by Tonya Gross

Created on: December 09, 2008

Writing historical fiction is not for everyone, for certain. I like non-fiction because it is what really happened, but sometimes a true story doesn't have a whole lot of interest. There may be some interesting facts, but not all of the story is interesting. So, historical fiction is the best of both. Take the historical facts of an event or time in someone's life and add a little imagination!

I was in a college writing class which was teaching us different forms of fiction when I discovered an amazing story. I read a book about the Sultana, a steamboat that sunk during the Civil War. The men aboard were discharged from Andersonville prison and were headed home to their loved ones. In it a lady and her daughter were mentioned for the heroic acts they performed during the Civil War in Alabama. I was so intrigued I began to research more. I love research, so this was no problem for me. The problems were deciding when I had done enough research and then trying to fill in the gaps the research didn't provide. There were also points in the time line that were very dry.

I felt these two females deserved their own story, but at the same time wanted to provide details not found in their particular stories. I also wanted to add humor, etc. I began to read everything I could get my hands on that dealt with the Civil War and that time period. Adding details like what clothes they wore, the materials used, foods they ate, books and magazines read, social gatherings prevalent at this time, etc. These details are what help a story along. In every library in America you can find books and microfiche on Civil War topics and this is where a lot of my details were gained.

So, I wrote my story about the Sultana providing historical fact and using a little fiction to fill in the gaps. Everyone in my class of twenty or so loved it. Even people who hate history were fascinated and said they wanted to know more/read more. This challenged me to write more. More research was needed on these two women if they were to be the main focus of my newer, bigger story. My fiance and I planned a vacation built around this story and went to Alabama to the town where everything occurred. We took pictures, went to the historical society, the local library, etc. We even went to the cemetery where they were suppose to be buried. This alone gave me some interesting details that I used in another story. Consulting genealogical records, house deeds, etc. I came back with plenty more to finish my story. And had decided by this time it was going to be a novel. I am still working on this novel. The three chapters I have finished are a good start and I will just take my time on it until I am satisfied and ready to publish it.

My challenge to all writers is to try this type of fiction. You may find a new genre you love as much as I have discovered that I do! Challenge yourself to try something different!

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