Writing trauma realistically doesn’t mean being graphic.

In this episode, we explore how trauma actually works, how it shows up in behavior and memory, and how writers and worldbuilders can portray it with care — without voyeurism or exploitation.

This gentle, trauma-informed conversation focuses on:

• The difference between the traumatic event and its aftermath

• Common mistakes in trauma writing

• Writing survivor agency and adaptation

• How trauma shapes cultures, not just individuals

A thoughtful episode for storytellers who want their work to feel real, respectful, and human.

Fieldnotesofthedead.com

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How to write trauma realistically

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field notes from the dead

In this episode, we explore how ancient peoples across the world deliberately opened the skull, how we know many patients survived, and what trepanation reveals about healing, ritual, and community care.

Using osteological evidence and archaeological context, this episode reframes trepanation not as madness or violence, but as effort, knowledge, and hope.

Content Note:

This episode discusses cannibalism in the archaeological record from an educational and anthropological perspective. The discussion is non-graphic and focuses on evidence, context, and ethics, but the topic may be distressing for some listeners. Please listen with care.

Cannibalism is often portrayed as monstrous, but the archaeological record tells a more complicated story.

In this episode, we explore cannibalism in the archaeological record, including survival cannibalism during famine, ritualized practices, and how archaeologists identify cannibalism through osteological evidence such as cut marks, percussion damage, and marrow extraction.

Using examples like Gough’s Cave, this episode examines why cannibalism occurs under extreme conditions and why modern assumptions often misunderstand ancient behavior.

An ethical, evidence-based exploration of one of archaeology’s most challenging topics.

You can reach me at:

YouTube: Field Notes From The Dead

TikTok: Fieldnotedfromthedead

website: fieldnotesfromthedead.com