The Collision of History and Fiction: Excavating the Past Through Story with Angela Jackson-Brown 

presented by Indiana University Research Arts & Humanities

Historical fiction succeeds when readers become immersed in the lives of characters, not when they notice the author's research. But how do you balance historical accuracy with compelling storytelling? In this interactive workshop, award-winning historical novelist Angela Jackson-Brown explores strategies for transforming archival research, historical documents, photographs, oral histories, and other primary sources into emotionally resonant fiction. Participants will learn how to determine what research belongs on the page, what should remain behind the scenes, and how to avoid common pitfalls such as information dumping and "teaching" history instead of telling a story. Through examples from published historical fiction and practical writing exercises, writers will discover techniques for integrating historical detail seamlessly into narrative, creating authentic settings and characters, and allowing history to deepen rather than overshadow the emotional heart of the novel. This workshop is appropriate for writers at all stages who want to bring the past vividly to life. 

Angela Jackson-Brown is an award-winning writer, poet, playwright, and the Director of Creative Writing at Indiana University Bloomington. She also teaches in the Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing at Spalding University in Louisville, KY. She is the author of Drinking From a Bitter Cup, House Repairs, When Stars Rain Down, The Light Always Breaks, Homeward, and Untethered. House Repairs won the 2021 Alabama Library Association Poetry Award. When Stars Rain Down was a finalist for the 2021 Langum Prize, longlisted for the Granum Foundation Award, and shortlisted for the 2022 Indiana Authors Award. Homeward was shortlisted in 2024.