So this all started when my buddy Dave read my latest draft and nearly choked on his coffee. “You made a 13th century blacksmith’s daughter talk like a TikTok influencer?” Ouch. Suddenly realized I’d been slapdashing my historical romance research. Time to fix that.
Step 1: Facepalm-Worthy Blunders
First things first – I combed through my manuscript and oh boy. Found knights using forks like it was no big deal (forks weren’t common till way later). Had characters galloping full-speed through thick forests (medieval warhorses needed open terrain). Worst offense? Made a lady casually stroll alone outside castle walls at night. My medieval consultant friend left ten angry voice notes about that one.
Step 2: Drowning in Rabbit Holes
Got obsessed with finding exactly when people started eating potatoes in England. Spent three freaking days chasing that through dusty academic papers. Totally useless – potatoes arrived centuries after my story’s setting. Wasted time = zero. Felt like an idiot.
Step 3: Talking to Actual Humans
Visited that weird little living history museum outside town. Bugged a reenactor spinning wool. Learned nobles avoided deep red clothes – expensive AF dye bled horribly. Peasant skirts were knee-length for working fields. Simple stuff that changed everything:
- Scrapped my crimson gown scene
- Stopped making servants sweep floors constantly (dirt floors were normal!)
- Actually included smell descriptions (spoiler: medieval towns reeked)
Step 4: The Fixes That Stuck
Rewrote the market scene using period-specific goods – no tomatoes or oranges, just parsnips and salted fish. Made messengers travel on foot instead of magically teleporting news. Most importantly? Let female characters operate within real constraints instead of modern-girl transplants. Their strength came from navigating those limits.
Hard-Earned Takeaways:
- Transportation isn’t instant – horses need rest, roads suck, bad weather = delays. Your plot must reflect this.
- Not everyone’s nobility – most people were dirt-poor peasants. Show their reality.
- Language jars – “okay” and “dude” didn’t exist. Find period-appropriate equivalents.
- Medicine is terrifying – no antibiotics, childbirth is deadly, “doctors” often kill you faster.
- Forget Hollywood hygiene – teeth rot, baths are rare, flea-ridden beds are standard.
Final verdict? Still messed up a bunch. My castle steward probably handled finances wrong. But avoiding glaring immersion-breakers? That made scenes feel lived-in. Got beta readers asking about candle-making techniques instead of roasting my anachronisms. Huge win.
