Writing Category
The Writer’s Guide to 1550-1600 Women’s Fashion
Posted on March 5, 2021 6 Comments
While the fashion of the first half of the 16th century was dominated by men such as England’s Henry VIII, France’s Francis I and the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, the styles of the second half of the century were dictated by one woman: England’s Elizabeth I. She set the standard for most of Europe […]
The Writer’s Guide to 1500-1550 Women’s Fashion
Posted on February 26, 2021 10 Comments
Today I will be take a closer look at the styles women were wearing in Europe during the first half of the 16th century. Most of the trendsetters were men such as England’s Henry VIII, France’s Francis I, and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. If you want the basics of 16th century fashion please […]
The Writer’s Guide to 16th Century Fashion
Posted on February 19, 2021 6 Comments
The 16th century was the second half of the Renaissance, a dynamic and changing period of European history. The focus of scholarship and art shifted from the religious to the secular. However, the church still had tremendous influence on people’s lives and some of the most astounding works of religious art were created during this […]
The Writer’s Guide to 15th Century Fashion
Posted on February 12, 2021 13 Comments
Just like the 12th century, the 15th century contains many fashion elements that will be familiar to readers and viewers of fantasy and fairy tale adaptations. Fashion was changing during this century and varied in significant ways from the styles of the centuries that proceeded it. It also saw the introduction of several iconic styles […]
The Writer’s Guide to 12th Century Fashion
Posted on February 5, 2021 49 Comments
People seem fascinated by the European Middle Ages and it is a popular period for fantasy authors to draw upon. Part of that fascination rests on the clothing, the image of ladies in elegant flowing gowns with long sleeves, of knights in dashing doublets. However, the Middle Ages is a massive chunk of history, spanning […]
The Writer’s Guide to Historical Fabrics
Posted on January 29, 2021 6 Comments
As a writer, clothing holds so much possibility. What a character is wearing can tell your readers a lot about them from their social status to the care and attention they give to their personal appearance to where in your world they are from. Being accurate is important if you are writing historical fiction, especially […]
The Writer’s Guide to Horse Myths: Part 3
Posted on January 22, 2021 45 Comments
This is my third and final installment on misinformation about horses. After this, I will be moving on to historical clothing. As always, magic is the exception to the rules. Because magic. Training for Battle Horses are naturally flighty, easily startled animals. After all, in the wild, they are in almost constant danger from predators. […]
The Writer’s Guide to Horse Myths: Part 2
Posted on January 15, 2021 1 Comment
Today we are busting more horse myths. This is misinformation I see repeated by well-meaning authors who unfortunately don’t know they are spreading untruths. As always, magic is the exception to the rules. Because magic. Sleeping Standing Up A horse can enter certain phases such as light sleep while standing but to go into deep […]
The Writer’s Guide to Horse Myths: Part 1
Posted on January 8, 2021 4 Comments
Today we are busting some of the most common horse myths that are repeated over and over in books, tv shows, and movies. As always, magic is the exception to the rules. Because magic. Noises It seems that almost every movie or tv show I watch that has horses in it, the sound artist has […]
The Writer’s Guide to Tack
Posted on January 1, 2021 5 Comments
Of course, a critical part of riding a horse is the saddle, bridle, and other equipment, collectively known as tack. As with several the other topics we have covered, things have changed a bit since the Middle Ages. While modern tack is a descendant of medieval tack there are some distinct differences. As always, magic […]
Rebecca Shedd - Author 