Realistic sword fighting?

[Bill Zebub]

I am working on some fiction that involves swordplay, and after writing a few action scenes I realize that I need to learn more about the real thing. I strongly believe that accuracy/realism in fiction makes for a better experience even for readers who are completely ignorant of the topic in question. (In fact, maybe mostly, or even only, for those readers, as those with expertise in arcane topics are bound to nitpick no matter how well-researched.)

Can any of you realism/history/re-enactment buffs suggest a book that would help a novice write better sword-fighting narratives?

 

[Hand of Evil]

There are a number of online articles on this subject Writing Realistic Sword Fights - Kingdom Pen

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Jill Bearup on YouTube has a lot of videos that might be useful, too.

https://www.youtube.com/@JillBearup

 

[Benjamin Olson]

Personally I'd go straight to the sources. There are excerpts from a lot of historical fighting manuals and other sword texts at https://www.thearma.org/manuals.htm, but I've only glanced at them. I'm sure the internets have other such troves.

Whether diving straight into primary sources makes sense for you will of course depend on your own comfort level with such things.

 

[Ulfgeir]

Or look at Manuscripts ~ Wiktenauer, the world's largest library of HEMA books and manuscripts ~☞ Insquequo omnes gratuiti fiant a wiki about HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts), with lots of manuals.

Jill Berup has lots of fun quirky ideas, though her main expertice is stage fighting. She does however also have certain views that some people think are problematic, even though thye don't appear in her videos as far as I know.

If you want to learn about various swords and other weapons, I would recomend https://www.youtube.com/@scholagladiatoria though he does tend to ramble a lot in his videos. He is a former archaelogist and a fencing instructor.

edit: no idea why the post decided to switch out the text in the link for Wiktenauer.. It is supposed to spell out the link..

 

[Rogerd1]

You might like this guy....


Real sword fights don't last long, at all.

 

[aramis erak]

I am working on some fiction that involves swordplay, and after writing a few action scenes I realize that I need to learn more about the real thing. I strongly believe that accuracy/realism in fiction makes for a better experience even for readers who are completely ignorant of the topic in question. (In fact, maybe mostly, or even only, for those readers, as those with expertise in arcane topics are bound to nitpick no matter how well-researched.)

Can any of you realism/history/re-enactment buffs suggest a book that would help a novice write better sword-fighting narratives?

Book? No. Most of the period books are written to be refreshers, not primary instruction; the modern ones are often dubious.

But find your nearest SCA group's fighter practice and hang out... SCA is doing 3 fairly different period styles (1550-1650 period rapier, 1400-1600 style Cut & Thrust, and 1000-1500 style armored combat.) Plus, if there is another serious reenactor group operating in the area, they're likely to know about it.

The best to hook up with are the Tattershall folk, who aren't SCA, but if there's a Tattershall training coming up, they're well worth going to.

Locally (Corvallis, OR, USA), the HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts) guys come to SCA practices at times. They're also good; tend to be on the younger side. That tends to create certain blind spots in how and what they train.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Thanks everybody for suggestions.

 

[Andvari]

Make sure every fight is rightly ended by a pommel throw.

 

[GMMichael]

You might like this guy....


Real sword fights don't last long, at all.

Who gets into a longsword fight without a helmet? Or armor?

Nice concepts, but for writing purposes, I hope that Youtuber uses more jargon in other videos.