: Re: Should we avoid writing fiction about historical events without extensive research? I was thinking about writing about the Holocaust, but I am not sure if it's a good idea since I am not sure

@Tiffany377

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If you feel unsure about dipping your toes into historical fiction, just write science fiction.

Lots of answers here providing interesting ideas on how historical fiction may—or may not—work, but honestly if you want the freedom to write what you want to write, then you should really switch your category of fiction to science fiction.

Why? Easy… Science fiction is always about the now even when it pretends to be in the past, alternate present or the future. You know, George Orwell finished “1984” in “1948.” Meaning while his book was set in a dystopian future, his overall point of view was witnessing what was happening when he wrote the book in 1948.

By adding an opening line of “Once upon a time…“ or “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” you can instantly transport the reader to somewhere else.

Cognitively this is a simple but powerful trick: If you have characters that act like Nazis, do things Nazis do and espouse ideas Nazis embrace… But you never call them Nazis then you can have them do different things without endless criticism from Holocaust scholars who will rip you to shreds for stating or implying something that they—in their mind—can state is false.

Set your story on a planet just like ours, during a period of strife just like World War II and with hatred and horrors just like the Holocaust… But don’t have it happen with the Nazis during that Holocaust.

Create your own world and control it for your narrative purposes.

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