Hi! One of my POV characters is a pirate captain in a medieval fantasy setting, but I don't know anything about ships or sailing! I want the voice and descriptions to be convincing without being gimmicky, but I don't even know where to start. Do you have any tips/resources or even fiction recs, maybe? Thank you, and sorry if this has been asked before!!
Hiya! Thanksfor your question! Historical research is important if you want your story tobe accurate.
Note: Theseresources apply to the Golden Age of Piracy (1690-1730).
Complete List ofSailing Vessels
Positionsand Duties on Board a Pirate Ship
How to Saila Full-Rigged-Ship (Video, old but accurate) Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Pirate Weapons– Different Types of Weapons Used by Pirates
PirateWeapons – Hand Weapons
Historically,pirates didn’t really have any special slang. The terms they used wouldhave been used by any sailor or boat captain. That being said, speech patternsfor the general public were very different from how we talk today.
Howto Speak 18th-Century English
Ato Z Guide to Street Slang from the 1700s
Royal Navy Diction and Slang
Pirate and Privateer Clothing
TheGolden Age of Piracy – Fashion
Pirates and Their Clothes
Important Note!: “Walking the plank” was notan actual thing pirates did to their enemies. This was invented because itlooks cool in movies and sounds cool in books.
Thanks againfor your question! If you need help with anything else writing-related, feelfree to send in another ask. Happy writing!
If you need adviceon general writing or fanfiction, you should maybe ask us!