Fact vs. Fiction: Writing Historical Fiction with Lynne Heinzmann

Learn the elements of successful traditional and nontraditional historical fiction, three ways to incorporate history into a novel, the challenges presented by HF and much more.

How can a writer incorporate history into a novel?

By using prompts, Lynne Heinzmann will inspire your interest in writing historical fiction and/or increase your skills as a writer. After taking this class, you will know what makes historical fiction different from biography, receive ideas on researching your subject and garner tools for writing specific scenes and characters.

Lynne has taught writing, composition and rhetoric at the University of Rhode Island, Community College of Rhode Island, Association of Rhode Island Authors, GrubStreet/Providence and URI’s OLLI Program. Her novel, Frozen Voices, is based on the true story of four passengers aboard the steamship Larchmont. Often referred to as Rhode Island’s Titanic, it sank off the coast of Block Island in 1907 on its way to New York City. Lynne chose four of its passengers’ lives to chronicle; two of whom did not survive. Frozen Voices won Fairfield University’s prestigious Book Prize.

She is currently writing the third middle grade book in her Rose Island Lighthouse Series commissioned by the Fort Hamilton Trust. She works as a book coach, writing teacher and editor and lives in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. Lynne received her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Fairfield University and was an architect before finding her true calling.

Recommended Skill Level: Beginner-Intermediate Historical Fiction Writer