How I Wrote a Historical Novel- That Combines Famous People with Fictional Characters by Susan Dormady Eisenberg

Every novel needs a dynamic protagonist and colorful secondary characters. To achieve this cast in my historical rom-com, One More Seat at the Round Table: A Novel of Broadway’s Camelot, I mixed the legendary creators of this beloved 1960 musical—and the performers who gave it life—with characters of my invention.

How could I eliminate the personalities of those who made Camelot famous? Namely, Lerner and Loewe, the librettist and composer; Moss Hart, the director; and Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, Roddy McDowall, and Robert Goulet, the stars. Without these luminaries, I would’ve had to dream up a fictional musical that would’ve lost Camelot’s rich link to theater history.

Instead, I described the much-publicized backstage chaos when Camelot was out of town in previews, carefully researching how I portrayed the real people in my story. Richard Burton, for instance, was known for brilliant acting, but also for drinking and philandering, mentioned in various memoirs. Thus, I felt safe to assign such peccadilloes to him. Julie Andrews, on the other hand, sang gorgeously and acted well but was by all accounts a faithful wife to then-husband Tony Walton. And that’s how I portrayed her.

To weave a compelling plot, I needed secondary characters who could interact freely with my invented protagonists, Jane Conroy and Bryce Christmas, so I fictionalized several real cast members and backstage workers, borrowing their roles in the company while giving them new names and backgrounds. Thus, I had the leeway to develop situations that evoked tension and humor while giving my story the patina of truth.

How I Wrote a Historical Novel—Page 2

And when I finished my final draft, I hired an intellectual property attorney to vet my manuscript. My careful sourcing impressed him, and he asked me to change few details.

My advice to other writers is, don’t be afraid to include well-known people in your fiction. Do your homework, limit your scope to what you know of their real personalities and behavior, and allow a literary attorney to review your book before publication.

As they say in show business, break a leg!

Written by By Susan Dormady Eisenberg