Writing Historical Romance Novels – What You Need to Know

Why should you write historical romance novels?

Well, if you like writing romance, one of the more popular romance genres is the historical romance.

This type of story features heroes and heroines living in a time period much earlier than the one we live in.

According to Writer’s Digest, the setting for a historical romance can even date back to prehistorical times.

Therefore, customs, traditions and the general way of life will differ greatly from that of a contemporary novel.

How do you combine all of this while at the same time developing the romance between the hero and heroine?

How to Write Historical Romance Novels

Here are 5 ways you can do that:

1. Do Your Research

Readers of historical romance want to be transported to a time and place about which they know very little (although some readers know a lot about specific time periods, which makes it even more important to get all the details correct).

Since you have never lived in that place or time, you need to do some extensive research.

Readers want to know what the characters’ homes look like; they want to see how they dress, taste what they eat, hear what they hear.

You can “visit” your setting with the help of Google and other Internet tools, but be sure to use reputable sites.

The library is always a good source, too.

2. Be Accurate

Historical romance gets its name from history, and history is all about time, place and events.

You cannot change these facts to suit your novel.

However, sometimes what may appear to be facts in the history books may be debatable; if so, make it debatable in your story as well.

3. Avoid Overkill

True, you are writing about a historical time period, but don’t bury your story in pages and pages of history.

The plot should blend seamlessly into the time period in such a way that the reader wants to know what was taking place at that time to cause the characters to behave the way they do.

4. Read Historical Novels

To become a sought-after author you need to read books in whatever genre you choose to write in.

The same goes for historical romance.

The classics will not only expand your knowledge of the genre, but will provide you with ideas on which you can base your own plots.

Gone With The Wind, Pride And Prejudice, Anna Karenina are a few of the books that should be read by historical romance authors.

5. Watch Your Language

In aiming for authenticity, an author might be tempted to use a lot of historical expressions, but according to Sussana Calkins in the Writer’s Digest, using too many of these can make the story cumbersome and readers may not always understand what you are trying to say.

If you do use some of these and think it necessary, you can always include a glossary at the end.

Writing historical romance should follow the basic premise of any other novel – to inform, entertain and inspire

To do this, you should be fully vested in the story.

Don’t get bogged down in all the little details; simply enjoy writing the story as much as you want your readers to enjoy reading it and you will have lifelong fans.

Learn the elements of a best-selling romance.

About Angela Joseph
Angela Joseph is a novelist and freelance writer who specializes in articles related to health and fitness and Christianity.

Angela’s publishing credits include stories in a Cup of Comfort for Mothers, Chicken Soup: Rebooting Your Life, and an honorable mention in a Writer’s Digest short story contest. Angela is also the author of Women For All Seasons and the Egypt trilogy.

Visit her blog, Angela’s Freelance Writing.

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