time frame for historical books

[ritinrider]

Hi, I've been lurking in this room for the last couple of days. Good information here, even if I can't use most of it. Now I have a question for you brilliant historical authors (too thick?): How far back in time does a story need to be set to be considered historical?

I was playing with a story idea that takes place either during WWII or in the 1960's. I'm guessing WWII time would be historical, but what about 1960's?

Thanks
Nita

[Puma]

Nita - There's a thread on here somewhere, probably near the beginning of this forum. But I think the general rule of thumb is 50 years. In my opinion, the 60's are very marginal on not being historical, especially when you look at something like the Kennedy assassination. If you're worrying about how to classify something for an agent, say it's a novel set in 1960 without specifying historical and let the agent classify it. Puma

[robeiae]

If there are people still alive that may have been present/aware of the subject matter in your book, then you run the risk of having a reader who can say "this is all wrong." :)

[ritinrider]

If there are people still alive that may have been present/aware of the subject matter in your book, then you run the risk of having a reader who can say "this is all wrong."
__________________

Wouldn't want that to happen. I have enough people telling me I don't know what I'm talking about or doing as it is. Thanks everyone for the tips, it was pretty much as I figured.

rr

[doeraymee]

from the Historical Novel Society web site:

"To be deemed historical (in our sense), a novel must have been written at least fifty years after the events described, or have been written by someone who was not alive at the time of those events (who therefore approaches them only by research)."



I guess that' s their cut-off date for reviewing books.

[pdr]

The fifty year rule is also how most publishers view it too.