I recently received an email from a student at Colorado Christian University in the Creative Writing program. She asked if I would define the difference between historicals and historical romances.
If you’re a writer or reader, you might have wondered what the difference is at one time too. I’ll give you what I think are the top differences, then be sure to chime into the comments with your thoughts!
Here are three key differences:
The importance of the romance.
For a historical romance, the romance elements are front and center stage. While there may be other external and internal plots going on throughout the story, the romance plot rises above them all. Avid readers of romance will expect it to have all the elements important in the romance genre including likeable hero/heroine, romantic tension to the end, a happily ever after, etc.
In a historical, however, there may or may not be romance. Most authors include at least a little bit of a love interest. But the historical genre as a whole doesn’t have a required expectation of having romance in it. If some kind of romantic relationship is there, it doesn’t have to be a large part of the plot and is often overshadowed by other story elements.
The amount of historical detail woven into the story.
Again, since a historical romance focuses on a developing relationship between the hero and heroine, the historical details a writer includes should all help support that goal. Of course readers who pick up a historical romance love being able to learn about a different era and appreciate accurate historical details woven into the story to add flavor and depth. But readers of romances (historical or otherwise) don’t want other elements to detract from their enjoyment of the romance relationship.
Historicals, on the other hand, have more liberty to explore historical details, to bring them to life with greater depth, and to center the plot on an event, era, or historical happening. The focus is on what is happening historically rather than romantically.
However, I would caution historical writers not to get too carried away with the historical details at the sacrifice of plot and storytelling. A reader once told me: “I tried to start a book, but the long paragraphs of descriptions of their hair, their clothing, the food etc. got me down.” With historicals, readers are still looking for a riveting story, not a textbook description.
The research process.
Those who’ve read my historical romances, know that I do a lot of research for them. I value having a story that reflects the time period and gives readers an accurate picture of what life was like during that era. I want them to walk away from my book having learned new things but in an entertaining way. But again, the research is always for the benefit of the romance and much of it stays below the surface of the story like an iceberg.
However, when writing historicals, I’ve found that I have to dig much deeper, especially since my plot is broader than the romance and encompasses so much that is going on in that particular era. The scope of research is more intense and takes longer but is necessary to add a richer historical perspective. When adding the research into the story, I allow a little more of the iceberg to rise to the surface.
Your turn! What else do you think differentiates historical romance from historicals?
Jody Hedlund
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As I sit here enjoying my coffee this morning (wink, wink), I enjoyed reading your explanation about the differences in the two fictions. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, but I had never realized that what I really like is romantic fiction. Thanks for the simple explanation. Now, back to my coffee.
You hit the nail on the head. As the previous writer said, my favorite genre is also historical fiction. However, I enjoy all time periods and other genres mixed in – mysteries, romance, paranormal, biographic. I read a really wonderful historical about Cleopatra by Margaret George. So I think you are correct in your distinctions.
By the way, I loved your medieval romances and learned historical details that added to my knowledge.
these are wonderful descriptions of the differences between the two. thanks for sharing.
I agree with your statements. Recently I read A Heart’s Charge, by Karen Witemeyer; Shadows in the White City, by Jocelyn Green, and your own Come Back to Me, Waters of Time #1. All three are historical novels, but in my mind, Jocelyn Green’s novel is more historical. The other two fall definitely in the historical romance category. I can’t wait to read the next books in each of these series!