Ok, so I'm writing a historical novel and I recently sent a draft (first seven chapters) to a friend, which she proof read for me and gave me some good tips to work on. However, she said she felt I should put more descriptions of furniture, costumes etc. in the book but I worry that that will make it harder to read and uninteresting. I'm not trying to model myself on him but C. J Sansom whose books I love, doesn't put too much description in which I feel makes his books easier to read and keeps your attention focused on the matter in hand, rather than going on a walk through describing the furniture etc. in lots of detail; I have included some. I'd love any thoughts on this, I want to make it historically interesting but not boring, so I'm struggling with this.

My second problem:

I have all my main plot sorted out and have typed just under half of what I have written on the computer, however at present it's at @ 16,000 words (only the typed out writing not the rest) so I'm starting to worry it's not going to be long enough. I know I can look at it as just the first draft/bones and I can go through it and change it/add to it etc. but as it's worrying me a lot I've decided to try and include a sub plot. Most people are suggesting I include a love story as a sub plot, however I'm thinking back then with Nobles, Lords etc most of the marriages were arranged so I feel that won't work, unless I go into a different part (the streets, the poor etc) away from my main story line, and create a sub plot that doesn't attain to the story in any way. However I'd rather not have to do that. Other than creating a love story sub plot I'm lacking inspiration as to what the sub plot can be.

My exams are next week so after that I'm hoping to get back to writing my book and I aim to finish it this year, God willing! It's one of my goals for the year.

Anyhow, any tips would be greatly appreciated as I just feel lost here at the moment with not any idea where to take it! Does anyone else ever feel like this or have I just not got a writer's spirit in me?!

The amount of description people want in a book tends to vary from person to person, I think. I don't know how you do your description so this might not apply, but you might want to consider sliding in little tiny descriptions here and there that add up to more description but aren't in the chunks of description that some people skip over.

As for a sub-plot, I'm afraid I don't have any ideas.

Thanks Lea, that helps! That's what I've been doing so I will keep on that way.

No, you don't sound critical Shawn. Thanks for answering! I understand what you mean, if I was going to add something else in it would really have to pertain to the story, I guess. I won't change anything until I've written it all I don't think, as I haven't even finished writing it by hand yet. It might be long enough by the time I've finished.

I love the idea of a spy but am not sure if it would fit. It's something I'll think about, thanks for the ideas!

Thank you Shawn!

Most--or possibly all--writers feel lost at some point.


One way to have details that aren't boring is to have them be important to the story. Some random examples include a family moving, in which case you can give an overview of the furniture, or a character who is buying new clothes, in which case you can describe the clothes, etc. In a normal scene, you can describe any furniture that plays into the scene, such as a table and chairs and chandelier at a meal, etc.


In addition to subplots, descriptions and internal conflict can also add length.

Thanks Jon!

I would suggest you read some Henty books he is THE historical fiction writer. I don't really like his books that much but they are good and you can learn from them.
Also there are quite a few on the internet for free since he's in the public domain now.

(Plus research the period you're writing in (you probably knew that already but I thought I'd make sure. )

Henty Books are good - you can get a lot of them at gutenberg.org

eruheran

Or http://www.online-literature.com/ga-henty/

Henty!!! *loves Henty!*

That man is amazing. I have over 40 of his books, and each one is unique and historically saturated. No one ever gets out of imprisonment the same way!

Thanks Joe, yea hehe I have done a lot of research lol. Thanks for the sites and thanks Eru; haha Airi, I love G.A Henty although I find some of his books hard going.

What time period are you writing in? Are you using real people or made up ones? What's your plotline? What are your characters like?

If you're dealing with nobles, there was so much power struggle and back biting. People were willing to do whatever to pull themselves up and throw their enemies down. People weren't all going to work together for the good of the country; people put their own interests in front of that of their lord and land. So you could deal with some of that, a punk kid who's causing trouble, or a bitter person who used to be powerful but was thrown down and is now set on avenging themselves and restoring themselves to power.

As for description, I agree with what people above have said, don't put it in just to make the book longer. I read somewhere that your book will always seem to have "filler" parts to some readers, even parts you think are good and essential will seem pointless to some people. So don't add to that, don't put stuff in you know is useless and filler. If it has a point, if it adds richness and builds the world up that's fantastic, put that in. Worldbuilding isn't filler, in my opinion. But description for the sake of description is.

Elizabethan and it's with some real people but most are made up. It's a murder mystery. I'm dealing a lot with the Queen's advisors so that would work thank you for that. You've given me some really good ideas.



That makes sense. Thanks.

I agree with the others. Don't add "filler" just for the sake of it. If you add a subplot, make sure it deepens and compliments the main plot. If you need more description, try tucking in bits and pieces in naturally in the scenes.

However, the level of description might be your style. Some authors don't include a lot of description. I have seen books suffer from underdeveloped writing where a lack of description drains the color from the narrative. But I have also seen authors that put in very little abstract description and instead bring the book alive through carefully chosen words and suggestion. Pursue your own style in terms of description.

As for length, have you considered making it a novella? A novella is usually caps 40,000 words, but it can be more. It could possibly be published as a serial short story as well.

I guess my aim was for it to be a novel, but I can look into that Philli thank you.

Thanks for your comments, everyone has been so helpful.

Hi Elanor!



I struggle with this one too! *Groans* But I don't think the key is lots of description, it's description subtly placed. Take this example from a writing book I've got, its got dozens of examples, but I've included the shortest for the sake of brevity.

'Smothering' description:


'Saturating' description:


You see how the second is descriptive, but it slips in description about the action? A historical book that uses this technique the best is Elizabeth George Speare's 'The Bronze Bow'. You can SEE things, but you don't notice her description, and yet there's so much of it! Often I feel that Henty overdoes his descriptive work. .



I find that subplots develop themselves, Elanor. When I start a novel, I generally don't have any. When I finish the eighth re-write, I have more than I can handle... and most occur only in the re-write before. In my experience, a story grows. I can't force anything on it. As I grow to know my characters better, as I dream over them and read over what I've got, rewrite bits and rewrite again, I find bits of background accumulating in my mind, adding richness to the story, 'layering' the story with thousands of 'whys' and 'why-nots' and 'wherefores'. Things that just seem to 'belong'... as if they were just waiting for me to discover them. One thing you can try is ask of each main character 'What do you want most?' and then ask yourself 'How can I say no?' This creates heaps of conflict, and often thats where a subplot starts. I generally don't worry about subplots, though, until I've rewritten the novel a few times, and I know more about the characters. And I'm generally wary of forcing things on a story. You will write differently, of course, but I hope this helps just a bit.

I often feel 'lost', Elanor! My guess is that writers are the only people who feel truly lost when they're writing!

Thank you so much for your post Cassandra! It is very helpful. I totally see what you mean and I also feel that Henty's books overdo description.

Thanks for the examples!

I have been thinking more and more about it and I have realised that my book has far more sub plots than I'm realising some of which I can develop more I think.

It helps a lot thank you!

Well, I am so busy at the moment I have had not had time to write anymore, but I hope to get it out again soon and discover all my sub plots! Maybe I will be able to enhance some of them. Then I hopefully will feel not so lost anymore!

Thank you once again for your lovely post, it was nice of you to revive my thread. Thank you.

You're welcome!