Discussion
Historical Accuracy in Novels
Is historical accuracy still important, or should we all just chill and enjoy?
When I was learning how to write, fiction and non-fiction, I was taught to always ensure that my facts were correct, as there will always be someone who knows, and there will always be someone who complains if there’s a mistake.
When I was training to be a broadcast journalist, I was taught to always check any facts or historical details to ensure that they were correct.
I’ve been writing for a long time, since 1985. And I have always been meticulous in checking my facts and historical accuracy.
When I wrote a major article for an American publication (Spa magazine), they had a whole member of staff dedicated to calling the writers and checking every single fact.
When I wrote an article for a special interest title in the UK, I very quickly learnt to make it clear when I was interviewing a so-called “expert”, and I firmly and clearly put any errors in the experts’ own mouths from then on.
I’ve been editing since 1997, and a lot of my assignments ask me to ensure accuracy in facts. I’ve been proofreading since 2011, and assignments there also require me to check facts.
