8 Comments

  1. Great advice, Alex. Getting the feel is so important. I loved fencing when I took it in high school and would love to take it again someday. Looking forward to the arrival of Dark Jenny! That is a wonderful title.

  2. Deborah Blake

    Great article. I’m not likely to take up fencing any time soon, but I did take a self-defense class in High School which has come in handy when writing hand-to-hand fighting scenes. (And not just because our little, slightly-deranged female teacher would end every session by saying, “And if that doesn’t work–kick ’em in the balls!”)

  3. Thanks for the tips, Alex! I knew that real sword-fights are usually very short (I have a very good book on Renaissance swordsmanship and have read some primary sources as well), but I didn’t know about the attacker tending to win. I will have to bear that in mind on my next edit pass.

    And yes, rapiers are definitely not suited to drawing – or even wearing – in pokey little attic rooms, as my hero’s friend discovers!

  4. Wicked cool post, Alex.
    As a lifelong ordnance enthusiast, I am often put out by sloppy or inaccurate wielding of firearms both on screen and in writing. It really kills the mood for me and reminds me to be a thorough researcher, because someone is bound to know if I cut corners. (En guarde!)

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