Historical fiction - anyone given up?

[RosaTheOwl]

I am slightly ashamed at myself for this but...!

I was wondering if anyone started out writing hist fic and switched on account of all the research. It feels like twice the task sometimes. Also, I have learned some interesting things but then there's all the detail that has to be right.

I've got one novel that's about half done and had really good ideas for a couple of others but now wondering about crossing over into different territory. I wasn't trying to write in Philippa Gregory type detail but I feel it's really important to have the background correct.

I'd like to get something published no matter how minor but perhaps a whole historical novel was too much to do. It seems like I can write loads but then research is all stop-start and is this right etc etc.

just wondered if anyone else had this.

The hardest thing I've ever written was 2500 words, just fanfic about a couple book characters and what they thought about an incident, but as they and most of the other characters in the book were real Elizabethan figures in detailed descriptions of London streets, it took a couple solid days of rainy holiday to research just the vital points. And I know a lot about Shakespearian London already.

It was great practice in writing around the bits I didn't know and concentrating on the characters, but I don't think I'll be extending that story any time soon. In contrast a very similar starting point with characters in the 1980s - put them in cities I know, couple facts to check, but the stories practically write themselves.