I’m deep into second draft of a HF novel, early 17th century, moving between the Jewish, Catholic and Muslim worlds of Venice and Istanbul/Constantinople.
My content editor/wife often commented early on that the scenes where characters suddenly asked others to convert, or themselves converted, almost on a whim, seemed outlandish. But it was a real thing. An at times obsessive concern for the spiritual welfare of others.
That sounds fascinating - I can imagine that it was a real thing, and also that it might take quite a bit of work to persuade the modern reader that it was. What I am sure of is that whatever the "official" line we roughly know about how religious things worked, is only a tiny bit of the spectrum of real behaviour on the ground.
Emma Darwin, your advice on historical writing is consistently superb. I referenced it recently in a workshop on writing historical fiction. Your book 'Get Started In Writing Historical Fiction' is one I thoroughly recommend. That brilliant book should be, in my view every historical fiction author's bible. Thank you for reminding me of these salient points which I using it as a check list while ploughing forward towards my next historical novel. I am so very grateful for your generosity in sharing knowledge.
I just ordered Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction. The blurb from the bookstore I purchased it from asked if you are inspired by novelists such as Alan Furst, whom I discovered this summer while on vacation in Spain. I am inspired and intimidated by Alan Furst. Let me work through your book Emma, and see if inspiration and education can help get me unstuck from intimidation and self-sabotage.
I’m deep into second draft of a HF novel, early 17th century, moving between the Jewish, Catholic and Muslim worlds of Venice and Istanbul/Constantinople.
My content editor/wife often commented early on that the scenes where characters suddenly asked others to convert, or themselves converted, almost on a whim, seemed outlandish. But it was a real thing. An at times obsessive concern for the spiritual welfare of others.
That sounds fascinating - I can imagine that it was a real thing, and also that it might take quite a bit of work to persuade the modern reader that it was. What I am sure of is that whatever the "official" line we roughly know about how religious things worked, is only a tiny bit of the spectrum of real behaviour on the ground.
Emma Darwin, your advice on historical writing is consistently superb. I referenced it recently in a workshop on writing historical fiction. Your book 'Get Started In Writing Historical Fiction' is one I thoroughly recommend. That brilliant book should be, in my view every historical fiction author's bible. Thank you for reminding me of these salient points which I using it as a check list while ploughing forward towards my next historical novel. I am so very grateful for your generosity in sharing knowledge.
I just ordered Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction. The blurb from the bookstore I purchased it from asked if you are inspired by novelists such as Alan Furst, whom I discovered this summer while on vacation in Spain. I am inspired and intimidated by Alan Furst. Let me work through your book Emma, and see if inspiration and education can help get me unstuck from intimidation and self-sabotage.
AW, thank you, Saige! I'm so glad this post and GS Hist Fic are being useful - and best of luck with the ploughing!