--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Historians turning their hands to fiction…" description: "\"Historians turning their hands to fiction are all the rage. Since Alison Weir led the way in 2006, an ever-growing number of established non-fiction wr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/saul-david-19270_fiction-writers_historians-turning-their-hands-to-fictio_2819318.jpg" --- # Historians turning their hands to fiction are all the… ![“Historians turning their hands to fiction are all the rage. Since Alison Weir led the way in 2006, an ever-growing number of established non-fiction writers - Giles Milton, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Harry Sidebottom, Patrick Bishop, Ian Mortimer and myself included - have written historical novels.” quote by Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/saul-david-19270_fiction-writers_historians-turning-their-hands-to-fictio_2819318.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/saul-david-19270_fiction-writers_historians-turning-their-hands-to-fictio_2819318.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/793/saul-david-19270_fiction-writers_historians-turning-their-hands-to-fictio_2819318.jpg) > “Historians turning their hands to fiction are all the rage. Since Alison Weir led the way in 2006, an ever-growing number of established non-fiction writers - Giles Milton, Simon Sebag Montefiore, Harry Sidebottom, Patrick Bishop, Ian Mortimer and myself included - have written historical novels.” [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Non‑fiction historians increasingly write novels, blending factual rigor with narrative imagination. **In simple terms:** Historians write fiction. Key Takeaway Explore historical storytelling. Themes history fiction authorial voice Mood curious enthusiastic Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - book proposals - publishing - creative writing - academic outreach Key Concepts Narrative blending public history Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain factual integrity? - What attracts readers to historical novels? A Different Perspective Balancing accuracy with drama can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fiction writers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writers/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Historians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historians/) [Historical novels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical-novels/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/myself/) [Non fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/non-fiction/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Written Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-historical-2393986/) ## Related quotes > [Though my books are written from a historical perspective, I have goon so far back that I am in the realm of prehistorical speculation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-m-auel/though-my-books-are-written-from-a-historical-perspective-i-have-goon/) [Jean M. Auel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-m-auel/) > [I've always felt that the poems I've written which have historical context are hopefully not just simply plucking something out of history and saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-dove/i-ve-always-felt-that-the-poems-i-ve-written-which-have-historical/) [Rita Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-dove/) > [I'd be surprised if non-fiction writers hate to be interviewed. We all hate them, because there's really nothing to say except "Read the book."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-franzen/i-d-be-surprised-if-non-fiction-writers-hate-to-be-interviewed-we-all/) [Jonathan Franzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-franzen/) > [When you're not doing fiction, there's a limit to how much illustrating you can do with your work. I mean, you can do fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-july/when-you-re-not-doing-fiction-there-s-a-limit-to-how-much/) [Miranda July](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-july/) > [I've always felt that no one understands why some books of non-fiction endure and some don't, because there's not much understanding among many non-fiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/i-ve-always-felt-that-no-one-understands-why-some-books-of-non/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [I am conscious of trying to stretch the boundaries of non-fiction writing. It's always surprised me how little attention many non-fiction writers pay to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/i-am-conscious-of-trying-to-stretch-the-boundaries-of-non-fiction/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [I'm a novelist, I'm not an activist. I'm not a non-fiction writer, I'm not a journalist. I'm not a foodie, I'm not even really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-m-a-novelist-i-m-not-an-activist-i-m-not-a-non-fiction-writer-i-m/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Historical facts are the vital framework around which non-fiction writers construct their narratives; they are, quite simply, indispensable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/historical-facts-are-the-vital-framework-around-which-non-fiction/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [I don't think the revisionist historians are accurate. I think their agendas are clouded by selfishness and anger and rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherman-alexie/i-don-t-think-the-revisionist-historians-are-accurate-i-think-their/) [Sherman Alexie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherman-alexie/) > [I feel like it's hard to get into historical novels where you know what the story is far too well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-tobin-anderson/i-feel-like-it-s-hard-to-get-into-historical-novels-where-you-know/) [Matthew Tobin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-tobin-anderson/) > [I'm not entirely sure what a historical novel absolutely has to be, but you don't want a reader who loves a very traditional historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-dutton/i-m-not-entirely-sure-what-a-historical-novel-absolutely-has-to-be/) [Danielle Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-dutton/) > [As far as benefits to reading historical novels, there are several! For one thing, you learn about life in another era. Secondly, these novels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-pope-osborne/as-far-as-benefits-to-reading-historical-novels-there-are-several-for/) [Mary Pope Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-pope-osborne/) > [My first book was a historical novel. I started writing in 1974. In those days, historical novels meant ladies with swelling bosoms on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/my-first-book-was-a-historical-novel-i-started-writing-in-1974-in/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [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/) > [I loved reading historical novels when I was young, but I definitely don't think I wrote one. When I read my book through, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-dutton/i-loved-reading-historical-novels-when-i-was-young-but-i-definitely/) [Danielle Dutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-dutton/) ## More by Saul David > [Even a moderniser like Alexander II - who emancipated the serfs in 1861 - had no intention of devolving real power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/even-a-moderniser-like-alexander-ii-who-emancipated-the-serfs-in-1861/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [By 1917, thanks to the new munitions factories and the women that worked in them, the British Empire was supplying more than 50 million…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/by-1917-thanks-to-the-new-munitions-factories-and-the-women-that/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [If getting a contract was relatively straightforward, writing fiction was far harder than I could have imagined, and there were moments during the long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/if-getting-a-contract-was-relatively-straightforward-writing-fiction/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [No campaign of the First World War better justifies the poets' view of the conflict as futile and pitiless than Gallipoli.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/no-campaign-of-the-first-world-war-better-justifies-the-poets-view-of/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [If I'm at a book signing, and someone decides to take me to task, it can make for quite a sticky moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/if-i-m-at-a-book-signing-and-someone-decides-to-take-me-to-task-it/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [From 1801, Napoleon began an ambitious programme of civil reform to standardise law and justice, centralise education, introduce uniform weights and measures and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/from-1801-napoleon-began-an-ambitious-programme-of-civil-reform-to/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [By the time Napoleon abandoned his army to its fate in Poland - arriving back in Paris on 5 December - it numbered fewer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/by-the-time-napoleon-abandoned-his-army-to-its-fate-in-poland/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [In the early hours of 16 December 1944, the Germans launched their last great offensive of the Second World War against weakly held U.S.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/in-the-early-hours-of-16-december-1944-the-germans-launched-their/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [I was brought up with a whole bunch of cousins in the Wye Valley during the hippy days of the 1970s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/i-was-brought-up-with-a-whole-bunch-of-cousins-in-the-wye-valley/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [History tells us that a general can move and feed an army as efficiently as he likes, but the real litmus test is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/history-tells-us-that-a-general-can-move-and-feed-an-army-as/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [It is not enough just to get your forces from A to B - you have to keep them fed and watered as they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/it-is-not-enough-just-to-get-your-forces-from-a-to-b-you-have-to-keep/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [The first Romanov ruler was just 16 when he was crowned Tsar Michael I in Moscow in 1613, thus ending the 'Time of Troubles'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/the-first-romanov-ruler-was-just-16-when-he-was-crowned-tsar-michael/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [I worked hard at my four-year M.A., but got a 2.1. That was a big disappointment, as I wanted to write about history and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/i-worked-hard-at-my-four-year-m-a-but-got-a-2-1-that-was-a-big/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [I passed the 11-plus, but it was decided that I should take the Common Entrance exam to Monmouth School, the nearest independent. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/i-passed-the-11-plus-but-it-was-decided-that-i-should-take-the-common/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) > [When I was six or seven, we went to the nearest English primary school, St Weonards, about seven miles away. The teaching was good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-david/when-i-was-six-or-seven-we-went-to-the-nearest-english-primary-school/) [Saul David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) [Explore all 33 Saul David quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-david/) ## More Fiction writers quotes > [“Ron Carlson says, 'The most undervalued craft device that fiction writers need is empathy. You need to be able to actually imagine what your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-demarco-barrett/ron-carlson-says-the-most-undervalued-craft-device-that-fiction/) [Barbara DeMarco-Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-demarco-barrett/) > [It is popular to believe that in order to see clearly one must believe nothing. This may work well enough if you are observing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/it-is-popular-to-believe-that-in-order-to-see-clearly-one-must/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [The beginning of human knowledge is through the senses, and the fiction writer begins where the human perception begins. He appeals through the senses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-beginning-of-human-knowledge-is-through-the-senses-and-the/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Science fiction writers put characters into a world with arbitrary rules and work out what happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudy-rucker/science-fiction-writers-put-characters-into-a-world-with-arbitrary/) [Rudy Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudy-rucker/) > [Rejection slips, or form letters, however tactfully phrased, are lacerations of the soul, if not quite inventions of the devil-but there is no way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/rejection-slips-or-form-letters-however-tactfully-phrased-are/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [“Good fiction writers have an instinctive understanding of human nature. That's what makes stories and characters captivating. Good spiritual writers share what they sincerely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/good-fiction-writers-have-an-instinctive-understanding-of-human/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [Technically and logically speaking, actual Victorian science fiction writers cannot be dubbed 'steampunks.' Although they utilized many of the same tropes and touchstones employed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-di-filippo/technically-and-logically-speaking-actual-victorian-science-fiction/) [Paul Di Filippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-di-filippo/) > [Science fiction writers, I am sorry to say, really do not know anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/science-fiction-writers-i-am-sorry-to-say-really-do-not-know-anything/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [The fiction writer has a lot of balls to juggle. Setting, pacing, dialogue, and so on. And let's not forget: plot. That was always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-marvin/the-fiction-writer-has-a-lot-of-balls-to-juggle-setting-pacing/) [Cate Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-marvin/) > [Science fiction writers missed the most salient feature of our modern era: the Internet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-mcdevitt/science-fiction-writers-missed-the-most-salient-feature-of-our-modern/) [Jack McDevitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-mcdevitt/) > [I've always loved science fiction. I think the smartest writers are science fiction writers dealing with major things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-mosley/i-ve-always-loved-science-fiction-i-think-the-smartest-writers-are/) [Walter Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-mosley/) > [I don't think the function of writing, at least for me as a fiction writer, is to say to people, "Here's the answer." 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All other fiction writers I've met say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/my-writing-process-is-ritualized-and-monotonous-but-there-s-no-other/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) [Browse all 203 Fiction writers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction-writers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Historians turning their hands to fiction are all the rage. 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