There is a tendency for historical writers to fill their books full of dates, facts and figures to ensure historical accuracy of the novel's setting to make it convincing. Tina St. John, writer of medieval romance novels for Ballantine Books, advises writers to avoid sounding like a textbook. It makes the novel dull to readers. Weave the historical facts into the story. If a historical fact doesn't fit to keep the plot moving forward, she says to omit it. All the facts and dates are not as important to the reader as the story's linear movement.
Keep a notebook to gather and store all your research in one place. This lets you refer back to details as you are working on your novel. Sometimes, there is no evidence of the minor details of the everyday life of people who lived centuries ago. You may have to make an educated choice. In the book, "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Getting Your Romance Published" Julie Beard writes, "When historians disagree over the facts, look at all sides of the issue and decide what you think is the most logical."
All of your research doesn't have to come from a book. Experience a joust or food from the medieval era for yourself. Visit castles and historical venues that date back to the medieval period. Take pictures and store them in your notebook folder.
Balance the plot between action and romance smoothly. You can use the events of the time as a backdrop of your story or they can be an integral part of your plot. In the book, "The Writer's Bible," Anne Hart writes "Try putting the relationship tension between the hero and heroine in the even-numbered chapters, and the mystery, historical events, or action plot events in the odd-numbered chapters."