Giving Birth to Historical Characters

All readers have encountered good and bad novels. Some were so fantastic that the ending of the book seemed like the most devastating thing in the world. Others were cheesy, leaving us to wonder why a girl named Tiffany would have lived in the Middle Ages and where exactly did she get electricity? The biggest challenge to writers is creating fictional characters that seem real, that seem to jump up and say "hello" or "hola" or whatever other language they would use in their time period.

Without Realistic Characters, Stories Miss the Mark

I have been creating characters for my stories for years; it started as an experiment, as a sort of hobby, but soon grew to become a major writing interest. It's now my favorite part of writing. I am very picky about historical authenticity, though, and I highly advise that any historical fiction writer should be. After all, it's really annoying to be reading about the Vikings, and then suddenly be introduced to a blond girl named Ashley wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Authenticity is very important. Even if I'm writing for my own personal interests, I always make sure names are accurate, and this brings us to the first rule of creating historically-correct characters: the name.

A Name is Everything, So Choose Wisely

It's been said that a character is nothing without a name, and that's pretty much true. What would any of us be without names? It's very tempting to just use the first nice name that seems to "suit" your character, but if accuracy is important, you should check when the name was used if you want to stay authentic. I usually use family tree websites; say I want to know how old the name "Jenny" is. I put the name in within the years my Jenny would be from, and if there are none born around that time, I know the name wasn't popular then. That's just one way of doing it, though.

Check Renaissance Faire websites and other historical sites for names from the time period you're researching. Email the webmaster if necessary. Ask other people who write historical fiction how they form their characters and see if you can take a few pointers. Language is another big consideration. Medieval Englishman didn't use modern-day slang. Romans wouldn't have said "what's up, dude?" It may seem like a pain, but try to make sure that words are authentic. It's worth it and gives your story credibility. I try to make sure not to use words that stick out in the time period I'm discussing, but I also don't use "thee" and "thy" all the time. Make your story believable but readable.

Making A Look to Go With A Name

You can either map out a character's look and *then* pick a name that seems suitable, or do the opposite. I usually do a sketch on artist's paper and then scrutinize the drawing until I decide if the name I have chosen "suits" him or her. It's very hard choosing a first name to go with a last name; actually, you could compare it to naming a baby. We authors, whether we're writing for publication or just for our own enjoyment, know that our characters *are* our babies and a name is very important.

If you don't like a character's name, you'll find yourself writing about him or her less and less until they've fallen by the wayside. Try not to use famous people's names. If you want Teddy Roosevelt to have a nephew named Tom, and there wasn't actually a Tom on his family tree, it doesn't seem right to me to "recreate" someone's family history. Perhaps your Tom could be a close friend of the family in question. This is one of my pet peeves, but each writer should choose his course individually.

Keeping Accurate By Researching Time Periods

I enjoy choosing time periods; I write about many different eras, from ancient Rome to the Civil War era. This can get confusing if you're punching out characters left and right; they will be flat, with no individuality. I remember seeing online where someone said they created characters constantly. This is fine for some, but to have a truly great character that really has a dimension and personality, it takes time.

The Joys of Knowing Your Character Like A Book!

For instance, some of my characters in the 16th century are so real and believable that I find myself knowing exactly what each one would do in a particular circumstance, how they would act to personal slights, and what they would like for a midnight snack. I know that if encountered by a robber in the streets, Paloma would put up a mighty fight, Josefa would try to reason the thief to death, and their mother would lecture him about the endangerment of his soul. I also know what each would say in this instance. Don't listen to anyone who says characters can't "come to life," because as soon as you become a bona fide historical fiction writer, you'll know they're wrong.

It's fun giving a character individual traits and hobbies. Again, consider the time period you're studying. A character living before the 1800s probably wouldn't be addicted to chocolate (it wasn't widely known in America until fairly recently). Someone from the Italian Renaissance would have absolutely *no* idea what an automobile was, no matter *how* much another character might try to explain it to them. To find out what hobbies and pastimes were popular, read some historical novels by trusted authors (it never hurts to know your competition!) or find some documentaries or biographies.