This paper argues that writers can and should bring their personal experiences to historical research, and that ‘motivational presentism’ can strengthen our understanding of and connection to history. While historians often view presentism as anachronistic, living with disability has shaped my research on how stereotypes are perpetuated by popular history and within historical cultures. The tabloid media coverage of King Richard III of England’s lost grave being discovered last decade inspired my current research on how William Shakespeare’s Richard III has informed the reputation of the historical King Richard III. This paper will discuss the relationship between history and fiction, the affective space in which our motivations dwell, and how my experiences with ableism brought about a new understanding of the latent prejudices in the construction of Richard III’s reputation.