Politics In Fantasy

Are you interested in real-life political analogies or ideologies, akin to Heinlein, Asimov, or the other Golden/Silver Age writers, or do you want to get into deeper concepts like Philip K Dick? Both are viable forms to fuel such intrigue, but are created through two very different narrative strategies.

I recommend studying world history. Research wars and national/international affairs.

It sounds simple, but studying real life is the best way to learn about political intrigue and how to apply it to your story.

Do you mean that you're unsure how to present it in the story itself?(That is, which parts are important enough to be included and which are meaningless?)

Or is it that you aren't sure how to make it happen in the story?(That is, how would the characters actually go about it, what would they do, and so on?)

If it's the latter, you might want to read "The Prince" by Machiavelli, it is a book about political intrigue written in Renaissance Italy, and offers a variety of ways on how a person might accomplish his political goals.

If you want to learn how to write it, rather than learning the topic itself, read some fantasy that has a lot of politics and intrigue in it. E.g.

* The Lescari Revolution trilogy by Juliet E McKenna (Irons in the Fire, Blood in the Water, and Banners in the Wind)

* The Memory of Flames trilogy by Stephen Deas (The Adamantine Palace, The King of the Crags, and The Order of the Scales)

and of course "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R R Martin

I'm learning it too, and here are my notes.

Here is what I was given on this forum (I believe it is reworded though...)

1. Distillation of information and interpretation of information. Layering the information.
2. POV of characters work against each other.
3. Limited resources.
4. Ticking clock
5. No one is right.

I also read the Art of War and The Prince, which helped because they were the closest I could get to political theory.

From that (since I'm left-brained when I can't figure stuff out) I came up with a list of political plays. (Also from watching political dramas)

Deception
• bait enemy, disorder
• Take advantage of weaknesses
• subdue without force
• Manipulate the enemy into wanting something they wan't want or think they want.
• Make yourself seem weak when strong
• Ask questions to plant seeds, but don't do it directly.
• Inform without saying anything.
• Isolate and mitigate unpredictable factors.
• Set enemy loyalties against each other (Divide and conquer)
• Create false rumors
• Create a usual tactic and change it.
• Act ignorant when not and play with the information one has to "mistakenly" inform someone.
• The so -called mistaken "backfire"
• Let the enemy have information that you seem you don't want them to have in order to set a trap to expose them.
• Switch cards: Looks like an advantage, but is really a disadvantage.
• Create news of false alliances.
• Creating a puppet or a Red herring for the enemy to chase.
• use hyperbole to exaggerate facts in the listener's mind.

Threaten
• Use alliance to threaten other countries and areas.
• Use embargos and manage resources.
• I know that you know that I know, but I'm not going to expose you and give you a chance card by pushing with a little more new information.
• Sway Public Opinion
• Military Feign
• Blackmail

Bargain
• Trade Information/objects/people of importance.
• Make a Treaty: Peace, Border, Delimitation, Extradition, Friendship, Commerce, Cooperation

Trump
• Best if one knows how to play the cards involved.
• When one knows the enemy and themselves.
• No trump card will usually work twice.

Principalities
Hereditary
New
Entirely new
Annexed
Acquired by arms of the Prince or of others fortune or ability.
Hereditary are stronger.
Good rulers have regained states.

Mixed Principalities
-You have enemies in all those you have injured in seizing that principality.
- You will not be able to keep your friends that put you there if they expect something else from you than what you are.
- You cannot take strong measures against them, feeling bound to them.
- One always needs the good will of the natives.
- After a rebellion, one will take care of enemies and suspicions.
- Stay in place of the place of rebellion.
- spend less on colonies.
well treated or rushed.
- Make sure they don't have more power than the central states.

- sent colonies by keeping friendships with the smaller states without increasing their power while keeping the greater powers in check.
- Did not allow any strong foreign powers to gain authority. (idenity/nationalism?)
- Take away the power of the larger governments.
- Take care of problems before they arise/keep track of them.
- Easy to cure in the beginning, but harder to cure later. Do not let them come to a head.

• to install one's princedom in the new acquisition, or to install colonies of one's people there, which is better.
• to indulge the lesser powers of the area without increasing their power.
• to put down the powerful people.
• to not allow a foreign power to gain reputation.

I think also, I figured out it's not what the character wants so much as it is getting what the character wants to match up with what other characters want. (either by a change of motive, or by sheer persuasion [if it really gets what they want or not].) Just keep in mind that while one political play may match now, it doesn't mean it'll match the same later. Look at the objective and look at the stakes, then switch it up.

I also think psychology books are really good for this too. You can really blast a reader from left field with that.

You'll also need a certain amount of outlining for it, even if you abhor it. (Mostly talking about myself).

Subtext in dialogue. For example . . . write a scene where you have dialogue and you cannot mention a certain topic, but the two people speaking are obviously alluding to that topic OR their gestures/actions are acting in opposition of the conversation.

It's fun to play with.

Taltos, my story has a LOT of intrigue that I need to weave in. Feel free to PM me to chat about anything intrigue-related. I'm still finding my way around it.

Sons of Anarchy is good for the internal and external politics. There are serious internal issues with the club on how it's run, who has power, and who knows what truths, plus, there are the external negotiations with other chapters of the same club, other clubs, and the various law enforcement agencies. It's a political drama set inside a biker gang.

I really like how Jennifer Fallon did politics in her world for the Hythrun Chronicles series. I found it very well played.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/med...ean=9780765348661&itm=12&usri=jennifer+fallon