A comprehensive and smart guide to the historical fiction genre in all its contemporary form - a genre that is attracting growing numbers of writers after the success of Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory.

Do you have a compelling vision for a story set in the past?

Are you inspired by novelists such as Hilary Mantel and Philippa Gregory? Get Started in Writing Historical Fiction is designed for anyone who wants to write in this genre of fiction, whatever their preoccupation or 'era'. Designed to build confidence and help fire up creativity, it is also an essential guide to mastering the practicalities of writing historical fiction, from where to start with research to how to capture the voices of the past. It carries the distinctive learning features of the flagship Teach Yourself Creative Writing series, with Snapshots designed to get you writing quickly, Key Idea to help crystallize thought, and a wealth of supplementary material, including a plotting grid, which will be indispensable for aspiring novelists.

About the Author
Emma Darwin is the author of the historical novels The Mathematics of Love and A Secret Alchemy, and her short fiction has been published and broadcast. She has appeared at literary festivals from Hay on Wye to New Zealand, she has taught creative writing for many institutions including the Open University, and she blogs at This Itch of Writing. She is the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin.