What is Historical Fiction or ‘Faction’?

‘Faction’ or Historical Fiction is an imaginative story that is based on true facts. This is a good writing assignment for the end of an oral history project. After all the information is collected, you can write a fictional story about a real-life character or about a fictional character, set in the time period you were studying in the oral history project. You should try to work into the story as many details as possible about life in that time period – details that you learned through your oral history research.

Ideas for Writing ‘Faction’ or Historical Fiction

• When all of your oral history research is finished, brainstorm facts that you learned. For example, think about what life would have been like for YOU in the time you were studying. What was life like in winter? In summer? What materials were available? Who would your friends be? What chores would you have done daily? What would you have done for fun? What would the camp look like? How would children interact with their parents? And so on...
• Write the brainstormed ideas on lip chart paper.
• Post the lip charts on the wall where people can see them while they are writing.
• Try a visualization technique: The facilitator or one of the group members takes the group through a visualization process. The group closes their eyes while someone paints a verbal picture for them of a scene from the time they are going to write about. The group members imagine the visual picture in their minds.
• The whole group could also do this visualization together: everyone closes their eyes and one person begins to verbally describe a scene (perhaps from a fishing camp in 1950). The others jump in as they get ideas to contribute. Everyone in the group tries to imagine a detailed mental picture of the scene.
• After the visualization, people can jot down in point form some of the images that came to mind. These notes can be used and expanded upon on for your ‘faction’ story.
• Each person can work individually on his or her own ‘faction’ piece. But meet regularly with a friend to share peer editing and consult with the facilitator as you move through the writing process
• Or you can try a group writing process, with several people contributing to one story. Divide into small groups or try it with the whole group writing and editing together on lip chart paper. The group process might be helpful when group members lack confidence to write on their own. They will be able to go through the writing process supported by their peers.
• The facilitator teaches mini-lessons on the writing process, syllabic keyboarding, grammar and any other topics as they come up during the progress of the writing.
• The ‘faction’ stories can be used as reading material for your group and future literacy groups.
• See History Workshop in the Building Language and Literacy Skills Through Oral History Projects section for more ideas about writing ‘faction’ or historical fiction.