How to weave modern politics into your fantasy or sci-fi novel

On this day in 1945, George Orwell’s Animal Farm was published, so it’s fitting that author Jay Schiffman would reference the novel in a post we’re sharing today.

Schiffman, who received a Ph.D. in political science before becoming a writer, has five pieces of advice for incorporating modern-day politics into novels set in the future (or alternative worlds).

We’ll spoil one tip here — read celebrated novels that successfully worked in politics — and send you to Writer’s Digest for the rest.