English 300 - Writing Historical Fiction

'Does historical fiction offer readers something history books cannot? What obligation does the writer of historical fiction have to the verifiable facts of the past? Is history a place we can visit, or is it a living force, defining the present? Isn't there a sense in which all fiction is historical fiction? In this course we'll consider these and other questions as we read and write historical fiction. We'll go out with our shovels and teaspoons to dig in the past, unearthing the psychological atmosphere, the gossip, the voices, and the important lies that will show us the way to breathe new life into the cold, dead facts of history.'

Instructor Permission Required. This course is open to Juniors and Seniors. Prereq: Take ENGL-203