#Geopolitical Fiction

[burr-ell]

What I love about Spy x Family's recent chapters concerning Martha and Henry—two secondary characters with little direct connection to the plot as we've known it—is that Endo's taking the opportunity to once again hammer home what the story's actual stakes are. The idea of potential conflict between Ostania and Westalis isn't just window dressing for a wacky wholesome badass family gimmick—the previous wars are real events that various characters lived through, and all of them are in some way affected by it and have good reasons to want to avoid another one. This is primarily an action-adventure/slice-of-life manga with a lot of sendups to spy movies and pop culture of the 60s, but I think those things hold much more weight with the thematic underpinning of the horrors of war and the ruin it leaves behind.

[kimbapisnotsushi]

hi! please share your headcanons about jay. thanks!

ooooooooh sure thing let's get it!!

(also please keep in mind that soke was literally my first time dipping back into dc after a LONG while, so i have a bit of catch-up to do in terms of characters and stories, and thus some of my knowledge might be outdated!!! also i love jay but i do consider myself still very new to understanding him and thus most of these will be silly fun :333)

damian makes fun of him for that all-black ninja-esque stealth suit he wore to sneak into star labs because there was literally NO POINT in jay trying to disguise himself like that when he didn't bother covering up his BRIGHT FUCKING PINK hair

yes i'm still mad about yes i would like to know his thought process

is it natural btw??? i've seen different takes around where people think it's dyed bc of his other version in aos:jk, but i feel like that's pretty unlikely considering it was shaved all the way down when he got taken prisoner and experimented on and it grew back exactly like that

for the record i'm not a hater i'm just saying 1) it made him a walking beacon and 2) it being natural is so fucking funny to me since he clearly didn't inherit it from his mom, which begs the question:

who the fuck is jay's dad

while jay does care for all of the revolutionaries as their ally and everyone at the truth as their boss, and as an overall friend, i think that wink and the aerie are especially close to him and they consider each other family. they were pretty much the closest thing to adult supervision jay had for a while, and he relied on them a lot when he was settling down in metropolis and figuring out how to live alone

this meant that he called them for stupid things like "if something explodes in your microwave do you call the fire department", and not-stupid things like "help me open a bank account because metropolis bank has laws that won't let me do it by myself as a minor"

they were also the first people he came out to

jay loves them even if they CAN be really annoying

jay: "are you—are you guys ACTUALLY planning on shovel-talking superman" wink: "technically, he's superman's son" the aerie: "and if he's late to the coffee shop, i'm taking points off"

i think jay would get along with tim actually

the dude is an underground hacktivist refugee, investigative journalist, and a former president's son. he's probably used to always looking over his shoulder, ready to be jumped at a moment's notice. he's got a plan for everything but the plans only exist inside his head because he can't risk hard copies being found or digital ones being hacked. he's memorized them all. they're either alphabetized or mentally color-coded. we're talking levels of elaborate just-in-case getaways and meticulously planned investigations that would get a normal reporter killed if they asked the wrong question. it's dedication to a terrifying degree

yeah tim would definitely rock with him

jay has this neat little trick where if he's in a situation in which someone's poisoned his food and he has to eat it/can't let them know he knows, he just partially phases his organs so that the food falls through his body a little bit at a time and never enters his digestive system

jon is HORRIFIED when he finds out. damian is really fucking impressed

does gamorra have its own language???? i feel like jay would be fluent in it if so. of course he would be. he'd do anything to keep part of home as close to his chest as possible

oh that's another thing i'll probs mess up on btw i am legit so confused on gamorra considering it's apparently in asia and i would assume has its own distinct culture? but jay's surname is japanese and that random kid on the boat has a japanese name so are they like. japanese-adjacent??? or is gamorra made up of multiple asian identities blended into one (read tags for clarification)

i should probably read absolute power shouldn't i

okay sorry that got WAY off topic but yeah jay is definitely someone who loved his home despite not being able to go back and did everything he could to maintain his ties

ALSO can we talk about jay being a student at metropolis college at seventeen???? did he skip a year of school when he got to the u.s.??? did he lie on forms or something??

like i don't think he's taking extra credit classes as a high school student because he was also advertising the media department when we saw him, and i don't think he'd be doing that if he was in high school

jon makes sense because he had a fake identity which COULD put him in college. but jay???

honestly lying on paper is such a jay nakamura thing to do if he doesn't want people tracking him down by cross-referencing his birthday with government records

jay nakamura's number-one tip of running an anonymous underground activist stream: hide all identifiable information from the government

(this does not work when you are widely recognized as superman's boyfriend)

also now that dick is backing the truth can we PLEASE get tim in on it. i think it'd be so fucking funny. i think he and jay would have a grand old time breaking into firewalls and digging through internet archives and exposing corrupt people

tim is like "FINALLY i have something fun to do at all those fucking galas bruce makes me go to" because jay needs some rich guy's vacation itinerary so he knows the prime time to break into his house and gather evidence for something

i just have so much appreciation for jay nakamura you guys i love him so much

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Hello! Do you have any tips for writing 'geopolitical' relationships between kingdoms in a story?

In The Forgotten Legends of Chima, there are tribes of anthropomorphic animals (separated by species) who have their own lifestyle and culture. There are certain tribes with more privilege than others (e.g. some are more rich than others, some withhold more Chi than others), which of course will cause some kind of resentment from others. Not only that, but the actions the leaders/kings take also affect their relationship with other tribes. The people suffer from all of this too; if a king, for example, dislikes a certain tribe, his people will also dislike it too.

I'm trying to write these kinds of relationships as realistically as possible, because TFLOC's story is almost entirely based on the coexistence of Chima's tribes. How do you, or any other writer, tackle this in their stories? Any tips? Thanks :)

How to Write Geopolitical Relationships Between Kingdoms in Any Fictional Story

Thank you so much for this submission, I'll try my best to give you a professional, and detailed explanation so you don't have to do as much research as I did (lol).

Introduction

Geopolitical relationships are the intricate connections and dynamics that exist between kingdoms in a fictional world. These relationships play a crucial role in shaping the political, social, and economic landscape of your story. By understanding and effectively portraying these relationships, you can add depth and intrigue to your narrative. I'll try my best to provide you information and help you explore the elements of geopolitical relationships and provide tips on how to write realistic and engaging connections between kingdoms in your fictional story.

What are Geopolitical Relationships?

Geopolitical relationships refer to the intricate connections and interactions between different kingdoms in your fictional world. It encompasses various aspects such as geography, history, culture, and economics. These relationships determine how kingdoms interact, cooperate, or clash with each other, shaping the overall political and social landscape of your story.

Why are They Important in Fictional Stories?

Geopolitical relationships are important in fictional stories for several reasons. Firstly, they add a layer of realism and authenticity to your narrative, making the world you've created feel more immersive. By understanding the geopolitical dynamics, readers can engage with the story on a deeper level.

Moreover, these relationships serve as a catalyst for conflict and suspense. They provide opportunities for power struggles, alliances, betrayals, and dramatic plot twists. When done effectively, geopolitical relationships can captivate readers and keep them hooked throughout the story.

How to Write Realistic Geopolitical Relationships

(Now, the good part.)

To write realistic geopolitical relationships in your fictional story, you need to consider several key elements. These elements include geography, history, culture, and economics. Let me help you explore each of them in detail:

Geography

Geography plays a crucial role in shaping geopolitical relationships. Consider the physical location of the kingdoms, including their natural resources and borders. A kingdom located near valuable resources may have an advantage in trade negotiations or military capabilities. By understanding the geographical factors, you can develop realistic relationships between kingdoms.

History

The past interactions between kingdoms significantly influence their present relationships. Historical events such as wars, trade agreements, and alliances shape the attitudes, trust, and animosity between kingdoms. Take into account the history of your fictional world and the impact it has on the geopolitical landscape.

Culture

The different cultures of the kingdoms are an essential aspect of geopolitical relationships. Explore their distinct values, beliefs, customs, and social structures. These cultural differences can create tensions, misunderstandings, and alliances between kingdoms. By delving into the cultural aspects, you can enhance the authenticity and complexity of your geopolitical relationships.

Economics

Economic systems and trade relations are crucial factors in geopolitical relationships. Consider the economic capabilities of each kingdom and how they influence their interactions. Trade agreements, rivalries, and military capabilities are all elements that can be influenced by the economic dynamics between kingdoms. By incorporating these aspects, you can create more realistic and engaging geopolitical relationships.

How to Write Realistic Geopolitical Relationships

Now that we have explored the key elements of geopolitical relationships, let's discuss some practical tips on how to write them effectively:

Do your research: To create believable geopolitical relationships, take inspiration from real-world history and geography. Understanding how real nations interacted can provide valuable insights for crafting realistic relationships between your fictional kingdoms.

Be consistent: Once you have established the geopolitical relationships between your kingdoms, strive for consistency throughout your story. Ensure that the actions and decisions of the kingdoms align with their established relationships. This consistency will make the narrative more coherent and enhance the credibility of your world.

Use conflict: Geopolitical conflict can be a fantastic source of drama and suspense in your story. Introduce clashes of interests, political intrigue, and power struggles between kingdoms. Utilize the tensions and rivalries to create compelling conflict that drives the plot forward.

Don't be afraid to change things: If you find that the initial geopolitical relationships need adjustments to serve your story's plot, feel free to modify them. As long as the changes are well-justified within the context of your story, altering the relationships can add unexpected twists and keep readers engaged.

Conclusion

Geopolitical relationships are a vital component of fictional storytelling. By understanding and portraying these relationships realistically, you can enrich your narrative and captivate readers. Remember to consider the elements of geography, history, culture, and economics when crafting these relationships. By conducting proper research, maintaining consistency, utilizing conflict, and being flexible with adjustments, you can create engaging geopolitical relationships that truly bring your fictional world to life.

(That was a handful of words lol)

Additional Tips I Use for Writing Geopolitical Relationships in Fictional Stories:

Think about the motivations of the different kingdoms. What are their goals? What are their fears?

Consider the role of individual characters within the geopolitical landscape. How do they influence or interact with the different kingdoms?

Use the geopolitical relationships to create conflict and suspense in your story.

Don't hesitate to change the geopolitical relationships as your story progresses. Flexibility can lead to more exciting plot developments.

Copyright © 2023 by Ren T.

TheWriteAdviceForWriters 2023

[chamerionwrites]

“I like reading [X] because [Y]” ≠ “I like reading every single version of [XY] without any other preferences, standards, or selectivity.” What even.

[unopenablebox]

update on that btw instead of going to shabbat i accidentally took a nap for two hours

[minecraftbookshelf]

so where did jimmy live while young i mean it sounds like the ocean empire but wouldn't it make more sense if he was raised in the codlands or the ocean empire was like a summer home because learning about a culture from afar is educational but if he was going to be their leader then perhaps it would be better if he was raised like one of them so that he is one of them and thinks of that place as his home and the ocean empire as a second home

Okay I’ve given up on computer access I’m going to try and answer this one on my phone so I apologize in advance if the thought process is even harder to follow than usual. (On the bright side, spellcheck!)

Jimmy grew up in both the Ocean Empire and the Swamp, with the important notation that the swamp was part of the empire for a good 150-175 years.

World history version: the Swamp was conquered and occupied by Land Dwellers for a few centuries, when Lizzie was first doing her “show of force” when she first became queen the first thing they did was liberate the swamp, which still had a primarily amphibious and aquatic population. The Cod Council was still there, though in secret and with fewer members than ideal.

The Cod Council resumed the majority of the governmental operations after liberation, while being under the protection of the Ocean Empire and, on the international stage, being represented by Lizzie, as the Ocean Queen.

Now Jimmy.

Jimmy who hatched from a damaged egg and has gills that don’t always work.

When he was still small he lived full time in the Ocean Empire, with Joel and Lizzie. It was very isolating for him at times, as he was limited in how much of society he could actually interact with, given that anytime he spent underwater was incredibly risky, especially as he got older and his gills got worse and worse. By the time he hit the equivalent of his pre-teens he couldn’t really breathe underwater unsupported at all.

Lizzie immediately commissioned the enchantment research to remedy that, but in the meantime, they needed somewhere that he could live safely, without being separated from everyone else (except Joel)

The Swamp offered to take him in.

So for quite awhile Jimmy was basically in a weird shared custody situation. He had a lot more freedom in the swamp, with its mixed land and water society, but he’d also been basically in Lizzie and Joel’s pockets at all times until now. This was also around the time when Joel returned to Mezalea to become king there so his family was very split up. They stayed in near constant contact of course, but it was still hard.

He was in the equivalent of his mid-late teens when the enchantments to help him breathe underwater were perfected and made reliable. And soon thereafter, the Cod Council summoned him and appointed him the Swamp representative internationally. having an official representative meant that the Swamp could officially separate from the Ocean Empire as a fully autonomous nation.

[chronotopes]

i do think "don't write about [x] unless you are part of [y] identity group" discourse gets stupid fast buuuut i think the sff writer's relentless fascination with producing Meaningful Resonant Allegory gets you into some thorny places. as someone who has been a star trek fan for like seven years and is now finding themself kind of unwillingly fascinated by pre-ot era star wars. SO much of the circular discourse in those fan communities can be traced back to an unwillingness to understand how inherently muddled and contradictory the inspirations for these canons are. cardassians in ds9 get read as nazi germany And the soviet union And the united states, among other things, by the audience because imagery and gets borrowed by writers evoking just about every piece of loaded imagery in 20th century history. and this kind of thing is doubly true for whatever the stupid fuck star wars has going on, especially regarding the jedi order and what that's a metaphor for. in some ways it's a tough balance to strike because if you write about any large-scale tragedy or injustice in a sff setting, you're going to draw on your own knowledge of history. however in the long term if you're going to say 'i'm basing this science fiction war on a real life war' you kind of have to commit to that metaphor on a really in-depth level. cause otherwise you can end up saying 'i'm going to make a war the center of our film trilogy and no before you ask i am not going to ever materially elaborate on what the war is really about or why it's happening. if it helps though the war is just like iraq and it's also just like vietnam and it's also –' anyway my tentative takeaway here is that if you're going to put a very obvious and deliberate geopolitical metaphor in your sff writing it had better be a) from a 'has read a multitude of sources about this conflict' type informed place and b) a consistent center point of your writing approach rather than something you pick up for Resonance Points and throw away and c) think hard about whether it imbues your greater narrative with fucked up implications about how you see the real life conflict you're drawing from.

[zoqxer]

Does anyone have any book/ movie and tv show recommendations that fit these requests?

- Very large scale major conflict, but lots of internal & character conflicts

- Unique characters!!!

- Not a snooze fest (I have ADHD)

- Interesting vibe and fun worldbuilding

- Stuff kinda like Andor and Game of Thrones, (sci-fi/ fantasy politics)

Please and thank you!

[ameliafuckinjones]

If I said half the things I wanted to say about Canada and Americas relationship as siblings and neighbors, how they're ACTUALLY viewed by the world when it comes to international matters that are actually important (NATO, AUKUS, global economy, AI and tech companies, hegemony etc) and how it would be more interesting to explore aspects of their relationship as well as their relationship with the world that correlates with reality rather than this made up version that dominates the fandom... commie tumbler would hunt me down and kill me

[nonstandardrepertoire]

today in "continuing adventures reading the original Sherlock Holmes stories": there's this one story that was published in 1904 where Holmes is called in to help with an International Diplomatic Incident involving an ill-advised letter from a hot-headed European ruler. if Holmes doesn't solve the case, Doyle writes that it could lead to a "great war" between European countries. he then goes on to explain the general geopolitical state of Europe and Britain's status as a country that could entirely rearrange the power structure of the continent except they like to remain neutral mostly . . . in a way that more or less neatly describes the geopolitical calculations of the July Crisis that would lead to World War 1 ten years later. the estimation that such a war could lead to hundreds of thousands dead is off (the total death toll for WW1 is around 40,000,000), but it's still very eerily prescient to read at this remove. a catastrophic disaster hanging over all their heads being foretold in a trashy throwaway mystery story ten years in advance

[tinapaysmp]

The life series is starting again and I am very hype about it, but I've been making a bunch of Empire s1 headcanons and notes for the past week.

[pawbeanies]

heyy can we do a sexy roleplay where im a prince from a fallen kingdom and youre the powerful warrior who has taken me for their own pleasure. yes? yipeeee ok so before we start first here's a google doc with the whole history of the fictional land we're both from and the intricate geopolitical workings of the- oh yeah and here's a supplementary doc on the agriculture and trade routes of said fictional land and stuff and yes this is important. the dirty talk has to be lore accurate

[rudrasura]

Review & Thoughts: Prisoners of Geography-Tim Marshall

Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics by Tim MarshallMy rating: 5 of 5 stars//Disclaimer: The below review is colored by several regional biases, and a lot of rants which might piss off at least some people. You’ve been warned//I can’t remember the last time I was in anticipation while reading the geopolitics of the globe. Or the last…

[danielleurbansblog]

Review: Elephant Safari

Synopsis: A documentary team hiking through East Africa collides with a gang of deadly poachers, in this gripping adventure by the author of Kidnapped on Safari. Years of filming, extreme dangers, and daring rescues have taken their toll on documentary producer Pero Baltazar and his team. To relax and reconnect with the East African wildlife they love, Pero organizes a walking safari for him,…

[kaurwreck]

fun fact! the contemporary Japanese constitution as amended does not and can't exist in bsd. this isn't conjecture— there are institutions that still exist in bsd that were dissolved by Japan's current constitution, and the events leading to Japan's current constitution have not happened in bsd.

Japan's constitution was rewritten by US General Douglas MacArthur in 1946, in the aftermath of WW2. But WW2 hasn't happened in bsd. (This is also not really conjecture; it's evidenced by there being a Great War and Fukuchi's aims to prevent a second would-be-greater war— irl, the Great War was only called that prior to WW2 because it was, until WW2, the most destructive, widespread war in the modern world. We then had an even greater war and so began numbering them.)

but, it's not even only that WW2 hasn't happened. you might have noticed bsd's Great War parallels but doesn't mirror irl!WW1— in bsd; the international alliances were different (ex: France was allied with Japan and Germany); Japan disengaged from the Great War before its conclusion (after Fukuzawa killed Japan's war hawks); the subsequent peace treaty was between France, Germany, and England (in lieu of the Treaty of Versailles); different nation states arose in the aftermath (the Republic of Nares only exists in bsd, it never existed irl— but WW1 did collapse empires and beget several new nations); the Great War beget the United Nations instead of the League of Nations; etc.

it's not clear precisely where bsd's alternate history breaks from ours— or if there was ever even a break or if it's an entirely parallel timeline—but it is canon that the Port Treaties that forcefully opened irl Japan exist in bsd but were never abolished like they were irl in 1899. it's canon that Suribachi City formed after itty bitty baby Chuuya black hole kaiju'ed a foreign settlement in Yokohama since there wasn't any appetite to rebuild it— which means that as recently as approximately a decade prior to canon, there were still foreign settlements in Japan. this is further confirmed by the Colonel in 55 Minutes.

all of this to illustrate: any claim regarding bsd!Japan's laws based on irl!contemporary Japan is incorrect unless specifically affirmed in canon. Based on the information we've been given thus far, the two Japans are operating on completely different legal frameworks.

in other words, there's no basis for deciding same sex marriage is illegal in bsd!Japan until Kafka Asagiri writes it into canon.*

*For example, I'm fairly certain Yokohama's municipal tax laws and regulations are similar enough to irl!Yokohama because Kunikida mentions a specific tax zone in Osamu Dazai's Entrance Exam that seemingly aligns with a tax zone specific to some contemporary Japanese municipalities, including Yokohama.

*Random fanfic of any gay BSD ships getting proposed to/are married/seems like they are married

“it’s cute and all but you’re forgetting that gay marriage is illegal in Japan”

Stfu, they are literally part of the mafia and have killed poeple, you really think they’d care about that💀

[cliffpavlovic]

2034: A Novel of the Next World War (by Elliot Ackerman & Admiral James Stavridis) #reading #book #bookstagram #elliotackerman #jamesstavridis #writing #novel #fiction #geopolitics #war #technology #publication #cdn #montreal #quebec #canada #mtl #mtlmoments #bookworm #bookcover (at Minto Apartments) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpVGFEzLiqC/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=