Fantasy Versus Historical Fiction

In our reading of "A Family of Readers" It was said, "In many ways, authors of historical fiction and fantasy have similar tasks: each is involved in world building" (138). It goes on to say everything they may have in common: creating setting, time periods, story lines, etc. So yes, I guess in some way historical fiction and fantasy are alike.

In other ways they are not alike at all though. Everything that the authors have to build up that are similar to the two genres are built up very differently as well. In historical fiction, well, it is always based around history. If you have a time period you know some of the story, if you know the story you have to base it on the setting, and they setting is also based on the time period. They all interact and are pretty easy to come up with in a historical fiction book. For example, If you are writing about World War II then you know the time period pretty easily, also, the story line is going to come pretty easily to you as well, and the setting also ties into that. Historical fiction is based off each other, once the time period is in set and what perspective your character is going to take is decided, it all comes easily form there.

Fantasy on the other had is completely different because fantasy can be anything your heart desires! You can have a fantasy story based in any time period-or none-with any made up setting and any type of story. They don't build on each other, the author has to make it all up because it has never happened before!

In my perspective, maybe it is because I am a fantasy type of girl, I believe fantasy and historical fiction are different. Yes, maybe they have to think up worlds but the way they have to do it is completely different from each other.