London Writers' Salon #180: How to Write Historical Fiction with Maggie O'Farrell, Ruta Sepetys & Stacey Halls — Research that Sparks Story, Non-Linear Structure & Authentic Dialogue (Compilation)
Ruta Sepetys, award-winning writer who uncovers suppressed histories; Stacey Halls, novelist who builds plots with index cards and atmospheric research; Maggie O’Farrell, lyrical storyteller known for inventive, non-linear structures. They discuss turning archival research into living scenes. They explore non-chronological plotting, authentic-sounding dialogue, and treating research as idea-generation rather than homework.
01:15:36
Write Before You Dream Of Success
- Focus on the work first and get words on the page rather than dreaming of being a writer.
- Finish projects by practising the craft and rewriting until the story works.
Idea From A Portrait And A Poem
- Maggie found Lucrezia de' Medici by googling after rereading Browning's 'My Last Duchess'.
- A portrait popped up and Maggie instantly knew she had the subject of her next book.
Map Non-Chronological Timelines
- Non-chronological structure can energise a novel but needs clear breadcrumb trails for readers.
- Use flowcharts and post-its to map timeframes so readers never feel lost.
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Intro
00:00 • 2min
Reading Like a Writer
01:32 • 2min
Persistence, Drafting and the Writing Urge
03:20 • 2min
The Marriage Portrait's Origin
05:03 • 35sec
Starting Scenes Out of Chronology
05:38 • 2min
Ad break
07:27 • 15sec
Finding Stories in Gaps
07:42 • 2min
Building Character from Little Details
09:29 • 4min
Research Notes and Nonlinear Flowcharts
13:44 • 1min
Trusting the Material and Slipping Tenses
14:58 • 2min
Walk Away to Solve Knots
17:10 • 1min
Sentence-Level Craft and Feedback
18:28 • 2min
Polyphony and Shifting Perspectives
20:28 • 2min
Authentic Historical Dialogue Choices
22:39 • 2min
Showing Not Telling with Details
24:49 • 1min
Stacey's Research Immersion
26:18 • 1min
Index Cards and Scene Sentences
27:47 • 15sec
First Draft Discipline
28:02 • 1min
Mrs England: Setting and Stakes
29:16 • 1min
Servants' Quarters and Marginal Lives
30:20 • 3min
Place as Story Generator
32:53 • 1min
Research to Build Atmosphere
34:00 • 4min
Save the Cat: Scene-Level Want
37:36 • 27sec
Dialogue: Short, Authentic, Avoid Exposition
38:03 • 3min
Rewriting Characters for Nuance
40:54 • 2min
Research Balance and Notebooks
43:05 • 2min
Books Over Internet for Sources
45:31 • 2min
Idea Ripening and One-at-a-Time Focus
47:25 • 2min
Ruta's Mission: Seek Lost Stories
49:37 • 3min
Why Historical Fiction Matters
52:22 • 3min
Choosing Stories with Living Witnesses
55:14 • 2min
House-on-Fire Drafting and Immediate Notes
56:50 • 2min
Research Deeply: Artifacts and Archives
59:16 • 3min
Knowing When Research Is Enough
01:02:11 • 1min
Cultural Authenticity via Collaboration
01:03:32 • 2min
Interview Technique: Sense-Memory
01:05:30 • 21sec
Powerful Testimony: The Cardboard Father
01:05:51 • 3min
Balancing Family History and Fiction
01:09:10 • 4min
Rules for Drafting: Permission to Fail
01:13:16 • 1min
Outro
01:14:41 • 48sec
#79410
The Foundling
Stacey Halls
'The Foundling' is set in 18th-century London and tells the story of Bess Bright, a young mother who leaves her illegitimate baby at the Foundling Hospital, hoping for a better life for her child.
Six years later, she returns to reclaim her child, only to discover that her baby was reclaimed years earlier.
Determined to find out what happened, Bess embarks on a journey that uncovers secrets and challenges societal norms.
Stacey Halls explores themes of motherhood, identity, and social class.
Through a gripping narrative and vivid historical details, the novel delves into the lives of women in Georgian London.
#47277
Mrs England
Stacey Halls
'Mrs England' is a historical novel set in Edwardian England, focusing on Ruby May, a Norland nanny who takes a position with the England family in West Yorkshire.
As Ruby cares for the England children, she becomes increasingly aware of the strange atmosphere surrounding Mrs. England and the family's secrets.
The novel explores themes of motherhood, class, and the supernatural.
Halls creates a suspenseful and atmospheric narrative, drawing readers into the hidden world of Edwardian domestic life.
Through Ruby's eyes, the novel examines the complex dynamics within a wealthy family and the unsettling truths that lie beneath the surface.
#93402
A Hand That First Tells Mine
Maggie O'Farrell
'A Hand That First Tells Mine' weaves together two narratives, separated by decades, yet connected by a mysterious object and shared themes of love, loss, and identity.
In present-day London, Lexie Sinclair is an art student who becomes captivated by a vintage coat she finds in a thrift store.
Meanwhile, in 1950s London, Elina and Innes fall deeply in love, but their relationship is tested by secrets and societal expectations.
O'Farrell masterfully interlaces these stories, revealing the hidden connections and exploring the enduring impact of past events on the present.
The novel is a poignant exploration of fate, memory, and the enduring power of human connection.
#102985
I Am, I Am, I Am, 17 Brushes with Death
17 Brushes with Death
Maggie O'Farrell
In 'I Am, I Am, I Am', Maggie O'Farrell recounts seventeen near-death experiences that have shaped her life.
Through vivid and evocative prose, she explores moments ranging from a childhood illness to a dangerous encounter as a young woman.
Each brush with death offers a unique perspective on life's fragility and the importance of resilience.
O'Farrell reflects on how these experiences have influenced her relationships, her writing, and her understanding of her own mortality.
The memoir is a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the ability to find meaning in the face of adversity.
#37825
Fountains of Silence
Ruta Sepetys
'The Fountains of Silence' is set in 1950s Madrid under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco.
The story follows Daniel Matheson, an American photographer, and Ana Torres, a hotel worker, as they uncover dark secrets of the regime.
Through their intertwined stories, the novel explores themes of love, oppression, and the search for truth.
Sepetys sheds light on a lesser-known period of history, capturing the atmosphere of fear and silence that permeated Spanish society.
The novel is a powerful portrayal of resilience and the importance of speaking out against injustice.
#94745
Between Shades of Grey
Ruta Sepetys
'Between Shades of Gray' tells the harrowing story of Lina Vilkas, a 15-year-old Lithuanian girl who is deported to Siberia with her family during Stalin's reign of terror.
The novel follows their struggle for survival in the harsh conditions of the labor camps.
Lina uses her art as a means of documenting their experiences and maintaining hope.
Sepetys explores themes of resilience, identity, and the power of the human spirit.
The novel sheds light on a forgotten chapter of history, giving voice to the victims of Soviet oppression.
The novel is a testament to the strength and courage of those who endured unimaginable suffering.
#347
• Mentioned in 79 episodes
Hamnet
Lolita Chakrabarti
Maggie O’Farrell
The novel is set in Warwickshire in the late 16th century and revolves around the life of Agnes, the wife of William Shakespeare, and their children.
It fictionalizes the events surrounding the death of their son Hamnet, who died of the plague in 1596 at the age of eleven.
The story delves into the grief and emotional turmoil faced by the family, especially Agnes, and how this tragedy influenced Shakespeare's writing, including his play 'Hamlet'.
The narrative alternates between different timelines, exploring Agnes's early life, her marriage, and the years following Hamnet's death.
The book is a poignant study of motherhood, childhood, and the depths of grief, offering a vivid portrayal of family life during the Tudor period.
#14794
• Mentioned in 3 episodes
The Familiar
Leigh Bardugo
In 'The Familiar', Luzia Cotado, a young scullion with magical abilities, is thrust into a world of intrigue and danger when her talents are discovered by her mistress.
As she gains notoriety, Luzia must navigate the complex world of seers, alchemists, and the Inquisition, all while facing the risks associated with her Jewish heritage.
With the help of Guillén Santángel, an immortal familiar, Luzia must use her wit and will to survive.
#10047
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
The Marriage Portrait
Maggie O'Farrell
Novelists Maggie O’Farrell, Stacey Halls, and Ruta Sepetys on turning research into living scenes, building non-linear structure that still feels clear, and writing voice and dialogue that make the past feel immediate.
Timestamps:
00:01:30 Maggie O’Farrell
00:26:14 Stacey Halls
00:49:33 Ruta Sepetys
You’ll learn:
- The importance of "reading like a writer" to reverse-engineer time, tense, and technique from books you love.
- How to structure a non-chronological narrative using flowcharts and “breadcrumb trails” so readers never feel lost.
- Where to look for small, specific historical details that unlock character, scene, and momentum.
- A practical way to treat research as idea-generation, not “homework you must finish” before you start drafting.
- A simple plotting method (index cards + one-sentence scenes) that helps you see the whole book at a glance.
- Why a first draft is allowed to be rough, and how that mindset can help you write faster and finish.
- How “writing toward a feeling” can guide structure when you can’t see the whole plot in advance.
- Ways to keep going through the long middle by focusing on the work itself, not external noise.
- How to use collaboration and expert readers to pressure-test cultural and historical authenticity.
Resources & Links:
- Join our LWS community!
- Maggie's full episode and notes
- Stacey's full episode and notes
- Ruta's full episode and notes
About the authors:
Maggie O’Farrell is the bestselling author of Hamnet and The Marriage Portrait, noted for lyrical prose and inventive structure; her craft insights span sentence-level cadence, non-linear timelines, and historically grounded voice.
Note: Our episode with Maggie was done in collaboration with Arvon, the UK’s leading creative writing charity. Arvon believes everyone can benefit from the transformative power of creative writing. It hosts residential, online and community-based writing courses and events, embracing over 6,000 people each year, tutored by some of the most respected writers in the UK today. Find out more at arvon.org
Stacey Halls is the UK author of The Familiars, The Foundling, and Mrs England, known for vivid period settings, propulsive plotting, and character-driven suspense; she outlines with index cards and drafts quickly before deep revision.
Ruta Sepetys is a Lithuanian-American novelist (Between Shades of Gray, Salt to the Sea) whose work uncovers suppressed histories with YA-accessible clarity; she emphasizes collaboration, ethical research, and a clear “why” for every project.
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