The History Quill Writers Convention 2025 – Maintaining a Career in Historical Fiction

MAINTAINING A CAREER IN HISTORICAL FICTION

Publishing a debut novel is just the beginning—what comes next? This panel delves into the challenges and realities of building a lasting career in historical fiction. Topics include navigating setbacks, staying current while writing about the past, handling competition, and leveraging your unique voice. Gain practical tips and insights from seasoned authors on resilience, adaptability, and carving a sustainable path in the world of historical fiction.

Please note that this panel is part of a full day ticket  – see The History Quill website for further information and to buy tickets. The convention runs over three days and you will have the option to buy tickets for 1,2 or 3 days. 

The Authors

Louise Fein writes historical fiction, focused around unheard voices or unusual perspectives. Her debut novel, People Like Us (Daughter of the Reich in US/Canada) and second novel, The Hidden Child, were international bestsellers. Her latest novel, The London Bookshop Affair, set against espionage and looming nuclear war in 1962 London, was published in 2024. She is currently working on Book of Forbidden Words, featuring banned books and censorship, due in 2026. Louise,  previously a lawyer and banker, holds an MA in Creative Writing from St Mary’s University and writes full time. She lives in Surrey with her family and is a slave to her pets’ demands.

Louise Hare is a London-based writer and editor with an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck, University of London. She was named one of The Observer’s ten best debut novelists of 2020. Her debut novel, This Lovely City (HQ, Harper Collins), was shortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje Prize in 2021 and longlisted for the 2020 HWA Debut Crown. Her most recent novel is Harlem After Midnight, a 1930s murder mystery. Louise is a Content Editor for The History Quill.

Eleni Kyriacou is the author of The Unspeakable Acts of Zina Pavlou, which was inspired by a true crime and chosen for BBC2’s TV book club, Between the Covers. Her new book, A Beautiful Way to Die, is set in Hollywood and Ealing Studios and is out in May. It delves into the decadence and depravity of the early film industry.

Frances Quinn is the author of historical novels The Smallest Man, That Bonesetter Woman and The Lost Passenger. She grew up in Forest Gate, East London and studied English at King’s College, Cambridge, then became a journalist and copywriter. She lives in Brighton, on the south coast of England, with her husband and three very spoilt Tonkinese cats.