Forget the city girl oeuvre – if you want to write a successful novel, set it around a historical event. Ros Coward on why books are looking back

An aspiring novelist searching for success could do worse than look through the history books. A surefire format would be to identify a peripheral figure – a wife, servant or daughter – whose story would coincide with a significant historical moment.

Full article: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2000/jun/16/fiction.roscoward