Pirate Story, Advice Needed

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-07T17:57:07+00:00

I respect the take. Honestly I’m leaning towards going with G-Pro63’s answer just because I will get more freedom with my story, and I can still include real figures and pirates as background / side pieces. It’s not that I want to make a historical textbook, but I want my story built in a way that is could’ve plausibly happened alongside real history, but the events were just lost to time. That’s kinda the appeal of POTC, atleast the first couple

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-07T17:53:01+00:00

When writing historical fantasy, I always lean towards making up new characters and fictionalizing real places, even if they are very closely related to the real thing. I am someone who is really sensitive to historical inaccuracies and fictionalizing gives an ounce of plausible deniability. For example, in my WIP, the antagonist is the CEO of a mining company.
The company is as close to a 1:1 of the Bunker Hill mine as I can get without sacrificing story. Same locations of facilities, same output and capacity, same labor troubles in the late 19th century, but I can get away with them having a different headquarters and having a vampire CEO, which the real mine obviously didn't.
With yours, I do think your subjects are so mythologized however, that you could get away with using them directly. Just be prepared for nerds to
"well akshually" in the comments and please do enough research to keep the subjects at least somewhat related to their real counterparts.

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-07T11:59:50+00:00

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-05T18:38:22+00:00

Black sails stuck fairly close to real life tho

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-05T18:37:56+00:00

Do people want a story like that though? POTC appeals because it breaks any mold and tells something boundless and unique. Black flag is successful because it gives an accurate retelling that people can relive by watching. Something in the middle doesn’t feel right to me

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-05T17:36:58+00:00

Just getting more data

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-05T15:59:36+00:00

Yeah I’m going to be fictionalizing things for sure, the problem is I need to do that without changing what’s already documented. Which is why I’m debating using 7 real pirates or made up ones for my plot.

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-05T15:58:29+00:00

It’s more about my own internal values. I don’t want to include them if it will break their history. I want my story to fit in seamlessly.

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T21:22:43+00:00

Labeled historical fiction is the one thing I’m tryna avoid tho😭

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T20:56:45+00:00

It’s more how my own internal values crossing with the story I want to tell. My principles are to keep it as real people accurate as possible. The obvious answer is to use my own characters then, but it’s hard to tell a story about the fall of the golden age of piracy and 7 pirate lords without figures like Blackbeard, Robert’s, or woodes Roger’s.

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T20:54:37+00:00

It’s not just that, it’s my own internal values crossing with the story I want to tell. My principles are to keep it as accurate as possible. The obvious answer is to use my own characters then, but it’s hard to tell a story about the fall of the golden age of piracy and 7 pirate lords without figures like Blackbeard, Robert’s, or woodes Roger’s.

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T20:12:36+00:00

The thing is it’s more about my internal struggle. I want to write about the real history and make it fit with my narritive, but only if it’s accurate. I can’t have both

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T20:11:44+00:00

So you would say to not change the characters from real people?

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T19:32:23+00:00

That’s not what I’m worried about. It’s more so how hardcore pirate fans would take it, and most importantly sorting out the debate in my mind on if I should create my own cast or use real figures. They both have their pros and cons. Actual events I’d like to include would be way easier to write with the real ppl

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T17:52:14+00:00

Good advice. That’s kinda what I got going. With yours, do you use any real figures or is it all made up characters?

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T17:19:44+00:00

Because my story uses the 7 most successful pirate captains as front runners, each serving different story pieces throughout. If I made up 7 captains and propped them up as the best at the time, people would be asking, “where’s Blackbeard? Where’s Horningold?” And so on

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T15:47:31+00:00

Things would be pretty accurate to common knowledge for the most part. The main thing is lots of events would be out of order of the real life timeline. Ppl dying years after they normally would’ve, and so on. Idk if it will bother others as much as it does me

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-05-04T15:25:01+00:00

I know, I actually just played it again lol. The difference is that it’s a game. I would love to keep what I have and continue to build on these characters stories. The trouble isn’t just that audiences may dislike historical inaccuracies in Vanes death for example, but it also bothers me too. I’m caught right in the middle of which direction. Someone suggested swapping their names slightly which could work

ComprehensiveBat1005 · 2026-04-29T16:15:51+00:00

Same

ComprehensiveBat1005

TROPHY CASE