Forums » Writing Workshop » Read Thread

I am planning on a storygame on a historical event. I've never read much historical fiction, and I'd like a few pointers on how I could incorporate facts and story together - both into a storygame and a regular story. :)

 

Well... Wars are always great to write about, WWII all the way... I love History, and I don't know how far back you're willing to go, but maybe even the rise of the Roman Empire? Or even the Egyptian Empire... The Renaissance... I could go on forever!

I know what I'm going to do - it is? kind of a war... I'm just mot experienced with historical fiction.

The best way to get experienced is to do some reading. A lot of reading, actually. Raid a library for fiction and non fiction books based around whatever you're writing. If you can find journals or other books written during that time, so much the better.

There's a lot we take for granted about historical events and how people living though them actually perceived them, and in a lot of cases most of us just know the Hollywood version.

Thank you! I was planning on doing some research. I just didn't know where to start. :D

How far in the past? If it's WWII, you could talk to a veteran,  but if it's the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, you probably aren't going to be able to speak to someone who was there. 

It's the late 1700s - the French Revolution. xD

Like Mizal said, you need to hit the books before you attempt to write about this. Steer clear of Wikipedia, too, since it is in no way a legitimate source for any piece of work based off of an actual event you're going to create and publish, unless you're writing about the site itself.

If your school's history teachers happen to teach about the French Revolution, or if you know someone who's currently studying it, trying asking them some questions as well.

Actually, it's because my history teacher is teaching the topic that I got interested. There are some holes in the information, and I'm hoping to be able to use those for my characters. :) Yeah. I suppose researching some more details will do the story good and make it more realistic.

That's great. You could always ask your teacher about this topic, like I previously stated.

If you are going ahead with the French Revolution or another historic event with swords, please feel free to send me messages as I am a Historical European Martial Artist and can hook you up with some techniques and even treatises showing how such people fought (and they have pictuuures).

If it's a black powder time period, then believable escapes/non-deaths could be made out of misfires which were real and quite common, even in the face of supposedly impossible odds.

Swords are cool. There definitely should be swords (below is a 1796 pattern British light cavalry sabre).

:o I will definitely be messaging you when I finally get to researching! Thank you~ :D

I had went to the library already a week or so ago, and I can't go again to find some books. ;-; I don't have lots of access to the computer (without... arousing suspicions xD).

Dumbed down version: I haven't started researching yet.

It's fine, I'm considered a weirdo for the amount of specialising on combat studies I do. You probably know more about political events at the time than I do.

I don't know about that. xD Politics are repulsive, though I suppose I'll have to read about some Old Regime French crap and Revolutionary politics crap and stuff.

As repulsive an corrupt as they may be, they're practically what keeps the world running in many aspects. You can't look into researching a historical time period and just handwave something so essential.

I realize that. Hence the "I have to research this crap" statement. :/

One example of the sorts of considerations during a fight, using a sabre, smallsword or indeed similar thought processes with something like a bayonet on a musket (video by ScholaGladiatoria on YouTube). It shows a very basic parry with a sabre and how to do it like a real swordsman, not a newbie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g_VwDpY5cw

Very, very interesting... I've always wanted to learn the details of sword fighting. :D Interesting. Interesting indeed. *obsessed*

And then, once you are hooked, I not-so-subtly mention my YouTube channel 'Pc Genie' and spread real swordsmanship at an even faster rate, until it has more addicts than cocaine and caffeine.

https://www.youtube.com/user/PcGenie2 OOPS*.

(*Yes, it is relevant to sword fighting, it's not me tossing irrelevant Let's Play Vlog Meme thingies about.)

Wow. *subscribes* Now I can watch you cut up stuff! :D

I'm not super knowledgeable on swords and stuff, but those swings are just so pretty! I love how smooth they are. T-T I don't know how I could ever write about swords having those types of motions...

Anyway, advertisement aside, the styles of fighting with the various swords shows many similarities, but there are interesting differences (such as with spadroons and smallswords) which could help identify a character's personality more.

For example, someone with a smallsword means using a weapon that is more for he equal duel and is much easier to carry around, so perhaps a reluctant fighter or someone confident they won't need to fight. A sabre or backsword is more military and perhaps 'gritty'. Some people historically had unique designs of swords (such as single edged designs double edged) based on their experiences which could imply a 'veteran' type of character.

Ooh. Thanks for the information! I like adding subtle information that adds to character depth. :)

Just pick a video from this guy:

https://www.youtube.com/user/SkallagrimNilsson/videos

He goes over all kinds of swords and other close combat weapons.

Yes, his reviews are excellent. He covers Medieval weapons more though, so ScholaGladiatoria would be better for a 1700s theme as British military sabre is his speciality.

I just subscribed to you too :D

Yeah, cuz cutting up stuff is so fun! And weapons are interesting. :D I don't have much knowledge in them anyway... ;-; I'll be needing some basis.

Anyway, we should discuss the specifics of your own story when you are ready with characters and settings (you know, who, where and a bit more specifically when).

Well, I'm going to be starting a short bit before the actual Revolution and begins, just to give the reader a feel for what's going on and how the gov't was so screwed up that it needed some major changes.

The main character can then follow different paths that determine what her role in the Revolution would be. Will she be one of those market fish ladies with some skill with blades? Will she be a servant in a noble household? Etc. And she's going to be a she because I kind of want her to be more closely associated with the person who kills Marat (I forgot the name... Cassandra? Catherine? Idk... lol)

When Louis XVI is dethroned and executed, then... well... I don't know. Perhaps she'll participate in fighting? Between the time of the start of the Revolution and Napoleon's reign, women actually had more freedom, and I'd like that to play a part in the amount of restriction placed on her too.

Idk. Just some thoughts spilled out. :)

I used to take fencing. :) I used to get so many bruises in practice xD

On a similar note, if you need notes on what trained vs. untrained bayonet combat looks and feels like, I can hook you up, because I've done that quite a bit, actually. Obviously not with real bayonets, because neither Hell nor the nearest prison allows its inmates internet access.

xD Do all you guys mess around with blades? Hmu pls perhaps I'll do a YouTube binge later.

I think it's a kid in adult body type of thing. Destroy innocent stuff with sharp stuff.

It's very good to know what fighting looked like if you're writing historical or fantasy things. That, and I'll take any excuse to make fun of how stupid anime fight scenes look, with or without an experienced opinion.

I know! I was comparing real life and anime fight scenes and anime fight scenes are just trash, usually.