I'm certainly not a newbie to the boards, but I hang out in children's and need some direction.
I'm being urged or encouraged to write a historical novel centered around WWI. There's a story regarding young men from our town and their experiences during the war, and I'm pretty comfortable in the way I want to approach the particular story I have in mind, but I don't know the rules regarding using actual facts vs. fiction.
Can I use the names of the boys who fought, and then make up daily experiences? Or do I use fictional names for everyone? I realize I'd want to be very clear in my author's notes on where I took liberties with the facts, but I don't want to even approach this project unless I know from the beginning which direction to take.
Since it's not been that long ago, I do have access to quite a bit of research material available, but I want it to be interesting to middle grade kids, so I need more detail and action.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.
I'm being urged or encouraged to write a historical novel centered around WWI. There's a story regarding young men from our town and their experiences during the war, and I'm pretty comfortable in the way I want to approach the particular story I have in mind, but I don't know the rules regarding using actual facts vs. fiction.
Can I use the names of the boys who fought, and then make up daily experiences? Or do I use fictional names for everyone? I realize I'd want to be very clear in my author's notes on where I took liberties with the facts, but I don't want to even approach this project unless I know from the beginning which direction to take.
Since it's not been that long ago, I do have access to quite a bit of research material available, but I want it to be interesting to middle grade kids, so I need more detail and action.
Thanks for any advice you can give me.