Writing Genre Fiction

» Jennifer Jensen - Historical fiction dialogue

I think the idea of historical fiction IS fictitious characters within a factual experience. I enjoy fictional characters whose lives interact with real people, but Jeff Shaara's Civil War books (God and Generals, for example) are prime examples of real people as the main characters.

The trick is to know the real people as well as possible so that their words and actions and attitudes fit with what we know about them. Extremely important in books like Shaara's, mildly important (IMO) if George Washington passes through town and says hello. So yes, you can make up a conversation with William Brewster talking to another passenger, but make sure to keep him anchored in his historical class and attitudes. And don't have him mention a woman he hopes to marry when he's already married!

Non-fiction biographies are where you need the actual words, either from primary sources like journals, letters, speeches, etc., or possibly from contemporary accounts of what they said, such as a friend's journal.