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Workshop begins April 2, 2026
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Live weekly sessions with the instructor from 2:00 to 3:00pm Eastern U.S. time.
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All sessions are recorded so you can watch them at your convenience.
Session 1
How Historical is Historical Fiction?
We will explore the varying philosophies on historicity in fiction. The workshop will help you develop your unique approach to balancing narrative with historical accuracy.
Session 2
Medieval World-Building
Dive into the tools and strategies we may employ as creative writers to capture the essence of the medieval period while also meeting reader expectations (which often differ from reality). You will learn how to develop your unique research and world-building strategy.
Session 3
Archetypal Story Structures
We will examine the archetypal story structures writers use to tell compelling narratives. In this session you will learn the fundamental movements of your chosen subgenre
(e.g., coming-of-age, adventure, romance, mystery).
Session 4
Narrative Motivations and Causal Storytelling
How do you attribute compelling narrative motivations to historical characters? In this session we will examine this as well as how to adapt historical events and timelines to fit with their character arc and causal storytelling.
Session 5
Publishing Historical Fiction
The workshop ends with a dive into the deep end of how to get your work published, from working with editors to querying agents, navigating publishing contracts, managing expectations, and the ever-present option to self-publish.
Meet Your Instructor
C.J. Adrien is a history teacher and bestselling, award-winning author of historical fiction novels. Drawing on years of research into early medieval Europe and a lifelong study of myth, Jungian psychology, and the Hero’s Journey, Adrien’s Saga of Hasting the Avenger series blends historical realism with spiritual depth to explore the eternal battle between man and his shadow—a mythic reflection of his own journey toward wholeness and redemption.
Through his writing, Adrien invites readers to see the Viking world not merely as a distant past but as a mirror for our modern struggles. In addition to his novels, he teaches online history and writing courses and delivers guest lectures worldwide. He currently resides in France with his wife, sons, and pug, Captain Jean-Luc Pugcard.
