In historical fiction, as in all great literature, the ability to understand and convey a character’s thoughts, emotions, and motivations is key. This cognitive skill, known as Theory of Mind—the ability to place ourselves in someone else’s shoes, to attribute mental states to oneself and others—allows writers to create deeply immersive and psychologically rich narratives.
Let’s look at the role of Theory of Mind in storytelling as exemplified by two short stories and then see how the use of theory of mind can add value to your story by creating multidimensional characters, by enhancing conflict and tension, by immersing readers into the historical mindset and by deepening a narrative’s emotional connection with the reader. Lastly, I will give you four pointers on how you can easily use theory of mind in your work.
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