#writer guide

I often get asked about how the dynamic works between royals of different nations and I thought I would make this guide to help you beteer understand and write how those interactions would go. Royalty tend to expect formality before they allow themselvesto embrace informality and this goes for evej with other royals. So lets’s get into it.

Who Bows First?

Royalty does bow and curtsy to one another but it is a tricky sort of dance with so many rules that anybody could get caught up with.

With monarchs, they would not bow or curtsy to one another, instead as they are equals they would go for a handshake or a kiss on the cheek or am embrace. They do not address each other by their titles but would refer to each other as “cousin” or “brother/sister” or “my friend”

Consorts, male or female, would bow to monarchs and sovereigns but not to one another as they are equals. They would greet each other with kisses or an embrace or a nod

Princes and princes is a littler tougher. They would not bow to each other if equally ranked, but if they aren’t, say the spouse of a second son meeting the heir’s spouse, they would cursty/bow especially if their spouse wasn’t present. They would address monarchs/consorts by “Your Majesty/Your Grace” until or if told otherwirse by the monarch or consort themselves.

During a State Visit

If one royal family is visting another, and they do from time to time, there are a myriad of concerns that might arise. For example, who enters a room first, who is served first, who gets the first bow/curtsy? It is all very mind-boggling especially if you are a noble or a servant. Generally, this is how the deal goes.

Nobles and servants would bow and address their monarch first, then the guest monarch, them their consort and then the guest consort and then the HRHs in order of precedence. It can be a little confusing.

At events, the host monarch would enter a room first, sometimes with their own spouse but sometimes with the spouse of the guest monarch if they attend the event. The guest monarch would follow closely behind, with the host heir and then the HRHs following after them.

At State banquets, seating is arranged by rank: monarchs at the center next to each other with their consorts beside them, with Princes and Princesses sat on other side according to rank. The first toast would be the honour of the host monarch and usually answered by a speech by the guest monarch and then if the heir wishes to speak, they would be permitted a short speech but usually the two monarchs talking is enough. Non-royal guests and those who are not the monarch/consort being addressed would rise during toasts.

Entente Cordiale

How To Injure Your Characters

It is a common joke between writerly friends and I that I do quite enjoy harming / injuring my characters. So much so, that whenever I message a friend saying I finished a really awesome scene, they’ll reply with “who did you hurt this time.”  So let’s talk about how to injure your characters, and how to do so to better your book!  Realistic When injuring a character, I’ve generally got a few…

A post Pandemic, post war world ruled by billionaires living it up with an economic depression looming - no, not the 2020s, the 1920s. The 1920s was an era known for its bold fashion, where men and women left pre-war fashion behind in order to party it up.

Shock occurs when blood flow halts suddenly due to trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes. Shock halts blood flow to the organs and if untreated, shock can cause permanent organ damage or even be fatal.

Kinds of Shock

Septic Shock: caused by bacteria

Anaphylactic Shock: caused by hypersensitivity or allergic reaction

Cardiogenic Shock: from heart damage

Hypovolemic Shock: from blood or fluid loss, and neurogenic shock from spinal cord trauma

Symptoms of Shock

Clammy/cold skin

Quickened pulse

Enlarged pupils

The fingertips/lips turn blue (or grey on darker complexions)

Sharp, shallow breathing

The person has turned pale or ashen

Nausea

Dizziness

Fainting

Weakness

Extreme Anxiety

Treating Shock

(it is always important to seek medical help)

Lay the patient down and elevate their legs and feet slightly. Do not attempt if you think this may cause pain or injury.

Keep the person still

Loosen tight clothing, to free them of constraint. If the patient is shivering, cover them with a blanket.

Don't let the person eat or drink anything.

Keep them calm by speaking with them until help arrives.

Fashion is one of my favourite worldbuilding components and choosing which way I want characters to look, is one part of research that is more fun than work. The use of different styles give each culture a defined feel and could act as a symbol of all kinds of lands in your WIP. Since it is your WIP, you can play with different elements of the gowns and pay fast and loose with the styles.

(If you want a more in-depth look at the structure of gowns and the composition of gowns have a look here)

Kirtle

The kirtle was technically an under dress to be worn under a grander gown though some women wore it as a gown itself over their chemise. The kirtle could be made of any material and worn by any woman of any rank. It could be laced at the back, front and even, though rarely, the side.

Sarafan

The sarafan is a traditional Russian dress worn mainly by the peasants (since Peter the Great banned traditional Russian costumes from the nobility in order to drag them toward Westernization). It rather resembles a pinafore and often worm under a lighter gown like a slip. During the reign of Nicholas I, a stylised version of the sarafan was allowed to be worn by the women of the Royal court. They fancied up the sarafan, adding a popular boat-line neckline and long dragging sleeves. It is one of my favourite looks of all time.

Gamurra

This was the most popular gown in Renaissance Italy. The waist was high, usually pleated beneath the bust and had a square neckline. The gown would be worn over the lady's chemise and corset and perhaps another under dress. It was worn by both nobles and commoners.

Burgundian Gowns/Houppelande

These gowns were high-waisted, belted underneath the bust. The neckline was classically shaped in a V, often showing off another fabric underneath. These gowns were worn by highborn women.

The Farthingale

This gown is named after the structure that held it in place. The skirts would be stretched into a dome-like, bell-jar shape, often fitted about the waist over a bum-roll (stop sniggering) a piece of padded fabric hung about the waist to widen the skirt's distance from the bodice. You know what they say, the bigger the Farthingale the bigger the rank. Worn through the 15th & 16th centuries.

Robe à l'Anglaise

This gown is the classic silhouette of the 18th century. The sleeves usually stopped at the elbow. The neckline was usually cut square. The bodice could be done up in front by laces or buttons. The skirts usually were supported by panniers and often reached staggering girth.

Robe à la Française

This French gown was similar to the Robe à l'Anglaise only that the back featured a train made from pleated fabric that draped from the shoulders to the floor. The gown often opened at the front to show another material beneath.

Robe à la Polonaise

The Robe à la Polonaise was similar to the last two gowns excepting a skirt that featured an overskirt which was picked up and pleated to show the under skirt.

Chiton

If I am to be completely honest with you all, I know nothing about make-up. Those little brushes and endless sponges mean nothing to me except the fact that they are really soft and sometimes shiny. I don't wear makeup so you can imagine how useless I am at modern make-up.

However, history is my jam and I know about what make-up they use centuries ago. So never fear @theflyingravenbird I got you.

Ingredients and Applications

Make-up and cosmetics of the past were usually sourced from natural ingredients. The more difficult the ingredients were the more expensive the cosmetic was. Natural dies such as red ochre and berries were used to stain lips or colour powder to use as blusher to add colour to the lips. For examples:

Geishas of Japan are probably the most recognizable make-up wearers in the world. Historically and in some more traditional okiyas, the geishas painted their faces with rice powder to give them that unbroken, white complexion. A popular recipe for their crimson lipsticks involved extracting pigment from crushed safflower petals.

Henna paste made from the eponymous plant can be used as hair dye and to trace designs on the feet and hands.

Kohl is a black powder that is famous for its popularity in Egyptian Cultures and even the Persian Empire. Kohl lines the eyes like modern eyeliners and is found when one grounds stibnite. Kohl actually had the luck of preventing eye infections which no doubt helped in the climate of Egypt and beyond.

The Phoenicians used powdered metals of gold, silver and other metals to dust their faces. This is reputably thought to denote their wealthy status.

Rouge or blusher has had numerous recipes throughout history. The Ancient Egyptians made rouge from red ochre and animal fat. The Romans made their rouge from lead and cinnabar, which sounds about as bad for you as you think it does. The Ancient Greeks made it from pressed mulberries or other fruits such as beet and strawberries. The Ancient Chinese made rouge from extracts of coloured flowers.

Ancient Chinese cultures used a mixture of gumarabic, gelatin, beeswax, and eggs to stain their nails. The colors were often used to denote social class. Gold and silver was worn by royalty or black and red. The lower classes were not prohibited to wear bright colours.

Lipstick has also a few recipes. Egyptians used pounded carmine, a kind of insect, to smear on their lips. Other ancient civilizations used red ochre. Vermilion (though toxic) was also used, along with crushed flowers with red pigment mixed with beeswax during the Elizabethan period.

During the late Elizabeth and then again in the Baroque period, women and some men began to paint their faces with white powder. The layer of white lead and vinegar, or ceruse was popular for tears despite the hair loss and death it caused.

Make Up Tools

Powderpuffs: the powderpuff was a pad of soft material meant to apply powder to one's face. They were made of feathers, cotton or sheep's fleece.

Brushes: Brushes have been been around for ever. They have been found in some of the earliest Egyptian tombs. The brushes were often made from animal hair with wooden or more expensive handles.

Pots of pigment, scents and ointments: Some early tombs excavated from ancient civilizations have included what amounts to a palette (thank you lil sis for that word). The pigments in the pots would be very expensive. Ointments and balms have also been found. Perfumes were very popular in antiquity and made a recurrence in Europe after the Crusades (which helped since some of the make up smelled awful).

Make Up and Social standing

Though make up is rather popular now, it had a rather uncertain rise to popularity.

Most Ancient civilizations wore some kind of cosmetic. The overuse of cosmetics in ancient times was frowned on as prostitutes and actors often wore dramatic make up however the elite often smeared themselves with powders to make them paler and redden their cheeks.

In the Middle Ages, makeup had a dual reputation. The Church frowned on it because it was again popular with prostitutes and actors but it was a common consensus that if the woman was scarred from smallpox or some other disease she was excused from being labelled as vain.

In the late Elizabethan period, theatres were getting more popular and as was makeup. Actors began wearing make up more frequently as did the elite. Elizabeth I herself was infamous for her milk-white skin. Make up became more sociably acceptable among the rich and noble at this point.

The 1700s probably saw the height of make up madness. Both women and men of the elite powdered themselves with white lead paint. They rouged their cheeks to high pigment and stuck small dots of felt to cover blemishes. The commons began to poke fun at the elite's strange obsession with looking like they've lost all their blood. Dandies and painted noblewomen were often poked fun at by pamphlets and satirical cartoons.

The Victorians frowned on make up, thinking it garish and common. Queen Victoria herself denounced make up as uncouth which lead the elite to abandon it in droves. However, most women prized a clear complexion so there was a lot of secret make-up-ing going on.

So I will admit to watching the Witcher for a few reasons: I love Fantasy epics, costumes, worldbuilding and Henry Cavill. *clears throat noisily* Moving on.... After watching it, I noticed some things that we can learn from it as writers.

Magick

Magick is a grand theme in the Witcher. Everything is touched by magick somehow and it is part of the world. What I like about it? It's realistic and isn't some Disney-sounding shit. Every mention of magick is gilded by some tragedy.

Yennefer wishes to be beautiful and shed her deformities, which costs her fertility.

Geralt's transformation to Witcher gives him great skill in battle but also costs him his fertility

Jaskier's wishes to the Jinn almost kill him.

The girls practising magick in the opening episodes get hurt, die and transformed into eels for their failure.

If magick is easy and solves everything, there is no story. What need is there for anything?

Playing with Timelines

I have heard a lot of people moaning about the time line of the Witcher. It isn't until the end of the season that we see that Ciri's timeline is the present and everything that Geralt and Yennefer go through from episode one is the past. The timelines meet at the end. I was very impressed because jumping between flashbacks and the present can be confusing, like This is Us and The Hamdmaid's Tale (tv series) for example, which can add the feeling of effort to the audience. The audience should be tested with little tidbits and false leads because it adds a bit of fun to the narrative but they should be yanked about like a goose on a string. By disguising the two timelines and only dropping subtle hints that the time line is not what it seems (Yennefer's claim that its been three decades since she's worked for the king)

Humour

Jaskier is the best part of the Witcher. What could have been a quick insert turned into a well established character with a part to play. His jokes and little asides soften up Geralt's stoic attitude and the world's gritty outlook. Humour can save a story and make characters more approachable. Also every time Geralt says fuck, it just resonates with us all.

The Strong, Stoic Male Brooder Archetype

Geralt is the hero of our story. He's complex, he's strong and he is a badass. We are basically programmed to love him. We are told that Witchers don't feel anything and most of the time Geralt seems to live up to it. As cool as this sounds, it does distance him from us, the human audience as we feel emotions. Geralt would be very unapproachable if it weren't for the characters about him. As intriguing as Geralt of Rivia is, he would be very hard to love if it didn't dote on Jaskier, Roach, Yennefer and Ciri.

Cultures