We all know that history is written by the victors, and stories of the rich and powerful still dominate some eras within historical fiction. But extraordinary things can happen to ‘ordinary’ people too, and their tales are often equally powerful – and more relatable.

How do we create a voice for those whose tales have been recorded at one remove? And how much should we fictionalise when re-telling the stories of those who aren’t able to share their own?

This session explores how to bring hidden histories out of the margins and onto the page – and why it’s important that we do so.

What we’ll explore:

• The importance of re-telling lost stories from the past
• The lack of first-person narratives remaining for many ‘common’ people throughout history – what does this mean for the writer?
• How to balance authenticity and fictionalisation when writing about ‘real people’
• Why we need to keep history alive – the continuing resonance of many historical events