The Historical Novel Society Conference 2026: In Quotes

Last weekend I attended my sixth in-person Historical Novel Society Conference. Typically, the annual gathering alternates between American and British locations, but this year HNS UK went to Ireland. The setting? The historic university town of Maynooth outside Dublin. The attendees? A mix of historical novelists, of differing levels of professional experience, from around the world.

As usual, I’m summarizing the conference through some of my favorite quotes from the plenary and parallel sessions. Unfortunately, this year sessions were not recorded, but I still managed to catch a lot of talks.

Finola Austin reporting from HNS 2026!

“Curiosity may not kill the cat, but it certainly encourages me to explore rabbit holes,” Kevin Connolly

Research is always a hot topic at HNS conferences and Kevin Connolly gave us a great overview of the digital resources available to those writing historical novels with an Irish setting. 

“Correspondence will give you the social worlds of your characters,” Professor Terence Dooley

Meanwhile, Maynooth History Professor and conference keynote speaker Terence Dooley suggested letters and auction catalogues as two incredible primary sources for uncovering facts that could be stranger than fiction.

However, the question of how much research is necessary or helpful continues to be hotly debated.

“If you’re writing the truth, who cares about the facts?” John Banville

Keynote speaker John Banville encouraged us to prioritize emotional verisimilitude over pedantic research, while Carol Cram’s advice was similar:

“Don’t confuse accuracy with fidelity,” Carol Cram

We heard from writers who have different “rules” for themselves about sticking (or not sticking!) to the historical record, and, for many, these “rules” evolve between projects.

“The more novels I write, the more inclined I am to take liberties,” Martina Devlin

Anne Easter Smith reminded us that, when conducting independent research unattached to an academic institution, we may face obstacles.

“We are lowly novelists and historians will look at us like this,” Anne Easter Smith

And keynote speaker Vaseem Khan raised the point that some topics and perspectives have been expunged from the mainstream historical record:

“I use my books to talk about the history I didn’t learn about in school,” Vaseem Khan

Leslie Carroll cautioned us to consider the “who” behind each primary source we consult:

“I always weigh what I’m reading against who said it,” Leslie Carroll

And the question of point of view goes beyond research and into the writing process itself:

“Most stories have been written, so it’s about finding a fresh perspective,” Louise Fein

Finding a fresh perspective can help your book become more marketable, but speakers had other tips for helping your novel stand out from the slush or on the shelf.

Give your characters plenty of problems:

“Layer on obstacles to your ideas to strengthen your pitch,” Amanda Geard

Choose a progressive historical figure as your main character:

“Artists are people in society who like to push boundaries and break rules,” Laura Morelli

Or tap into themes that have continued relatability today:

“Sisters have universality. We have expectations of sisterhood,” Kate Braithwaite

I wish there had been more sessions digging deeply into writing craft, but Lenore Hart had some helpful advice for first chapters (before her Q&A got slightly derailed by a hot debate about writing and AI!). 

“Withholding information creates confusion, not mystery,” Lenore Hart

This was my favorite tidbit from her talk, as she advised early career writers not to delay giving readers crucial information, like who is this character and when and where are we they, in a misguided attempt to create intrigue. 

There were also only a couple of sessions digging into the business of publishing, including a keynote conversation between Essie Fox and her publisher, Karen Sullivan.  

“First novels contain seeds of everything we’ve read,” Essie Fox

I liked Essie’s idea about going back to your first novel to rediscover the passions that first brought you to writing. And Karen’s thoughts on not “chasing” market trends, as a historical novelist, were well-received by the writers in attendance:

“Trend-driven publishing is flawed,” Karen Sullivan

To round out this recap, I’ll turn back to John Banville, whose rejection of the idea that writing is a form of self-expression really stuck with me. His insistence that our novels are “no longer ours” when they’re out in the world resonated, especially in an environment where you don’t know whether to lead with what you’ve done or what you’re working on next.

“I can’t remember my own books. They’ve left me. They’re in the past,” John Banville

That’s a wrap for HNS 2026, but I’m looking forward to the North America conference in Pittsburgh in 2027! If we met at the conference, please stay in touch. If we didn’t, feel free to get in touch too. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, and sign up for my monthly email newsletter here.

The 2026 History Through Fiction Conference in Quotes: Part Two

It’s been around two months since the inaugural History Through Fiction Conference in Beverly, MA. I previously published a Part One blog post about the talks and workshops I attended, and, in the weeks since, I’ve been listening to the recordings of the “Prologue Day” and parallel sessions I didn’t experience live. Now, I’m back with a Part Two post with some more of my favorite quotes. 

The Salem Ghost Tour

“Our historical fiction starts to creep into the historical record,” Alina Adams

In her session with Kyra Davis Lurie, Alina Adams talked about “telling the untold tale” through historical fiction. But she also reminded us of the responsibility we bear towards the real people who inspire our characters.

“Reading a good historical fiction helps us develop a sensitivity,” Elizabeth McLean

Meanwhile, Elizabeth McLean dug into the thorny issues surrounding cultural appropriation. She argued that reading good fiction is a way to become more sensitive to the cultures and histories we’re fascinated by, while also presenting some of the arguments for and against sensitivity readers.

“Start with plot—what happens. Then add layers of interiority and complexity,” N.J. Mastro

N.J. Mastro presented us with the heroine’s journey—an alternative to the much-discussed hero’s journey. Her talk focused on the importance of characters’ interior arcs, but stressed that we can’t lose sight of the importance of plot and action in keeping our readers engaged.

“Deep faith and skilled craft don’t have to be mutually exclusive,” Edwina Kiernan

Edwina Kiernan gave us a different take on characters’ interior development by discussing her approach to writing Christian historical fiction. She talked about how for her faith-filled fiction can encapsulate Christian doctrine without coming across as preaching. 

“Readers are hungry to know what goes on inside other people’s minds,” Lara Lehman

Sticking with the theme of interiority, Lara Lehman spoke about how to render consciousness in fiction, giving us a glimpse into characters’ souls.

“One tiny mistake can pull a reader out of the story and remind them that what they’re reading isn’t real,” Grace E. Turton

And Grace. E. Turton stressed the importance of getting the details right, as we seek to render historical characters’ worlds in a way that’s truly transportive.

Thank you to Colin, Robin, and the full team behind the History Through Fiction Conference. It was a pleasure to attend, give the keynote speech, and listen to more of my fellow writers over the last few weeks. 

Want to experience the conference recordings for yourself? They are available for purchase here. Want to stay up to date with this blog and my writing? Sign up for my monthly email here. And don’t forget to say hi on Instagram and Facebook, or by tweeting @SVictorianist!

The 2026 History Through Fiction Conference in Quotes: Part One

This weekend I had the pleasure of being the keynote speaker and leading a masterclass on what we can learn from Charles Dickens about writing historical fiction at the inaugural History Through Fiction Conference in Beverly, MA.

Colin Mustful kicking off the conference

The location—near Salem, home to America’s most famous witch trials, and many key Revolutionary War sites—was suitably historically inspiring. The speakers and attendees were accomplished, interesting, and passionate about their areas of expertise. And, most importantly, the food was top-notch!

In today’s blog post, I’m going to share some key takeaways, in the form of quotes, from the sessions I attended live.

“Historical fiction, when done well, creates empathy,” Marthese Fenech

Marthese Fenech shared one of the most succinct explanations of why so many of us keep coming back to historical fiction as a genre—its ability to create connections across centuries.

“Multiple timelines give us ways to see progress…and lack thereof,” Addison Armstrong

Meanwhile, Addison Armstrong also focused on how reading about the past can lead us to reflect on the present, shining a light on social issues that remain unresolved.

“I admire the writers who do the work of the historian,” Colin Mustful

Conference organizer Colin Mustful talked about the depth of many historical fiction authors’ research.

“Reading fantasy novels will help with your worldbuilding,” Jillian Forsberg

And Jillian Forsberg shared this tip for how to weave that research into your writing, taking inspiration from fantasy writers to help readers understand the worlds of our novels.

“Stakes tell the reader what happens if the protagonist fails,” Jessica Berg

Literary agent Jessica Berg kept us focused on plot (not just a cool historic setting!) by reminding us that our characters must stand at risk of losing something.

“If I’m just moving commas around, the book is done,” Alina Adams

While Alina Adams shared this tip on how to know when your book is ready to take flight.

My Dickensian Masterclass!

“As one of the older art forms still being practiced today, how lucky are we that we have centuries of writers to learn from?” Finola Austin

In my workshop, I urged delegates not to take craft lessons from historic writers, like Dickens, as well as reading widely in our genre today.

“Listen to your creative discontents and act on them,” Sarah Penner

Our opening speaker, Sarah Penner, encouraged us not to ignore our “creative discontents,” or be afraid of making career pivots based on them.

“As a full-time writer, I spend around 10% of my time writing,” Madeline Martin

And, speaking of careers, closing speaker Madeline Martin shared her own inspiring story of how hard work and determination led to writing becoming her day job, but how her day-to-day schedule might not look exactly how aspiring writers might imagine!

The conference program

Over the next days and weeks, I’ll be listening to the recordings of the parallel sessions I didn’t attend this weekend, so stay tuned for a Part Two post with more thought-provoking quotes. Thank you again to Colin, Robin, and the full team who made the conference possible, and, if we met this weekend, please stay in touch!

You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, or X, and, if you want more updates on my writing and blog, sign up to my monthly email newsletter here.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide for Writers

Happy Holidays, everyone, and thank you for reading blog this year. Are you looking for a gift for a published or early career writer in your life? Here’s my roundup of the presents they just might have on their wish list…

An Annual Subscription to Publishers Weekly and/or Publishers Marketplace

Help a writer stay up to date with industry sales and understand what’s selling to publishers and moving up the bestseller lists with a subscription to one or both of these industry stalwarts.

A License for Scrivener

Inspire writers to “graduate” from Microsoft Word or Google Docs and embrace a software specifically designed for novel writing—Scrivener. I love how Scrivener helps me plot and plan and how I can keep my research and manuscript within the same file. 

Personalized Stationery

Many published writers keep the art of letter writing alive by sending thank you notes to bookstores, fans, and fellow authors, so gift them personalized stationery! Bonus points for incorporating colors/motifs that match their latest book’s cover design and remembering to use the initials from their pen name. 

Beautiful Notebooks

Speaking of stationery…what writer wouldn’t want a beautiful notebook where they could capture their new ideas? Get creative with designs that speak to their interests and genre.

A Writing Retreat

The writer’s most important tool is time, so what if you gifted a writer you love a retreat? There are many options out there, but I love the personal retreats offered by the Highlights Foundation in the Poconos. 

A Writing Conference

Or if not a retreat, why not a writing conference, where writers can connect with each other, learning while finding community? If, like me, the writer you’re buying for writes historical fiction, check out the History Through Fiction Conference, which I’m speaking at in March 2026. You can use the discount code FINOLA_HTF26 at checkout for 10% off.

Books, Of Course!

Good writers are great readers, so, if all else fails, buy the writer in your life a few more books. Check out their Goodreads to understand their taste or go with a festive read. Check out my reviews of Jon Clinch’s 2019 Marley (a twist on Charles Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol) and Virginia Feito’s 2025 Victorian Psycho (where a nineteenth-century Christmas scene descends into a bloodbath) for some inspiration.

Fellow writers, what’s on your Christmas list this year? Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist! Want monthly updates from me/my blog? Sign up to my newsletter here.

The Historical Novel Society North America 2025 in Quotes: Part Two

Back in June, I spent a wonderful weekend in Las Vegas for my third in-person Historical Novel Society North America Conference. I recapped some of the quotable takeaways from fellow historical novelists in my Part One blog post, which I wrote on the plane on the way home. 

Dressed as Miss Havisham for the costume contest

But one of the best things about HNSNA is that the conference isn’t over once we all return to our respective cities. Since we waved goodbye to Vegas, I’ve been working my way through the recordings of the panels and talks I didn’t hear live. Today, in my Part Two post, I’m highlighting some of the most memorable moments.

I was particularly excited to catch up on the session on biographical fiction, which dwelt on the challenges of this sub-genre (Gill Paul: “Part of the problem with biographical fiction is what you have to leave out”), as well as the ways writing about a real person can provide the author with helpful scaffolding (Heather Webb: “In biographical fiction you have a map—the person’s life”). In other sessions, though, the historical fiction community remained divided on the question of outlining vs. “pantsing.” Renee Rosen told us, “I can’t outline. I work everything out on the page.”

Speaking of maps, Christopher Cevasco gave us a spirited defense of starting your novel with a map and a prologue, gifting us this great analogy: “If we compare reading a novel to fine dining, the map is like the menu, and the prologue is like an appetizer.”

As usual, there was plenty of research chatter. Tracy Barrett warned that, “it’s easy to fall prey to research rapture,” and Jonathan F. Putnam noted that “your family history doesn’t necessarily have intrinsic interest to a stranger.” Just like our keynote authors, other speakers emphasized research gaps as pivotal to the novelist’s process. G.J. Berger: “The further you go back in time, the more you can make it up.” Shelley Blanton-Stroud: “We chase facts but more importantly we chase truth.” And Alan Smale said of the alternate history genre, “[it] holds up a mirror to our known timeline.”

One of my favorite craft tips came from Gill Paul, who advised us to, “write your most emotional scene in first person, then switch it to third,” if you’re writing a close third person perspective. Other suggestions related to characterization included those from Judith Lindbergh (“You want to take pauses in an action scene to reach into your character’s emotional state”), Elizabeth Boyle (“The archetype gives a character a place in the story and a role to fulfil”), and Kate Quinn (“If the antagonist is going to be a true threat to your hero, then they can’t be a dumbass”). 

During a session on getting “unstuck,” Susan Meissner told us, “If you’re really stuck go back to your premise and realign yourself with it, because it’s where you began. It’s the heart of your story that gave you to gas to begin,” while Eliza Knight made a helpful distinction between abandoning and taking distance from a project: “Don’t let it go. Set it aside.”

In discussions around writing characters who are part of historically marginalized groups, Samantha Rajaram told the crowd, “We are more than our queerness, so we need to make sure we’re not flattening our characters out and reducing them.” While Joan Fernandez reminded listeners that, “language is our currency in writing, and just because a phrase was in common use it doesn’t mean that we automatically use it.”

Finally, the “market” and the salability of our passion projects remains top-of-mind for many conference speakers and question askers. Tracee de Hahn suggested that we all, “evaluate [our] log lines even if [we] started from a family story,” while Weina Dai Randel left us with two options: “When it comes to trends you can try to chase them, or you can keep being the writer you are.”

Thank you so much to all the speakers at HNSNA 2025—if I owned a time turner, I would have listened to all of you live in Vegas. Here’s looking forward to the UK society conference, which will be in Maynooth in Ireland in 2026!

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The Historical Novel Society UK 2024 Conference in Quotes

Last week, I flew back from England after attending my fourth HNS conference in person. This time we were in Dartington Hall in Devon, the theme of the conference was “from the author’s page to screen and stage,” and I spoke on a panel with fellow writers Heather Webb and Kris Waldherr about authors as “adaptors” in retellings. 

On the ground at HNS 2024

Throughout the conference, as usual, I took notes on the gems of wisdom shared by other speakers. I hope you enjoy this roundup of some of the best quotes…

“Nurses don’t say, ‘I can’t work today. I have nurses’ block.’” Bernard Cornwell urged us all to treat writing as a job and show up at our desks, even when we don’t feel like it.

“Go camping.” Matthew Harffy gave us all this unusual piece of advice for getting into a medieval mindset.

“People deep down are still people regardless of when they lived.” Sharon Bennett Connolly suggested getting into your characters’ heads by considering what has remained consistent about the human experience.

“Butterflies are best seen flying around.” Ian Mortimer uncovered what is problematic about traditional approaches to history and made an argument for historical fiction as the best way to “experience” the past.

“No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. No outline survives first contact with drafting.” Kate Quinn gave us this apt metaphor for how novels evolve beyond the planning stages.

Finola Austin (the Secret Victorianist) reporting from Devon

“Give each person space to do the things they love. Writers are drawn to different story elements.” The two writers behind A.D. Rhine gave us this valuable insight into their approach to co-writing fiction.

“Static settings are uninteresting.” Deborah Swift suggested we bring motion to our setting descriptions to bring them to life for readers.

“[Adapting for the screen] is intellectually challenging and fun.” Diana Gabaldon disagreed with Bernard Cornwell about how involved authors should be in screen adaptations of their work.

“It is much more difficult to write about history that’s within living memory.” Jane Johnson cautioned us about the tweets you might receive if you get details wrong in late-twentieth-century-set historical fiction.

“If I’d known how much research was involved in historical fiction, I’d have written contemporary!” Helen Steadman jokingly suggested that for aspiring writers, ignorance is sometimes bliss.

“The key to being a writer is getting a dog.” Lisa Highton noticed a theme in the conference of writers having their best ideas when walking, with or without a furry friend!

“I just became obsessed with people who are dead.” S.G. Maclean shared her (all too relatable!) experience.

With Heather Webb & Kris Waldherr

Were you also at HNSUK 2024? If so, I’d love to hear your conference highlights. Please stay in touch by following me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, or signing up to my monthly email newsletter here. 

The Historical Novel Society UK 2024 Conference: An Interview with Finola Austin

I'm currently in London en route to the Historical Novel Society UK 2024 conference in Dartington Hall, Devon, where I'm speaking on a panel alongside fellow writers Heather Webb and Kris Waldherr.

Check out my pre-conference speaker interview here! If you're also going to the conference, please connect with me, on person or online (on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or by subscribing to my email newsletter). 

A Dickensian Master Class in Epiphanies

Welcome back to my master class blog series, where I dissect passages by famous nineteenth-century authors to inspire writers today. 

This is the fifth time I’m taking cues from Charles Dickens (1812-1870). Previously, I used his novel A Tale of Two Cities (1859) to talk about powerful openings, his novella The Haunted Man and the Ghost’s Bargain (1848) to talk about repetition, and his short stories ‘The Seven Poor Travelers’ (1854) and ‘Mrs. Lirriper’s Lodgings’ (1863) to talk about storytelling technique and first-person narration. 

Today, I’m diving into his 1843-1844 novel Martin Chuzzlewit to discuss character epiphanies.

There are plenty of potential pitfalls for the writer who approaches a scene in which a character comes to a major realization. These chapters could be too internal and, therefore, lacking in action and interest. Alternatively, in a desire to maintain momentum, an author might make the mistake of not probing a character’s psyche enough at one of these pivotal moments, leaving readers with the impression of an under-reaction. If the revelation is also a revelation to readers, they may feel blindsided or tricked (for good or ill). If it is not, they may roll their eyes and find the character stupid. 

In an important scene in Martin Chuzzlewit, the character Tom Pinch realizes what readers have known from early in the book—that he has been entirely misguided in assessing the character of his mentor, employer, and erstwhile hero, the architect Mr. Pecksniff. 

The vehicle Dickens uses to bring about this epiphany is dialogue. Early in the scene, Tom shares the world view he has held up until now, telling the character Mary Graham, “[Pecksniff]’s the best of men. The more at ease you were, the happier he would be. Oh dear, you needn’t be afraid of Pecksniff. He is not a spy.”

It is up to Mary to deliver the blow, in dialogue that’s striking and unusual in a Dickens novel for its brevity: “You mistake him.” 

After some back and forth between Mary and Tom, Dickens then moves from dialogue to narrative summary, avoiding the sort of tired repetition that can come about in scenes where a character discovers information readers already have: When she was more composed, she impressed upon Tom that this man she had described, was Pecksniff in his real colors; and word by word and phrase by phrase, as well as she remembered it, related what had passed between them in the wood.

It’s only when he has played out these plot points and given Tom all the information he needs to know, that Dickens can get to work on the true heart of an epiphany scene—the emotional fallout. Mary exits and Dickens’s omniscient narrator becomes a close third point of view, bringing us directly into Tom’s thoughts and feelings.

And now the full agitation and misery of the disclosure came rushing upon Tom indeed. The star of his whole life from boyhood had become, in a moment, putrid vapor. It was not that Pecksniff, Tom’s Pecksniff, had ceased to exist, but that he never had existed. In his death Tom would have had the comfort of remembering what he used to be, but in this discovery, he had the anguish of recollecting what he never was. For, as Tom’s blindness in this matter had been total and not partial, so was his restored sight. His Pecksniff could never have worked the wickedness of which he had just now heard, but any other Pecksniff could; and the Pecksniff who could do that could do anything, and no doubt had been doing anything and everything except the right thing, all through his career. 

This is an interesting mixture of direct “telling,” as Dickens describes Tom’s “agitation” and “misery,” with “showing” via metaphor. Pecksniff was a “star” to Tom. Now he is “putrid vapor.” Grieving Pecksniff’s death would have provided Tom with moments of “comfort,” when he remembered the past. But now, every memory Tom has is colored by this revelation. Dickens also taps into the idea of sight vs. blindness, which has been part of the Western literary tradition surrounding epiphanies since the myth of Oedipus, giving us the sort of dramatic revelation that makes for compelling storytelling.

Earlier in the book, the character of Tom Pinch is used for comedic effect, and readers laugh at his ignorance about Pecksniff, but in this chapter, Dickens packs an emotional punch, layering on further metaphors and making it is hard not to feel for him: it was not [Pecksniff] who suffered; it was Tom. His compass was broken, his chart destroyed, his chronometer had stopped, his masts were gone by the board; his anchor was adrift, ten thousand leagues away.

Finally, he makes Tom’s internal epiphany external again via an unlikely, if dramatically satisfying, monologue, which adds to the feeling that we’re watching a scene play out on stage: “I wouldn’t have cared…I wouldn’t have cared for anything he might have done to Me, for I have tried his patience often, and have lived upon his sufferance and have never been the help to him that others could have been. I wouldn’t have minded, Pecksniff,…if you had done Me any wrong; I could have found plenty of excuses for that; and though you might have hurt me, could have still gone on respecting you. But why did you ever fall so low as this in my esteem! Oh Pecksniff, Pecksniff, there is nothing I would not have given, to have had you deserve my old opinion of you; nothing!”

For writers approaching their own epiphany scene, I think there are a few important lessons we can take from Dickens here: limit repetition for readers to maintain their interest; make the dramatic reveal as short as possible but give yourself space, and word count, to explore the emotional aftermath; and consider carefully what you make internal vs. external in your scene. 

What do you think of this important scene from one of Dickens’s less loved novels? Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist. Want monthly updates from me sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe here. 

A Master Class in Character Introduction from Mary Elizabeth Braddon

It’s been a while since I published a writing “master class” on this blog, doing a close reading of a Victorian novel to discuss craft techniques that are still relevant to authors today. But this week, I’m turning to one of my favorite nineteenth-century reads—Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s sensational 1862 novel, Lady Audley’s Secret—to explore how she introduces her title character.

If you’re pulling up the e-text of the novel or grabbing a dogeared copy, the passage I’m focusing on begins “But Miss Alicia's day was over…” and ends with “declaring that Lucy Graham was the sweetest girl that ever lived.”

The first thing to note about Braddon’s introduction is that anyone reading the novel for the first time is going to be waiting to find out about Lady Audley in the opening pages of the book. The character is, after all, mentioned in the title and the reference to a “secret” makes her an immediate source of intrigue. What Braddon chooses to do to build on this intrigue, and tease readers even further, is not start with Lady Audley at all. She is in fact the third character described, after her husband, Michael Audley, and stepdaughter, Alicia Audley, in a move that utilizes the writerly rule of three and creates a crescendo of anticipation before Lady Audley/Lucy’s dramatic reveal. Modern writers should consider the power a title character holds in readers’ imaginations and how starting with secondary characters before highlighting the primary can be an arresting technique when writing omniscient or multi-perspective prose.

What happens once Lady Audley is introduced? Braddon attaches multiple positive attributes to her, but in such a way that the author is constantly seeding doubt. Lucy is “amiable,” yet Alicia feels “prejudices and dislike” for her. She has made an “advantageous match,” yet this has turned her into an object of “hatred and envy” for other women. A reference from her former employer seems to have been glowing, yet “no one knew anything about her.” Her accomplishments are “brilliant and numerous,” but strangely she’s happy to accept low pay. At the core of Braddon’s technique here is employing telling vs. showing and overusing modifiers (adjectives and adverbs)—both techniques that strike a deliberately false note. If, as a writer, you want to establish a character as kind or talented, it’s best to show them doing kind or brilliant things. But here Braddon’s apparent encomium is also a clever takedown of Lady Audley/Lucy before she’s said a single line of dialogue, already setting her up for readers as someone who cannot be trusted. 

Lady Audley’s physical appearance isn’t mentioned until later in the introductory passage. Braddon describes Michael Audley as a “big man, tall and stout, with a deep, sonorous voice, handsome black eyes, and a white beard,” while the lines dedicated to Alicia paint her personality rather than her portrait. But, when it comes to Lady Audley, specific features matter less than the effect her face has on people. We’re told that “in the cottages of the poor her fair face shone like a sunbeam,” and that “Miss Lucy Graham was blessed with that magic power of fascination, by which a woman can charm with a word or intoxicate with a smile.” A few lines later we learn that “perhaps, it was the sight of her pretty face, looking over the surgeon's high pew every Sunday morning” that secured her a wealthy husband. The genius of this is that each reader can picture a face that we find personally attractive and imagine a woman who might have this sort of impact on us. What Braddon demonstrates so well is how describing a character can involve not describing them directly, and instead giving readers the chance to co-create with the author via their imaginations. 

What nineteenth-century novel would you like me to write about next? Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist. Want Victoriana sent straight to your email once a month? Sign up here. 

The Secret Victorianist’s 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to everyone celebrating this festive season and welcome (back?) to the Secret Victorianist—my blog dedicated to nineteenth-century literature and culture. In today’s post, I share some gift (or let’s face it, self-gifting) ideas for lovers of books and Victoriana. Let me know what you think and what else is top of your wish list…

For the busy bookworm… Consider giving them an annual subscription to Audible, so they can listen to books with their hands full or while on the go.

For the Victorianists who read the footnotes… The Longman Annotated Poets series is incredible. Why not pick up their Selected Edition of Tennyson’s poetry?

For historical fiction fans… Some of the best #HistFic books I read this year were Booth by Karen Joy Fowler, Joan by Katherine J. Chen, The Daughter of Dr. Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, A Witch in Time by Constance Sayers, and The Orchid Hour by Nancy Bilyeau.

For fans of the Victorian aesthetic… Buy them a locket or a cape or a fan or a corset or a parasol or a print of a Pre-Raphaelite painting or William Morris wallpaper. 

For those looking to time travel… Consider booking an experience (e.g., getting tickets to a ball, visiting a stately home, or having afternoon tea).

For letter writers… Beautiful, monogrammed stationery makes for a wonderful gift. Wax seal = optional. 

For Bronte fans… My fiction pick for the year is Rachel Cantor’s Half-Life of a Stolen Sister (check out my review here) or my own novel Bronte’s Mistress, of course, while I recommend Lucasta Miller’s The Bronte Myth to those who prefer non-fiction.

For historical novelists… Buy them a ticket to the Historical Novel Society Conference 2024, at Dartington Hall in the UK. We’re going to have a blast. 

Have more ideas to add to my list? Share them below, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist. Want a signed copy of Hope C. Tarr’s Irish Eyes (2023), another great historical fiction read? Sign up to my monthly email newsletter by December 7th for a chance to win!

Writers’ Questions: Should Authors Worry About AI?

Welcome back to my Writers’ Questions series, where I write blog posts answering authors’ and aspiring authors’ top questions related to the craft and business of writing, drawing upon my own personal experience. This week I’m writing about how generative artificial intelligence is changing the industry. Search engine data and IRL conversations I’ve had over the last few months demonstrate that there are lots of questions out there about AI, but, for authors, many of these boil down to just one: “how worried should I be?” My answer (at least for right now!) is, “Don’t sweat it.”

Many fiction writers love to cling to the traditional and familiar. After all, we’ve chosen to write novels in an age dominated by short-form video content. And in the past few years I’ve heard people prophesy the death of the novel due to Amazon, e-books, audiobooks, Netflix, social media, self-publishing and more. Yet, people are still reading, and great books are still getting written. New formats and publishing possibilities have complicated, but not killed, the business, and successful writers have learned to evolve with the times. I believe the advent of accessible generative AI tools will have a similar impact. So here are a few reasons I advise you not to worry.

Bots write in cliches

The AI bots out there currently, like ChatGPT, parrot material they’ve been trained upon. What this means in practice is that they are typing/talking (if not walking) cliches. If you’re using an AI tool to help you plot your novel, I’d almost advise you to write the opposite of what it comes up with. Otherwise, you’re likely to end up with an outline so trope-filled your readers will be rolling their eyes.

AI tools avoid the negative

The makers behind the best generative AI tools out there are sensitive to PR disasters (remember when that bot on Twitter became a Neo-Nazi in under 24 hours?). What this means is that bots are often trained not to give answers that skew towards the dark side. However, pain is at the heart of great fiction. Ever heard that old adage about putting your main character up a tree and then throwing rocks at him? Yeah, an AI bot is less likely to do that and any fiction it produces will be poorer for it.

AI can be your assistant

Even as a fiction writer, there’s a lot of non-fictional material you need to write, e.g., marketing copy, email newsletters, and author biographies of many different lengths. An AI tool could help you speed up some of these tasks, letting you get back to what you’re best at—using your imagination. Just note that if you’re using an AI tool for research, double check anything it tells you, as the bots are known to “hallucinate” (i.e., give you information that isn’t true!).

Your voice is unique

The best novels have voice, meaning they don’t sound like anything that’s been written before. So even if another writer had exactly the same plot idea as you—or someone fed that idea to ChatGPT—the final product would be very different. This is the beauty of writing and so, if anything, I hope the age of AI makes fiction writers step up our game. There are still questions that need to be answered (e.g., how to ensure AI tools don’t plagiarize published authors’ works and that writers are properly compensated if their intellectual property is used in “training”), but right now we have our humanity and our voices on our side. Trust me, this blog post is MUCH more entertaining than the response ChatGPT gave me when I asked it to answer the title question. Why don’t you try it for yourself and see?

Let me know what topic you’d like to see me tackle next as part of my Writers’ Questions series. You can get in touch here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist. Want regular updates on my writing and me? Sign up for my monthly email newsletter here.

Writers’ Questions: What are some writing websites I should know about?

In my Writers’ Questions series, I’ve been sharing advice about the writing and publication process for the past four years. In today’s blog post I’ll be sharing more free writing resources—five great websites that should already be on your radar…

Chill Subs: Submitting short stories or poems to literary journals? Entering writing contests? Applying to residencies? You need to check out chillsubs.com. Not only is the browsing interface free and easy to use, but you can also track your submissions and show off your publications.

Answer the Public: Do you run a blog or write journalistic articles? Make sure you’re answering the questions real people have about your topic of choice by using my favorite tool for search engine optimization—answerthepublic.com. Warning: you only have a limited number of free searches each month, so use them wisely.

Hemingway App: Working on improving your “window-pane” prose? You’ll soon be eschewing adverbs and banning passive voice with hemingwayapp.com. Just copy/paste sections of your work in progress into the tool—no download required. 

Shepherd: So, you’re active on Goodreads and BookBub, but what about shepherd.com?  I love how readers can browse by topic and how authors are encouraged to promote their own books, by giving love to thematically similar reads. Check out my own article here.

Reddit: Are you writing about a part of being human you haven’t had direct experience with? e.g., having long hair, being passionate about knitting, or dealing with a toxic mother-in-law? Whatever experience you’re writing about, there’s probably a subreddit for that (trust me, r/JustNoMIL was a vital part of my research for Bronte’s Mistress), so check out reddit.com, even if you’re not usually a social media fan.

Fellow writers, I’d love to know what other website are a vital part of your writing and publishing process. Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist.

Emily Bronte’s Love and Friendship: An Analysis

Emily Bronte is the Bronte sibling who’s top of mind for many of us right now, with the release of the biopic Emily (which I’m hoping to see this long weekend!). So, in honor of the most mysterious Bronte sister I thought I’d spend some time on an exercise I haven’t done in a long time on my blog—a close reading of a poem. 

I’ve previously shared analyses of other Victorian poems, including Gerard Manley Hopkins’s “Pied Beauty,” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Christmas Bells,” Algernon Charles Swinburne’s “Anactoria,” and Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Kraken” and “To Virgil.” Today it’s the turn of Emily Bronte’s “Love and Friendship”.

Here’s the poem…

Love and Friendship

Love is like the wild rose-briar,

Friendship like the holly-tree—

The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms

But which will bloom most constantly?

The wild rose-briar is sweet in spring,

Its summer blossoms scent the air;

Yet wait till winter comes again

And who will call the wild-briar fair?

Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now

And deck thee with the holly’s sheen,

That when December blights thy brow

He still may leave thy garland green.

Let’s start by paraphrasing the poem in prose to make sure we all understand what Emily Bronte is telling us here. 

In the first stanza, Bronte compares romantic love to one plant (“the wild rose-briar”) and platonic friendship to another (“the holly-tree”). Then she poses a question about which “will bloom most constantly,” i.e., be a more consistent source of joy.

In the second stanza she answers her own question, telling us love, unlike friendship, will be short-lived, just as the rose-briar is stripped of its beauty in winter.

Based on this conclusion, in the third stanza she offers some advice: the reader should reject romantic love in the present and invest in their friendships so that in the future (when we’re old) these platonic relationships will bring us happiness. 

So that’s what Emily Bronte is saying, but let’s discuss some of the notable things about how she expresses this idea in her poem.

First, I want to draw your attention to Bronte’s use of rhyme. In the first stanza, “tree” and “constantly” rhyme, but “briar” and “blooms” definitely do not, giving us a ABCB rhyme scheme. In the second stanza, again lines 2 and 4 (“air” and “fair”) are a perfect rhyme, while lines 1 and 3 (“spring” and “again”) inch closer to rhyming. Finally, in the third stanza, we get a true ABAB scheme with two pairs of perfect rhymes (“now” with “brow” and “sheen” with “green”). What is the effect of this? The paired rhymes in the last stanza add to the feeling of finality in Emily Bronte’s poem and bring the piece to a more satisfying end. And the progression towards this rhyme scheme we see in the first two stanzas is similar to that of rhetorician building a persuasive argument.

The next detail that’s worth diving into is Bronte’s choice of which plants should represent each subject. Using the rose to depict romantic love is so classic as to border on cliché, but here the decision to make this a “wild rose-briar” adds interest. The choice suggests natural and unbridled passion, reminiscent of the tumultuous love between Cathy and Heathcliff in Bronte’s only novel, Wuthering Heights (1847). Meanwhile, the holly-tree is a plant with a strong association with one time of year—Christmas. This suits Bronte well as her lesson is that we should garland ourselves with friendship now, even though we mightn’t understand its full rewards until later (i.e., at the end of the year/our lives). 

Bronte’s message may seem to be a total rejection of romance (after all, she does tell us to “scorn” it), but it is also worth noting that she doesn’t tell us to remove the “silly rose-wreath” from our heads and imagines this crown remaining there, if blighted, on our brow come winter. Maybe then we should read the verse as encouraging us not to take our romantic entanglements too seriously and certainly not to neglect our friendships in favor of them?

One last detail I’d love to point out is the use of alliteration throughout to make the poem pleasing to the ear (“wait,” “winter,” “will,” and “wild-briar” all appear close together, as do “scorn” and “silly,” “blights” and “brow,” and “garland” and “green”). This is a technique that fiction writers can also use in our writing whenever we want to make our prose sing.

Have you seen the new Emily movie yet? I’d love to hear what you think! Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist.

Writers’ Questions: Why, oh why, is writing so hard?

I’ve been publishing blog posts as part of my Writers’ Questions series since 2019, covering a range of topics related to craft and the business of writing. But many of my most-asked questions really boil down to one that’s psychological, rather than artistic or technical, in nature: why is this writing thing so damn hard?!

Feeling down? Digest these tips and eat some ice cream...

First, I feel you—being a writer isn’t easy. Second, if you’re currently struggling with the emotional toll of writing, this blog post might help by digging into some of the potential reasons why…

You're realizing writing isn't for everyone. Literacy rates are very high in the countries where I and most of this blog’s readers live. That means that almost everyone can write and does write (emails, texts, ranting comments on the internet etc.) all the time. But don’t confuse that with thinking that everyone can write well. One thing that’s hard about pursuing this as a career path, or even a hobby, is that it’s very easy to start writing (unlike say, picking up a violin and starting to play), but, at some point, you’re going to hit an issue and understand your lack of experience. If this is where you’re at now, don’t fear! Recognizing where your writing could be better is vital for improving your craft, and thinking your prose is perfect as a beginner is a recipe for disappointment.

You’re not looking after your physical needs. There may be a certain appeal to the trope of the starving artist, but, if you’re tired, hungry, cold etc., trust me—you’re not going to be producing your best material. Get better at diagnosing what’s actually wrong when you’re feeling low and understanding what your mind and body needs and wants. It’s not virtuous to push yourself to breaking point. Great writing might be about suffering but should never require it.

You like the idea of writing. I hate to break it to you, but writers love the act of writing, not just having written. When you’re at your best (i.e., not tired, hungry etc. as I list above), can an hour slip away from you, unnoticed, as you type at your keyboard or scrawl in a notebook? If not, why on earth are you doing this to yourself? If you want someone to listen to you, consider therapy and/or get better friends. And if you want fame, fortune, and praise, there are much easier paths to take.

You’re playing an imitation game. Maybe you’re dissatisfied with your writing because you’re copying your literary heroes, rather than developing your own style. If you’re doing this, it’s unsurprising that you’ll always be underwhelmed by the result. Stop trying to be Tolkien. You’re never going to be Tolkien. 

You’re writing the “wrong” thing. Or maybe it’s the type of writing you’re doing that’s the problem? You could be better suited to working in a format other than a novel e.g., penning a play, poem, screenplay, or short story. Perhaps secretly your heart is with another genre and you’re forcing yourself to write what you think you should be writing (e.g., following the market or writing literary fiction when you prefer to write genre). When in doubt, try mixing it up, and see if things get any easier.

Your inner critic is being too harsh. Self-editing is part of a writer’s job, but too much self-critique can be paralyzing. If you struggle with this, then try to operate in different modes (writer mode vs. editor mode). Then assign these versions of yourself to different shifts. When your inner editor is away, let your inner writer play and enjoy.

You're struggling with feelings of rejection. Lastly, maybe you’re unhappy right now because you’ve faced a spate of writerly rejection. “No” is a word we hear A LOT in this business. This is emotionally difficult—there are no two ways about it. And you’re allowed to wallow for a few minutes when you receive bad news. But don’t let rejection cramp your style or stop you writing. Instead, I recommend distracting yourself, while waiting for news or after receiving bad news. Start a new project. Indulge in some guilty pleasure writing that reminds you why you wanted to be a writer in the first place. No agent, editor, judge etc. can ever take that restoring feeling of the joy of creation away from you. 

What question would you like to see me tackle next as part of my Writers’ Questions series? Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist.

Writers’ Questions: How shouldn’t I begin my novel?

Happy January, everyone! Many of you might have made writing a novel (or another novel) one of your New Year’s resolutions for 2023, so, in this latest post in my Writers’ Questions series, I’m covering what not to do at the opening of your book. I’ve already talked about the top mistakes beginner writers make when embarking on a fiction project. This time the focus is on what not to do in those crucial first few pages.

Of course, there are some caveats here. You may be able to think of wonderful novels that start in the ways I critique below (although I bet most of your examples are from before the year 2000…). And you might, of course, be a writerly genius who can pull any opening off. If so, good for you! But if your new novel starts in any of the following ways, it might just be worth rethinking your beginning…

Dreams: Readers are trying to orient themselves when they first pick up a new novel. Throwing them into a new world and then revealing it was all a dream is a sure-fire way to confuse them. Plus, dreams are boring unless you care deeply about the person dreaming. Have your eyes ever glazed over while an acquaintance tells you about their dream in real life? Don’t subject your readers to the literary equivalent, asking them to care about the sub-conscious mumblings of a character they haven’t even met yet. 

Waking Up Generally: The only thing duller than a character waking up from a dream is a character waking up from no dream and pursuing their morning routine of eating their cereal and brushing their teeth. Spare us the mundanity and get into why your story is interesting, I beg you.

A History/Science/Folklore etc. Lesson: Readers read books for entertainment. A novel shouldn’t begin like a textbook. There’ll be time enough later for your world building, e.g., explaining what fuels the spaceship or how your novel’s magic system works. For now, get into the action.

Too Much Action: However, don’t give us too much action. A James Bond style car chase works well at the start of a movie—on page one of a novel though, not so much. Action is hard to write, even after you’ve established characters, setting, and stakes. Beginning mid-battle or fist fight, it will be difficult for readers to understand what is going on or why they should care.

Unattributed Dialogue: One arresting line of dialogue might be a good opening sentence, but please establish who’s talking ASAP or readers won’t have a clue what’s going on. If your novel starts with back-and-forth conversation between two unnamed and un-described characters, you’re not doing yourself or your readers any favors.

Do you agree or passionately disagree that these are among the worst ways a writer can start a novel? Let me know—here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist. 

Writers’ Questions: What IS Historical Fiction?

Hello and welcome back to my Writers’ Questions series, where I answer burning questions you might have about the craft and business of writing. As a writer of historical fiction, I’ve posted previously about some of my favorite and least favorite tropes in the genre, but I’ve never posted about what historical fiction actually is. Think the answer is straightforward? You might be mistaken…

At its simplest being an author of historical fiction means writing stories set in the past. But how far back would you consider “history”? As anyone knows who’s ever been to a thrift store and noticed clothes from a decade you remember being labeled as “vintage” knows, it can be very disorienting to see period you lived through being treated as historical. Yet, at the same time, World War II, one of the most common settings for historical novels being published in the early twenty-first century, is within living memory for some people alive today. 

Because of this, rather than choose an arbitrary number of years’ distance for a book to be labeled as #histfic, I favor Margaret Atwood’s definition: historical fiction is “set in a time before the writer came to consciousness.” That means that if I ever write a novel set in the 1970s, 1980s, or even the super early 1990s, I’d consider my setting historical. If another writer were a teen or adult during those decades and wrote a book drawing on memories as well as research, I wouldn’t consider it to be historical in the same way.

So much for the “historical” part of the name, but what about the word “fiction”? Believe it or not, this can be controversial too, as it’s very common to see real (and really famous!) historical figures showing up in the pages of historical novels. My answer here is much simpler: it doesn’t matter who your characters are; if your novel is set in the past and you’re making things up, it’s historical fiction. 

If your novel is primarily about a real person who lived in the past, you might like to use the label “biographical historical fiction”, and this is valid whether or not your protagonist is a household name like Napoleon or someone lesser known, like Lydia Robinson, the titular character of my debut novel, Bronte’s Mistress. Super recognizable historical figures are sometimes referred to as “marquee names” by those in the publishing industry as they are powerful marketing tools, but this term isn’t one that readers are usually familiar with. On the other hand, if a big historical figure just makes a cameo appearance in your book (e.g., you’re writing about London in the 1590s and William Shakespeare wanders into one of your scenes) that’s not enough for the sub-genre to be “biographical”.

Historical fiction is a wide genre bucket, so we see many crossovers with other genres too. Love stories that are set prior to the writer’s consciousness, which follow the romance novel structure, are designated “historical romance”. If your book is about a detective character solving a murder, many decades or centuries ago, congratulations, you’ve written a “historical mystery”. And if your historical setting has a magical twist, it sounds like you’re an author of “historical fantasy”.

Let me know what topic(s) you would like me to cover next in my Writers’ Question series! You can always contact me via the comments below, on Facebook, on Instagram, or by tweeting @SVictorianist.

Writers’ Questions: How can I control the pacing of my novel?

After tackling a few questions related to the business side of writing in the last few posts in my Writers’ Questions series, I’m back today with a more craft-focused blog. If you’re a writer, have you ever received feedback that a scene, chapter, or section was too fast or too slow? Or maybe you’ve just been told that the pacing feels a little “off.” This can be frustrating to hear, but if you’re not sure how to fix your pacing problems, never fear! Here are some strategies to employ.

Timeline out your book: If you wrote an outline when starting work on your novel, this is the moment to revisit it. If you didn’t write an outline, spend time mapping out each milestone in your book now. Then take your timeline/outline and write dates or other time markers beside each chapter/scene. This will help you look at the pacing of the novel on a macro-level. 

Typically, we’d expect to see more major events happening close together near the end of your novel, as the story crescendos to a climax. There will usually be fewer big time jumps around the climax too, as skipping through months and years will dissipate all that lovely tension you’ve built up. And there may also be an effect where a short period of time will be spread across more scenes/chapters. Consider a stereotypical heist movie: the director may choose to include only a 5-10-minute montage of the months of the thieves’ training, but the hour spent on the daring escapade itself may be detailed minute-by-minute, making up half the film. 

With these trends in mind, look at your timeline and try to diagnose your book’s issues. Are you dedicating too few pages to important moments? Did you rush to the finish line, rather than giving your ending room to breathe? Did you spend too long setting up your novel’s promises, but then underdeliver?

Cut the boring bits: Here’s a fix that works on pacing issues at both a book and chapter level: if there are scenes or parts of scenes that even you, the writer, think are boring, they’ve simply got to go. A good novel isn’t a few magical moments with dull filler content in between, and every scene you write is a chance for your storytelling prowess to sparkle.

What’s more, it’s easy to summarize action no one wants to read. It can take a sentence or even less. Boring scenes to consider cutting include journeys (just tell us your characters traveled somewhere), periods where your character is bored (if the point of view character is bored, readers will soon be bored too), and long waits for information (ask yourself: would you be tempted to skim ahead if you were reading your own book?). Of course, it’s entirely possible to write interesting scenes set during journeys, or which start with a character being bored/waiting, but you’re going to have to have other content to work with.  

Pay attention to sentence length: If you’re happy with the big-picture view of your novel (with a timeline that makes sense and no boring bits), then it’s time to address pacing issues on a sentence level. And it’s a great idea to look to music for inspiration. Scenes you want to read as slower should be made up of longer, legato sentences. Short, staccato sentences are best to convey action.

If a beta reader tells you your romantic scene feels rushed, try using flowing sentences filled with sensual details. If a fight scene is complicated, dull, or difficult to follow, make your descriptions pithier and rely on strong verbs, without qualifying adverbs and adjectives.

Understand simultaneous vs. sequential action: While we’re on the subject of action…one mistake I see a lot of newbie writers making is packing too much information into single sentences in a misguided attempt to speed up their pacing. One result of this is that they write actions as simultaneous when they must be sequential. Let’s look at a worked example.

A writer may want to pick up the pace of a scene to retain reader interest. And so, she writes a sentence like this: “He walked into the hallway, opening the front door.” However, unless this character has incredibly long arms, it’s unlikely he walked into the hallway, while at the same time opening the front door. Instead, the sentence should be: “He walked into the hallway and opened the front door.” Alternatively, the writer could choose to use two sentences here to give more weight to each action: “He walked into the hallway. He opened the front door.”

So, there you have it! Here are a few fixes to consider when facing a pacing issue. I’d also love to hear yours—get in touch in the comments, via Instagram, via Facebook, or by tweeting @SVictorianist.