---
title: "20 Write Historical Quotes by 20 authors"
description: "Browse 20 Write Historical quotes by 20 authors. Discover the best Write Historical sayings and thoughts."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/christine-sneed-32764_figures_unless-i-m-writing-trying-to-write-about_2885965.jpg"
---

> [Unless I'm writing trying to write about a historical figure, I don't really set out to read or research with a specific…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-sneed/unless-i-m-writing-trying-to-write-about-a-historical-figure-i-don-t/)

[Christine Sneed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-sneed/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3af/christine-sneed-32764_figures_unless-i-m-writing-trying-to-write-about_2885965.jpg)

> [The first book I sat down to write was an historical romance. It was really bad and thankfully no one ever saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-gibson/the-first-book-i-sat-down-to-write-was-an-historical-romance-it-was/)

[Rachel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-gibson/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bae/rachel-gibson-2827_book_the-first-book-i-sat-down-to-write-was-a_1201787.png)

> [I don't write fantasy; I write historical novels about an imaginary place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-e-feist/i-don-t-write-fantasy-i-write-historical-novels-about-an-imaginary/)

[Raymond E. Feist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-e-feist/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/88b/raymond-e-feist-6614_books_i-don-t-write-fantasy-i-write-historical_291462.jpg)

> [If someone had told me in high school that one day I'd write an historical novel, I would have rolled my eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-horan/if-someone-had-told-me-in-high-school-that-one-day-i-d-write-an/)

[Nancy Horan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-horan/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dc/nancy-horan-13138_day_if-someone-had-told-me-in-high-school-th_304380.png)

> [Why vampires? You write centuries-long family sagas—why not write historical epics without any hint of the supernatural?" "Well, that would be boring,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrie-vaughn/why-vampires-you-write-centuries-long-family-sagas-why-not-write/)

[Carrie Vaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrie-vaughn/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd9/carrie-vaughn-11210_boring_why-vampires-you-write-centuries-long-fa_2199752.jpg)

> [I didn't need to write historical epics, no, or science fiction, though I read a lot of science fiction as a kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-didn-t-need-to-write-historical-epics-no-or-science-fiction-though/)

[John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/283/john-updike-396_epics_i-didn-t-need-to-write-historical-epics_401414.png)

> [I wanted to be a novelist from a very early age - 11 or 12 - but I don't think I ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-barker/i-wanted-to-be-a-novelist-from-a-very-early-age-11-or-12-but-i-don-t/)

[Pat Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-barker/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c59/pat-barker-12512_academic_i-wanted-to-be-a-novelist-from-a-very-ea_1748353.jpg)

> [I've been told by people who write historical novels that you just sort of write the emotional truth first, the story at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jami-attenberg/i-ve-been-told-by-people-who-write-historical-novels-that-you-just/)

[Jami Attenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jami-attenberg/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/65d/jami-attenberg-2877_core_i-ve-been-told-by-people-who-write-histo_2428966.png)

> [I could write historical fiction, or science fiction, or a mystery but since I find it fascinating to research the clues of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-auel/i-could-write-historical-fiction-or-science-fiction-or-a-mystery-but/)

[Jean M. Auel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-auel/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cab/jean-m-auel-9407_clue_i-could-write-historical-fiction-or-scie_2459089.png)

> [It usually takes me about three years to research and write one of my historical sagas; this is one reason why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/it-usually-takes-me-about-three-years-to-research-and-write-one-of-my/)

[Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/sharon-kay-penman-6725_about_it-usually-takes-me-about-three-years-to_1921833.jpg)

> [Historical novels are about costumery. I think that's the magic and mystery of fiction. I don't want to write historical fiction but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chang-rae-lee/historical-novels-are-about-costumery-i-think-that-s-the-magic-and/)

[Chang-Rae Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chang-rae-lee/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a2/chang-rae-lee-3318_differences_historical-novels-are-about-costumery-i_2091938.png)

> [If you write a book set in the past about something that happened east of the Mississippi, it's a 'historical novel.' If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-l-amour/if-you-write-a-book-set-in-the-past-about-something-that-happened/)

[Louis L'Amour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-l-amour/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3f/louis-l-amour-876_book_if-you-write-a-book-set-in-the-past-abou_2634012.jpg)

> [I was a journalism major, and I would take creative writing classes as part of that, but I would also look for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/i-was-a-journalism-major-and-i-would-take-creative-writing-classes-as/)

[George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/db7/george-r-r-martin-2-926_class_i-was-a-journalism-major-and-i-would-tak_1550465.jpg)

> [“The great British philosopher and historian R. G. Collingwood maintained in The Idea of History that to write well about a historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-hazleton/the-great-british-philosopher-and-historian-r-g-collingwood/)

[Lesley Hazleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-hazleton/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29b/lesley-hazleton-37321_historical-figure_the-great-british-philosopher-and-histor_872788.png)

> [I often tell people who want to write historical fiction: don't read all that much about the period you're writing about; read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mallon/i-often-tell-people-who-want-to-write-historical-fiction-don-t-read/)

[Thomas Mallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mallon/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/558/thomas-mallon-17707_about_i-often-tell-people-who-want-to-write-hi_2787551.jpg)

> [Why do I write historical fiction? Johnny Tremain, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Island of the Blue Dolphins-that's why. I'll never forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-armstrong/why-do-i-write-historical-fiction-johnny-tremain-the-witch-of/)

[Jennifer Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-armstrong/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d86/jennifer-armstrong-110158_another-time_why-do-i-write-historical-fiction-johnny_2545352.jpg)

> [I have no desire to write historical anything or futuristic anything - I want to find a way to get at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/i-have-no-desire-to-write-historical-anything-or-futuristic-anything/)

[Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2fc/jonathan-dee-12196_alive_i-have-no-desire-to-write-historical-any_170159.jpg)

> [I can see myself wanting to write a historical novel - you don't need to worry about references to reality TV or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-can-see-myself-wanting-to-write-a-historical-novel-you-don-t-need/)

[Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e82/irvine-welsh-843_basics_i-can-see-myself-wanting-to-write-a-hist_2727764.png)

> [In 1976, I read a book by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and knew immediately that I, too, could write a historical romance. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-henley/in-1976-i-read-a-book-by-kathleen-e-woodiwiss-and-knew-immediately/)

[Virginia Henley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-henley/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b32/virginia-henley-27676_book_in-1976-i-read-a-book-by-kathleen-e-wood_2664602.jpg)

> [It is a great pity that every human being does not, at an early stage of his life, have to write a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/it-is-a-great-pity-that-every-human-being-does-not-at-an-early-stage/)

[Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/rebecca-west-1248_diversity_it-is-a-great-pity-that-every-human-bein_1335470.jpg)

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                        "text": "It usually takes me about three years to research and write one of my historical sagas; this is one reason why I take medieval mystery breaks, for they can be completed in only a year.",
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                        "text": "Historical novels are about costumery. I think that's the magic and mystery of fiction. I don't want to write historical fiction but I do want the story to have the feel of history. There's a difference.",
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                        "text": "If you write a book set in the past about something that happened east of the Mississippi, it's a 'historical novel.' If you write about something that took place west of the Mississippi, it's a 'Western'- and somehow regarded as a lesser work. I write historical novels about the frontier.",
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                        "text": "I was a journalism major, and I would take creative writing classes as part of that, but I would also look for opportunities to write stories for some of my other classes. So for my course in Scandinavian history, I asked if I could write historical fiction instead of term papers. Sometimes they’d say yes.",
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                        "text": "“The great British philosopher and historian R. G. Collingwood maintained in The Idea of History that to write well about a historical figure, you need both empathy and imagination. By this he did not mean spinning tales out of thin air, but taking what is known and examining it in the full context of time and place, following the strands of the story until they begin to intertwine and establish a thick braid of reality.”",
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                        "text": "I often tell people who want to write historical fiction: don't read all that much about the period you're writing about; read things from the period that you're writing about. There's a tendency to stoke up on a lot of biography and a lot of history, and not to actually get back to the original sources.",
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                        "text": "Why do I write historical fiction? Johnny Tremain, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Island of the Blue Dolphins-that's why. I'll never forget how it felt to read those books. I want to write books with the same power to transport readers into another time and place.",
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                        "text": "I have no desire to write historical anything or futuristic anything - I want to find a way to get at the essence of what it's like to be alive now. The reason why great novels from centuries ago are still great is because that's what they were doing; it's like a message from another culture.",
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                        "text": "I can see myself wanting to write a historical novel - you don't need to worry about references to reality TV or pop music, you can just get on with the basics of story and character.",
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                        "text": "In 1976, I read a book by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss and knew immediately that I, too, could write a historical romance. It took me a year to complete the manuscript. I was a forty-year-old Scarborough housewife who knew no one in publishing.",
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                        "text": "It is a great pity that every human being does not, at an early stage of his life, have to write a historical work. He would then realize that the human race is in quite a jam about truth.",
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