Would joining the SCA help with my medieval?

I'm not sure that joining it would be helpful for writing better medieval fiction (though by all means do so if it sounds fun). But many SCA members have done a good deal of research on daily life topics (food, names, clothing, weapons, etc) which they have put on the web, and which I have found very useful for learning about the things that academics don't bother with much (or at least, academics who aren't archeologists publishing in tiny, inaccessible local journals). You need to filter a bit, just like with any web source, but there's good stuff available. I find some of it through netserf.

Research is what you need.

The SCA is full of people who do research for a hobby/avocation. Plenty of them are knowledgeable. My armor was made by an SCA member who repairs armor for SEVERAL major museums in America and the world... so there are definitely experts in different areas available.

But you don't have to JOIN the SCA to ask questions.

The internet is an amazing tool that affords near instantaneous access to experts in fields around the world. GOOGLE is your friend. So is absolutewrite.com

Can't speak about the SCA, but as far as participating in living history in general, I think it's an excellent way to cement in one's mind the full-sensory details of a historic experience. Which can be good, or bad if those details are wrong.

I've participated in American Civil War reenactments and at living history museums in my period (19th century), and there are norms at most, which overlap history but also veer far away from it. Occasionally I'll read historical fiction which I can tell is written by a reenactor, because it sounds like a reenactment, with all the typical ahistorical details.

Some living history is designed to be unashamedly about its own modern culture, while other groups do try to focus more on an attempt to recreate the past, though in my period at least, they generally all claim to want to be "authentic," so a lot of skepticism is advised.

If you can keep a level head and constantly tell yourself, based on your own independent research: this wasn't the way it was, or this was the way it was, it can be an incredible experience to actually do, in full-sensory "virtual reality," what someone from your time period did.

Pup said:

I've participated in American Civil War reenactments and at living history museums in my period (19th century)

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I've been doing the same off and on for ten years. Unfortunately, I was never able to find employment as a full time reenactor! I still make three or four events a year as my schedule (and wife) permits.

Brady

There is definately value to be had from 're-enacting' any time period.

Things as simple as understanding how armor fits, what it feels like to ride in it. What you can and CANNOT see or do while armored on horseback.

And of course wearing any period costume that is correctly made is invaluable research.

Dining on period meals properly prepared.

Larger 're-enactments' are invaluable for details. I can recall being "shot" in a civil war re-enactment, and as I lay on the field smelling the black powder, hearing the shouts, feeling the horses hooves pound the ground next to me as they charged by... yeah, thats usefull stuff.

Occasionally, at Renaissance Festivals, I can catch a very brief moment - perhaps its the smell and sound of an open forge, a minstrel song, the sunlight in the trees just right...

So yeah, diving into 'living history' is a good way to do hand's on research, but as others have pointed out, its not the sole substitute for BTU's (Butt Time Units) put in on library or online research and source material.

Any...

chance to experience long skirts, swords, food, people bursting with knowledge and enthusiasm about their subject, thinking about life in a different time with people who have ideas about it, can only help your writing.

Practical hands on experience is really great for giving your writing depth.

The British Military Historian John Keegan once argued that watching a group of soldiers marching across various pieces of terrain (during the filming of 'War and Peace') provided an insight into how formations moved and what they were capable of.

Keegan is well worth reading. His book 'The Face of Battle' investigates Inherent Military Probability - what was likely to have been the experience - at Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme.

I think the SCA is a good place to start. First, there are a lot of people who have done the research already and what they don't know, they might know someone who does or where you might be able to find it.

Second, as someone has already stated, the hands-on experience will be invaluable in and of itself. Let me tell you - wearing long skirts and a corset or bodice is a totally different feeling than jeans and a t-shirt.

These days, I spend a lot of time at a living history farm (time period: 1890-1910, emphasis: 1900). I've learned to appreciate how much work goes on at a farm, particularly one where they have to hand grind the grain for their own use as well as for the animals, among other things. Or to look at ice on a lake in winter and think "crop". I've also taken open hearth cooking classes where it takes hours to cook a hot meal. Interesting stuff. I've learned just a tip of the iceberg but it's going to be a great journey.

One thing you'll find interesting about the SCA is that it's not restricted to one section of Europe. There are people doing authentic Japanese personas, while others focus on the Middle East. English, Scots and Irish are popular, but you can also find French, Spanish, German, etc.

The thing to remember is that there are very different levels of expertise, with some members more committed to authenticity than others. As has been said, evaluate your sources.

Also go here:

www.softwareartist.com/sca.html

for a basic introduction to the SCA.

Congratulations on your new hobby!

I would add that another thing you should keep in mind is that the SCA also has a culture all it's own, which reflects its needs as a twenty-first century organization as often as it re-creates the historical Middle Ages. Steve Muhlberger, a history professor, wrote a paper about it some years back.

SCA swordfighting rules, for instance, make SCA combat significantly different from what we know about historical fights. The rules forbidding wrestling and strikes to the hands ensure that the entire fight happens within a narrower part of the range spectrum. Rattan swords wrapped in duct tape also behave differently from steel ones, absorbing shocks that would cause a steel blade to be deflected and bouncing when steel blades would jam together.

I can sometimes tell when writers have researched their medieval history by going to the SCA and not looking any further. That's a trap to be careful of.

WriteKnight said:

Occasionally, at Renaissance festivals, I can catch a very brief moment - perhaps it's the smell and sound of an open forge, a minstrel song, the sunlight in the trees just right...

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Beautifully put, WriteKnight. I always knew I wanted to write a novel set in Cornwall, but I didn't "get it right" until I spent time there. Sometimes you just have to immerse yourself, in order to catch the magic.

I would join SCA myself if Annoying Day Job and writing would allow me the time. The Chicago chapter is very active and a fount of useful information.

There are a fair number of people in the SCA who are, well, more than a little clueless.

But.

Some of the finest, top notch, incredibly well respected medievalists with extremely good scholarly reputations, and historic artisans with international reputations as museum quality restorers and creators are also in the SCA.

Sigh. Now I need to start looking into the SCA again. Although most of my weekends or at least my Saturdays are generally taken up by hanging out at the local living history farm which is definitely a later period, a lot later.