How do you go about writing a general TL without a single "protagonist"

So I was planning to either write a TL starting after the Black Death and one starting after the Congress of Vienna, both structure to not have a protagonist(as in a area that is more nuanced and described then others, even if I could end up making one of the countries the actual protagonist in the geopolitical stage).

The question is, how would you do it? The TL is going to be spanning centuries and continents, so should I make like chapter based or like a timeline? Or something else entirely?
 
I'm not sure if that's what you mean, but its entirely possible to write a TL in a more "textbook" format, that adopts an abstract analysis of History, simply retelling the events, episodes, circumstances - including the decisions and actions of individuals (like statesmen, generals, scientists, etc.) without focusing in any especific person.

Of course, even if you are not adept of the "Great Man Theory" of Historiography, it might come to a point where you discuss the fundamental role played by some individuals in shaping a determinate city, nation, region or even world's History. After all, you absolutely cannot avoid writing about European geopolitics in the 1820s without mentioning the impact of the Napoleonic Wars, or the industralization of Japan without at least glancing over the persona of Emperor Meiji, and so forth.
 
I'm not sure if that's what you mean, but its entirely possible to write a TL in a more "textbook" format, that adopts an abstract analysis of History, simply retelling the events, episodes, circumstances - including the decisions and actions of individuals (like statesmen, generals, scientists, etc.) without focusing in any especific person.

Of course, even if you are not adept of the "Great Man Theory" of Historiography, it might come to a point where you discuss the fundamental role played by some individuals in shaping a determinate city, nation, region or even world's History. After all, you absolutely cannot avoid writing about European geopolitics in the 1820s without mentioning the impact of the Napoleonic Wars, or the industralization of Japan without at least glancing over the persona of Emperor Meiji, and so forth.
By protagonist I meant that there is no particular country or area that is the focus, so it´s a general TL, like Disaster at some German city, the tl were Frederick the Great fails hard.
 
By protagonist I meant that there is no particular country or area that is the focus, so it´s a general TL, like Disaster at some German city, the tl were Frederick the Great fails hard.

Just write it like it was a combination of quotes from books, that way you can keep it without any grand focus.
 
Just write it like it was a combination of quotes from books, that way you can keep it without any grand focus.
I see, thanks!


What about the title, if I want to make it general do I just take your random Latin or prestige language quote?
 
I see, thanks!


What about the title, if I want to make it general do I just take your random Latin or prestige language quote?

Depends on what you want. Like on my TL's I got the idea for the Name of the Roman one from Aureleian's preference of the Sun God and his own nickname. On the Napoleonic One I got the idea from a comment of a friend.
 
The typical way for wide ranging TV's is to have updates that focus on a particular subject or area at a particular time. For instance Look To The West has a chapter about events in India followed by a chapter on events in China followed by a chapter examining how military technology has developed. You don't have to do a chapter on every little thing but it helps to keep the chapters focused even if the TL isn't. Although if you're got a major event such as a world war, it's best to dedicate the majority of chapters to it while it's going on.
 
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