I’m an avid reader with all sorts of interests, but lately I have been drawn to westerns, particularly those by Louis L’Amour. His style was simple, but with clearcut messages of right and wrong, honor, and the value of humanity, especially during the days of the Wild West. I enjoy reading period pieces because of the glimpses they give us of the past—but I especially like writing them. Here are a few pros about writing historical fiction that you may want to consider when figuring out your next writing project.
Pro #1: You Can Write About Values
Our current culture seems to have a hard time determining values. Things aren’t as black and white when it comes to truth and integrity as they used to be. I like that with period pieces, you expect a moral backbone in at least one of the characters. People knew it was wrong to steal or to murder. It was wrong to cheat or vandalize someone’s property. With a period piece, you can have a protagonist who stands for what is right, and it is a good thing. Readers need to see that yes, life can be difficult. But that is no excuse for poor behavior. Values are a positive necessity in society because they encourage us to treat people with dignity and respect, just like we want to be treated.
Pro #2: You Can Write About Faith
Many modern publishers have issues with in-your-face religious content, especially if it’s Christian. There’s a workaround this, and that’s with a period piece. My most recent book, Danger on Martin Mountain, is set in World War II. Several of my characters attended Sunday services. I wasn’t overly blatant about it. But I felt this was a necessary element to my story because that is what good, decent people did in those days. They went to church and tried to be God-fearing citizens who were accountable to God and who knew it was an obligation to love their neighbor. Writing period pieces gives you freedom to include these precious truths because faith played major roles in the history of the world and in developing the character and fortitude of many individuals.
Pro #3: You Can Discover Interesting or Forgotten Facts
One of the things I love about writing historical fiction is that you have to do a lot of research. Now, this can be a con for someone. But as a lover of history, I enjoy digging up facts that maybe our grandparents knew, but aren’t remembered or written about today. For instance, plants that we consider weeds in our day were actually used for survival and medicinal purposes decades ago. Did you know that plantain, a broad-leafed plant with vertical lines, was used by Native Americans to help soothe sore feet? Or that soldiers used the herb yarrow to help stop bleeding? Research opens up some amazing information that can make your story just a bit more interesting.
Period pieces may be a lot of work, but they open up avenues to present our Christian worldview that a more modern story may not allow. Why not consider a period piece for a future project? You may actually find that you enjoy writing it!
Have you written period pieces before? What fun fact did you discover in your research?
Catherine L. Osornio has written inspirational articles for a women’s ministry newsletter, over 200 leveled reader stories for a school’s reading program, fiction and nonfiction articles for Clubhouse and Clubhouse Jr. magazines, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z, Thunder Comes a Rumblin’, Mosquitoes Infect!, Danger on Martin Mountain, plus various work-for-hire projects. A former elementary school librarian, Catherine is passionate about sharing the love of reading. She enjoys cartooning, illustration, and reading kids’ books. Email her at CLOsornio@verizon.net or visit her at www.catherineosornio.com.
Unsplash Credits: Donna Elliot, Annie Spratt, W.D., and Ben White.