A Project in Motion
History as fact or fiction
Every now and then, I share longer-form essays that offer a closer look at my creative process. The full piece is available to contributing members.
I never imagined writing historical fiction, at least not in a million years. It’s not because I don’t like history. I actually like history very much. In many ways, all of my work is informed by it: the stories we carry about the world, the different versions of events that live inside our heads, and how we make sense of people and places.
Still, I never thought I’d want to write a book connected to history, or at least an alternate version of it. I’m probably over-exaggerating by calling it an historical fiction. If anything, it’s really just fiction with a story set in an alternate universe.
Regardless, I’ve always admired writers who take on the task of shaping history with their own imagination. They create vivid images, painting the canvas with language. They are talented artists with the ability to transmute words into something tangible, a visceral image. I admire them deeply, but I never thought I’d pursue such a creative endeavor myself—it just seemed so intimidating.