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Printed from https://writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/6410
Fantasy: July 02, 2014 Issue [#6410]

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Fantasy


 This week: On History
  Edited by: Robert Waltz Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
         -George Santayana

It is the soothing thing about history that it does repeat itself.
         -Gertrude Stein

Study history, study history. In history lies all the secrets of statecraft.
         -Winston Churchill


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Letter from the editor

Cultures, in general, aren't blank slates.

In fantasy, or science fiction, or even in the so-called real world, there's a reason for almost every law, custom, tradition or observance. And that reason is somewhere in the culture's history.

Now, I'm aware that history class is one of the least favorite of schoolchildren, second only to math. And yet, when designing a world for your stories, or even when modifying our own, a sense of the history involved gives a reader something to grab on to, some context in which to hold the characters and events of the story.

Obviously, you're not going to be able to come up with thousands of years of detailed history. Even Tolkien couldn't do that. But general trends punctuated by a few key historical figures and events - that, you can do.

But history isn't always laid out in neat rows for us to contemplate, and often, there are at least two perspectives on any historical event.

Here in the US, for example, we're about to celebrate Independence Day, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Of course, it wasn't actually signed on July 4; the signing took a few months because they took it around via horse, or something. And it was passed by Congress on July 2. And by that time, the war for independence had been going on for about a year, and wouldn't be won until 1783, until which point I expect it was called "evidence of high treason against the King."

Or consider Columbus Day, which... well, look it up yourself. I don't know why we're still observing that.

History is messy, which is one reason people don't like it, but we can't fully understand events of today without considering events of the past. It may seem silly for US students to learn about the Russian Revolution, for instance, but the Russian Revolution led directly to us putting a dude on the moon.

So consider what your fantasy or science fiction cultures celebrate. Wars, important documents, rulers doing stupid things, peasants doing epic things, whatever. It makes for a better story if there's background, even if the background never makes it into the story.


Editor's Picks

A bit of history:

 The History of the Gods Open in new Window. [E]
This is the tale of the beginning of my story-world. My Silmarillion if you will.
by D.C. Bornhart Author Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor


 Jack? The Ripper  Open in new Window. [13+]
We commonly know Jack The Ripper to be a man but was he ? Enjoy a different point of view
by J.A.Jordan Author Icon


 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor


 Invalid Item Open in new Window. []

by A Guest Visitor


 Diamonds and Dust Open in new Window. [13+]
"I will tell you a story, son. A story of deceit, of desperation, of cunning and wit..."
by Sanguinary Smiles Author Icon


 A Diplomacy lesson with Allindi Open in new Window. [E]
a short story, i hope you like it! its a little 'fantastic'!
by Daine Winters Author Icon

 
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Ask & Answer

Last time, in "Fantasy Newsletter (June 4, 2014)Open in new Window., I focused on one author: Jim Butcher.

Elfin Dragon-finally published Author Icon: You forgot about Jim Butcher's add-on book to the series "Side Jobs" which is a series of short stories that only adds to the genius to the whole thing. *Smile*

         Good point!


brom21 Author Icon: As I would imagine, it may seem weird and unbelievable that I have never heard of Butcher. I would probably choose to go with a high fantasy like Chronicles of Alera series that you mentioned. I have never heard of that series but by the title of it, it sounds alluring. At the moment though, I am busy reading the works of a great fantasy writer by the name of Stephen Lawhead (Google him). I am not exactly sure what genre of fantasy. I read a trilogy of his called The Song if Albion where it starts of in the present day then switches to another world. I may give Butcher a chance since you say it is so good, but that will be later on. Thanks for the newsletter! Kudos!

         One great thing about the internet (apart from being the greatest time-waster since bubblewrap) is that we get to tell each other about new books. I've heard of that author, but never read anything. I'll check it out if I ever get tired of Elder Scrolls Online (a great time-waster).

And that's it for me for now! See you in four weeks. Until then,

DREAM ON!

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