Politics in Our Writing:

Including “Politics In Our Writing” helps while crafting authentic political narratives is essential in the realm of storytelling. Politics serves as a cornerstone of effective world-building, adding depth and intrigue to narratives when done correctly. However, the line between enriching your story with political elements and breaking immersion with poorly executed political insertions is thin. This exploration delves into how writers can weave politics into their stories authentically while avoiding common pitfalls that can date or weaken their work.

The Essential Role of Politics in World-Building

Politics forms the backbone of believable worlds, creating the framework within which characters operate and conflicts arise. When skillfully integrated, political elements enhance the reader’s understanding of power dynamics and societal structures within your fictional universe.

Showing vs. Telling Through Political Interactions

The Dune series exemplifies masterful political world-building through the actions of Emperor Shaddam IV, who murdered his father to seize the throne. This patricide, committed with the help of his confidant Count Fenring, establishes high stakes and complex motivations that drive the narrative forward. The mutual political dependency between Shaddam and Fenring—each capable of destroying the other by revealing their crime—creates tension and intrigue that permeates the entire story.

Through these political machinations, Frank Herbert shows rather than tells readers about his universe. The politics doesn’t exist in exposition dumps but manifests through character actions and consequences, demonstrating how effective political storytelling can enhance world-building without overwhelming the narrative.

Creating Realistic Power Structures

Whether crafting a thieves’ guild, medieval baronies, or a galactic empire, understanding the vested interests of different power players is crucial. Guild masters, lieutenants, street operatives—all have distinct motivations shaped by their position in the political hierarchy.

When Baron Harkonnen assassinates Duke Atreides in Dune, the power balance shifts dramatically, affecting everyone under their rule. Similarly, if a fictional baron attempts to seize another’s silver mine, it creates grounds for civil war, generating plot opportunities and allowing characters to navigate changing political landscapes.

Common Pitfalls: When Politics In Our Writing Breaks Immersion

While politics is essential to storytelling, poorly executed political elements can jar readers out of the narrative experience, undermining the story’s credibility and longevity.

Anachronistic Political Insertions

One of the most common mistakes writers make is inserting modern political sensibilities into historical or fantasy settings without considering contextual differences. The transcript cites an example of an 18-year-old male character crying in a medieval setting—an emotional display that would have been highly unusual in an era where boys became hardened soldiers by their mid-teens.

Historical accuracy matters when depicting political and social structures. In medieval Europe, young men often enlisted with their barons at 16, returning with combat experience that shaped their outlook and opportunities. Those who distinguished themselves in battle could rise to knighthood and potentially to nobility if a baron died without an heir. Understanding these historical realities helps writers avoid anachronistic portrayals that break immersion.

Heavy-Handed Political Allegories

Another pitfall is creating overly obvious political allegories that date the work. The transcript references a 1950s science fiction story featuring an “iron curtain in space”—a heavy-handed metaphor for Cold War politics that feels jarring and impractical when read today.

While allegorical elements can enrich storytelling, they should be integrated organically rather than forced into the narrative. Obvious political insertions often sacrifice believability for message, resulting in work that feels dated rather than timeless.

Crafting Evergreen Political Narratives

The key to effective political storytelling lies in creating narratives that remain relevant and engaging long after publication—what writers call “evergreen” content.

Contextual Consistency Through Politics In Our Writing

Political elements must make sense within the established world. In Dune, Shaddam IV’s behavior as a 35-year-old “layabout” makes sense because his father lived to 120, creating a unique political dynamic where the heir grew impatient waiting for succession. This contextual consistency ensures that political motivations feel authentic rather than forced.

When crafting political systems, consider how factors like lifespan, technology, and resource distribution would realistically shape political structures and motivations. The politics of your world should emerge organically from its established rules rather than feeling imposed from outside.

Character-Driven Political Motivations

Effective political narratives center on characters whose motivations feel authentic and compelling. Count Fenring and his wife in Dune serve as political puppet masters, pulling strings behind the scenes in ways that enrich the story’s complexity. Their actions make sense given the geopolitical situation and add depth to the narrative.

When developing politically motivated characters, ensure their actions align with both their personal goals and the broader political context. This alignment creates believable characters whose political machinations drive the plot forward rather than distracting from it.

Balancing Politics and Storytelling

The most successful politically infused narratives maintain a delicate balance, using politics to enhance rather than overshadow the core story.

Politics as Plot Driver

Politics should serve the story, not the other way around.

Dune and the politics of that fictional empire did the Politics in our Stories beautifully.  I published a separate article on that HERE.

When Baron Harkonnen assassinates Duke Atreides, this political act drives the plot forward, creating consequences that reverberate throughout the narrative. Similarly, the complex relationship between Emperor Shaddam and Count Fenring generates tension and intrigue that enriches the storytelling.

Effective political narratives use political elements to create meaningful conflicts and character arcs rather than as vehicles for contemporary commentary. This approach ensures that the politics feels integral to the story rather than imposed upon it.

Avoiding Dated Referencing Politics In Our Writing

To create truly evergreen content, writers must be careful about incorporating specific contemporary references that might date their work. The “Iron Curtain in space” example demonstrates how overtly referencing current events can make a story feel tied to a particular era, limiting its long-term appeal.

Instead, focus on universal political themes—power, ambition, loyalty, betrayal—that resonate across time periods and cultural contexts. These timeless elements ensure your story remains relevant and engaging for future readers.

Implementing Politics Across Different Genres

Political elements can enhance storytelling across various genres, from high fantasy to science fiction to historical fiction, though the approach may differ depending on the setting and tone.

Fantasy and Historical Settings

In fantasy and historical settings, political authenticity requires understanding the social structures and power dynamics of the era being emulated. The politics of medieval Europe, for instance, was shaped by feudal relationships, religious authority, and military service. Writers must research these historical realities to create believable political systems that avoid anachronistic elements.

When crafting fantasy politics, consider how factors like magic, non-human races, or alternative technologies might realistically affect political structures while maintaining internal consistency.

Science Fiction and Futuristic Settings

Science fiction offers unique opportunities for political exploration through speculative scenarios. However, even futuristic politics should maintain internal logic and consistency. The extended lifespans in Dune create political dynamics that wouldn’t make sense in other settings but work perfectly within Herbert’s established universe.

When developing futuristic political systems, consider how technological advancements, environmental changes, or social evolution might realistically shape political structures while avoiding simplistic extrapolations of current political divisions.

Conclusion: The Art of Political Storytelling

Politics in writing is essential but must be handled with care and nuance. The most successful politically-infused narratives integrate political elements organically, ensuring they enhance rather than detract from the story’s believability and longevity.

By focusing on contextual consistency, character-driven motivations, and universal themes, writers can create political narratives that remain engaging and relevant long after publication. Remember that effective political storytelling shows rather than tells, using character actions and consequences to illuminate political dynamics rather than relying on heavy-handed exposition or contemporary references.

In the end, the art of political storytelling lies in balance—using politics to enrich your narrative world while ensuring it serves the story rather than overshadowing it. When done correctly, political elements add depth, complexity, and authenticity to your storytelling, creating works that truly stand the test of time.

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If you would like to read some more, maybe try Character Dialogue