Writing Historical Fiction

In partnership with Chester Beatty.

In this two-hour workshop with author Juliana Adelman you will explore world-building, character and narrative voice in historical fiction using examples from novels and short stories. You will also generate story and character ideas through a series of prompts from historical sources. You’ll consider how to ground the reader in specifics without overburdening your text with research, how to create authentic characters and how to decide which point of view to use. Bring questions, your sense of fun and a willingness to experiment.

Please note we may be capturing candid imagery at this event for use on our social media and website.

Juliana Adelman is originally from Concord, Massachusetts but now lives in Dublin and lectures in history at Dublin City University. Her debut historical novel, The Grateful Water, was published in 2024 by New Island. An essay and short stories have appeared in The Dublin Review and The Stinging Fly. She has also published a number of nonfiction books, including a history of nineteenth-century Dublin through human-animal relationships.

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