Articulating the fact behind the fiction: Narrative inquiry as a research methodology for historical novelists

Writers of historical fiction are not conventionally academics, yet research is an important aspect of the groundwork that they complete to build an authentic and credible portrait of an imagined past. Variously described as a 'bricoleur as bower-bird' (Webb & Brien, 2011) or 'magpie' (Pullinger, 2008) approach to research, creative writers of historical fiction conduct research into a period in time drawing on a wide range of data as the needs of the story dictate. This chapter argues that such research can usefully be conceived, pursued and explained as arts-based, and arts-informed, narrative inquiry. As the narrative inquiry approach is deemed 'best for capturing the detailed stories or life experiences of a single life or the lives of a small number of individuals' (Creswell, 2007, p. 55) and encourages the review of diverse categories and sources of data including personal accounts, it is a promising framework for historical novelists. The chapter explains the relevance of this approach as a methodological manoeuvre for organizing and articulating a novelist' s engagement with historical fact in order to create historical fiction. Further to the somewhat altruistic purpose of examining and explaining the relationship between 'factual' or 'true stories' and creative writing, the question arises of why an historical fiction writer might engage with narrative inquiry, or indeed any formal research, at all? Beyond an enhanced and reflexive understanding of one's own practice, there are multiple benefits flowing from such a project, including the possibility of non-fiction publications in the form of scholarly journal articles, media publications, books, essays and lectures as well as the potential to earn higher formal education qualifications, particularly doctoral status and thereby diversify and expand a writing career. Inferential credibility (as well as publicity) for an author's works of fiction may also flow from such exposition of creative practice. Further to this, developing authors may benefit from the sharing and mapping of creative practice-led research through a narrative inquiry in developing their own skills and options as historical novelists.