How to write about the past

Several of my novels describe past decades. Amiga includes scenes in the 1980s, and my upcoming Christina’s Portrait describes high school in the late 1970s. Here are several things I’ve learned about using the past in fiction.

Your audience shouldn’t need to know about the time period to enjoy the work.

You don’t have to know anything about Regency England to enjoy Bridgerton. You pick up the general gist from the costumes, architecture, and overall setting of the story. For many of my readers, the 1970s will seem as far in the past as the early 1800s.

I recreate the 1970s for my readers the same way as Bridgerton. The characters wear clothes, drive cars, and use language that is appropriate for the period. If events of that period affect the story, I include them. This leads to the second point.

Only use cultural trends and events that are relevant to the story.

A mistake I see many books, movies, and TV shows set in the past make is when they throw in as many fads, products, and events as they can. It’s the “if it’s Tuesday, it must be Watergate” effect. I only use cultural trends and events in my book if they advance the story or reveal an aspect of the characters.