readers through a portal to another world
How Anna Rose breaks down her research process into stages so it doesn’t get overwhelming
How re-reading helped Anna Rose develop her ear and voice as a writer