Co-Geeking

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 2017:

Practicalities

• Cold
• Heroic Warfare and Mass Warfare
• Bad Day at the Office, 257 BCE

Connections between cultures

• Keep Out
• Nitocris’ Vengeance
• Greek Myth, Etruscan Tomb
• Custom is King

Ancient wisdom for troubled times

• Fake News in Ancient Athens
• Boudica
• Herodotus on Resisting Tyranny

Telling stories

• Tulum, City of Adventure
• The Long and Pointless War
• What Makes a Fantasy World Feel European?
• Lost Heirs and Clever Peasants

Thinking historically

• History Doesn’t Look Historical
• Angels and Pinheads
• Know Your Barbarians

Past cultures

• Being a Spartan
• The Secret of Roman Concrete
• Sun, Moon, and Stars
• Magic Words

Race in Antiquity

• The Question
• Identities

Join us in 2018 for more history from a SFF writer’s perspective.

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.