Pro tips (1988)

[hedgebird]

Writing Historical Fiction by Rhona Martin, which you can read on Internet Archive, is about exactly what it says on the tin. The last chapter, Wisdom from On High, contains words of advice from "successful historical authors and others connected with the genre."

Sutcliff's contribution, in full:

Never make the mistake of thinking that you must use all the fruits of your research. You may not need more than a tenth of it; but the other nine-tenths will not be wasted, because it will have enriched and filled out your own knowledge of the place/period/subject of your story.

Nothing is worse for a book than to be clotted with too much and too obvious knowledge, which will stick out like the lumps in a badly made porridge.

Comments

[isis]

That is very cogent advice!

[dr_zook]

Amen! :D

Thank you for sharing this advice here. ♥

[hyarrowen]

Excellent advice from one of the very best.

[chantefable]

That is very wise! Thank you for sharing it. :)