Comments on: Some tall ship pointers for writers of pirate stories. http://alexbeecroft.com/2010/01/some-tall-ship-pointers-for-writers-of-pirate-stories/ Sailing paper boats down the rivers of Elfland Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:51:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: alex_beecroft http://alexbeecroft.com/2010/01/some-tall-ship-pointers-for-writers-of-pirate-stories/comment-page-1/#comment-2255 alex_beecroft Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:24:32 +0000 http://alexbeecroft.com/?p=1114#comment-2255 *G* I keep finding mistakes in my own stuff, or historians open up some new avenue of research and what you think was true turns out not to be - so I can understand and forgive the occasional mistake. I think that a certain attitude or habit of attention to the history shows through nevertheless. You know? I forgive even a big mistake more easily if it seems clear to me that the author is consistently trying to be faithful to history. It's like a fall in Olympic level ice skating - it's a terrible shame, but you can still see the dedication and skill that went into the work. As opposed to someone who is lurching about on the ice trying to stay upright :) *G* I keep finding mistakes in my own stuff, or historians open up some new avenue of research and what you think was true turns out not to be – so I can understand and forgive the occasional mistake. I think that a certain attitude or habit of attention to the history shows through nevertheless. You know? I forgive even a big mistake more easily if it seems clear to me that the author is consistently trying to be faithful to history. It's like a fall in Olympic level ice skating – it's a terrible shame, but you can still see the dedication and skill that went into the work. As opposed to someone who is lurching about on the ice trying to stay upright :)

]]> By: Gerry Burnie http://alexbeecroft.com/2010/01/some-tall-ship-pointers-for-writers-of-pirate-stories/comment-page-1/#comment-2254 Gerry Burnie Sun, 07 Feb 2010 20:40:30 +0000 http://alexbeecroft.com/?p=1114#comment-2254 I would like to add my voice regarding the importance of careful research in wring a historical story, fictional or not. For one thing someone, somewhere out there will catch you up on the slightest detail, and the result is a loss of credibility of that story you worked so hard to produce, otherwise. Moreover, if it says “historical” it must be credible. The rest of us who pride ourselves on reproducing an authentic representation of another time and era depend on it. For me, it’s when a popular product or procedure was manufactured, invented or developed, i.e. Levi-Strauss jeans (1850s), Trans-Atlantic cable communication (1865), or the successful appendix operation (1872). One year early on any of these in a story can all-but discredit it. Who am I? A superannuated professor of history, of course. (smile) I would like to add my voice regarding the importance of careful research in wring a historical story, fictional or not. For one thing someone, somewhere out there will catch you up on the slightest detail, and the result is a loss of credibility of that story you worked so hard to produce, otherwise.

Moreover, if it says “historical” it must be credible. The rest of us who pride ourselves on reproducing an authentic representation of another time and era depend on it. For me, it’s when a popular product or procedure was manufactured, invented or developed, i.e. Levi-Strauss jeans (1850s), Trans-Atlantic cable communication (1865), or the successful appendix operation (1872). One year early on any of these in a story can all-but discredit it.

Who am I? A superannuated professor of history, of course. (smile)

]]>