History for Writers explores world history to offer ideas and observations of interest to those of us who are in the business of inventing new worlds, cultures, and histories of our own. Here’s where we’ve been in 2015:
Thinking about history and writing
Worldbuilding basics
- Living on the Land
- Food Production: The Original 99%
- Size Matters
- 35 Isn’t Old and Everyone’s a Royal
- The Case of the Missing Roman Railroads
- Feasts and Fools
Economics and wealth
Military history
Race and gender in history
- Race: Fundamentals
- Dynastic Race Theory and Why Revision Is Essential
- Some Notes on Gender and Power (Part 1)
- Some Notes on Gender and Power (Part 2)
Architecture
Recommended reading
- Recommended Reading: Herodotus, “The Tale of the Clever Thief”
- Recommended Reading: Homer, The Quarrel of Achilles and Agamemnon
Special series:
Travel
Ostrich riding and the perils of research
- How Easy It Is to Be Wrong about Early History on the Internet
- That’s a Large-Ass Egg, All Right!
- Add Eight Ostrich Teams and Call It a Procession
- The Curious Case of the Ostrich Statue and Ancient Vocabulary
- A Lock of Hair Swept off to the Heavens… on an Ostrich?
- Ostrich for Breakfast, Ostrich for Lunch, Ostrich for Dinner
Creating fantasy religions
Join us in 2016 for more history.
History for Writers is a weekly feature which looks at how history can be a fiction writer’s most useful tool. From worldbuilding to dialogue, history helps you write. Check out the introduction to History for Writers here.
Co-Geeking 