Writing Fiction about a Historical Figure - Six Pros and Cons:
a guest post by Cindy Fazzi
Writing a novel about a historical figure is both challenging and exhilarating. At least, that was my experience when I wrote My MacArthur, a novel about General Douglas MacArthur, the iconic World War II leader, and his little-known love affair with a young Filipino actress in the 1930s. Let’s break down the pros and cons of writing about historical characters.
Three Advantages
1. Readers are attracted to historical figures. Almost everybody has heard of MacArthur, or at least people know about his legendary promise to the Filipinos in March 1942, when he said: “I shall return.” MacArthur famously landed in Leyte in October 1944 and went on to liberate the Philippines. He also accepted Japan’s surrender and led the country’s reconstruction. This familiarity attracts readers just as it drew me as a writer.
If you plan to write about a historical character, find a niche. In my case, dozens of non-fiction books have already been published about MacArthur’s military career, but my novel is the first to focus on his romantic obsession with Isabel Rosario Cooper, a Filipina, in the 1930s.
| https://books2read.com/u/4XRKWa |
2. A historical figure’s fame is an inherent marketing advantage. Booksellers will categorize a historical novel about a fictional protagonist simply as historical fiction. A novel about a famous person in history has the added bonus of being categorized as biographical fiction.
In terms of marketing, a book like My MacArthur leverages a number of categories. In addition to historical and biographical fiction, it’s also promoted as women’s fiction and literary fiction. Sometimes, it gets lumped in with biographies and historical romance, which could only help reach more readers. Although my book is fiction, a historical museum invited me to speak about MacArthur, which attests to his popularity.
3. The abundant information about a historical figure facilitates research. MacArthur’s career is well-documented. At least seven non-fiction books were published about him in the past four years alone, even though he died in 1964. The abundance of information about him made my research easier. However, there’s a dearth of facts about Cooper, my novel’s heroine. That part of my research proved difficult, but it also provided a great opportunity for fiction writing. I was able to build a rich back story for her.
Three Disadvantages
1. A historical character can be an intimidating subject. Writing about someone important and famous triggers the worst self-doubt in writers. MacArthur intimidated me for so long that it took me a decade to research, write, and rewrite my novel. I often asked myself, “Who am I to write about MacArthur?”
| Courtesy of the National Archives |
It took another three years before it was acquired by Sand Hill Review Press in May 2018. It was published in November 2018.
2. Too much research can be overwhelming. While it was easy to gather information about MacArthur, it wasn’t so easy sifting through all the details. He fought and led in three major wars (World War I, World War II, Korean War). His career ended in controversy when President Harry Truman fired him for insubordination in 1951. Every time I felt overwhelmed by research, I reminded myself that I was writing a novel, not a history book.
| Courtesy of the National Archives |
I had to focus on the storytelling.
If you are writing about someone like MacArthur, you are going to need the self-discipline to exclude unnecessary facts or you will risk dumping too much information in your novel.
3. A historical figure’s popularity is a double-edged sword. A historical character’s fame will help you sell your novel, but it will also put you under the microscope. Historians and history fans are familiar with your subject, so you must tread carefully. Although you’re writing fiction, get your facts straight.
In the end, writing about the MacArthur-Cooper affair was a very rewarding experience. I hope readers would agree that My MacArthur is well worth the time and effort.
Fascinating!
Let's learn a little more about the book.
Readers, here is the blurb for My MacArthur.
https://books2read.com/u/4XRKWa
Fascinating!
Let's learn a little more about the book.
Readers, here is the blurb for My MacArthur.
https://books2read.com/u/4XRKWa
Fascinating!
Let's learn a little more about the book.
Readers, here is the blurb for My MacArthur.
| https://books2read.com/u/4XRKWa |
MY MACARTHURis a fictionalized account of General Douglas MacArthur’s interracial, May-December love affair with a Filipino actress named Isabel Rosario Cooper in the 1930s. The turbulent relationship broke all the taboos at the time.
And here is an excerpt.
Douglas MacArthur. Her pulse quickened as she read the name. His neat handwriting exuded confidence, but just the same, his note struck her as an anomaly, a mistake. The white man who acted as his messenger stood next to her at the bar. Men of all ages filled the Olympic Boxing Club, waiting for the fight to begin. Filipinos, Americans, and Europeans caroused and mingled freely here, unlike the Elks or the Army and Navy Club, which banned Filipinos. The foreigners sat at the tables, drank Cerveza San Miguel, and smoked cigars. The Filipinos stood at the cheap section of the club, jostled and bet among themselves. “I’m Captain Ed Marsh, by the way.” The messenger extended his hand. An American officer in civilian clothes. It was Saturday night, after all. “A pleasure to meet you, sir.” She shook h
This post first appeared on Marie Lavender's Writing In The Modern Age, please read the originial post: here
