The Crossroads of the Aether
I need your opinion - steampunk novel
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Major Girth on -
...that it be more about a good story and less about worrying if it's steampunk or not. Also...believability. Not "realism" but believability. I really dislike utopian suspension of realistic human nature. I gave a writing panel at SPWF on "Breaking the Magic Wand' that many writers like to wave to make their universe behave in a way that is radically different from the historical world without any chain of events or "breadcrumb trail" that created the divergence. (and this is mostly for alternative history steampunk).
While I have been accused by some on this site of requiring everyone must see steampunk through white, anglo, male dominated society eyes...that simpy isn't true. What I do prefer is if a writer is going to present social and cultural changes from the historic norm that they give some clue as to WHY and how these changes happened. I truly appreciate steampunk revisions of history and steampunk literary universes that are not just copies of the historic facts with gears glued on.
The example I used is if your steampunk universe is dominated by albino eskimo lesbians...how did it get that way? If women are socially equal or even dominate in your steampunk universe...where was the divergence? How did they achieve this status decades before the success of the suffragettes in a time when women were just getting a voice(historically)? How did you do away with all the "isms" of the early twentieth century that your fiction is ignoring? (not YOU personally...)
I'm NOT debating the value or legitimacy of this common steampunk troupe...but I prefer a universe that explains how this came to be rather than just requiring that I as the reader accept that the Victorian world suddenly and unexplainedly has contemporary values without having gone through the REAL Victorian age and the lessons it taught to achieve them.I cited a few tools a steampunk writer might use to achieve their universe goals in a believable way leaving a believable trail...
But now I'm plugging...
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Permalink Reply by Eden A. Burnes (AirshipMechanic) on -
I concur with Major Girth, there does seem to be a lot of disconnect with people just getting into steampunk lit or life.. whether it be shortsightedness or not explaining your work so that others may understand why certain things happened. If it is in a separate world that this is happening, all the power to you... however if your novel takes place in our world, how did we get from point A to point B?
In life, people look at steampunk and see brown, black, cream, goggles, gears, and Victorian garb. To many there are no colors beyond what is generic, there are no added aesthetics, there is no multiculturalism. With any steampunk novel I read, I want to hear about the scientists, the explorers, pirates, mechanics, etc and i want to see colors without needing a pair of goggles unless someone is in an ornithopter with wind and bugs flying in their eyes. Please with whatever idea you come up with, don't be short sighted, and pleeeeaaase make it make sense.
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Permalink Reply by Whitney Hitt on -
I really appreciate your insight. I have written quite a few different categories of literature. This is one that I have never tried, but I have been considering for more than a year. I have no definite ideas about the plot or anything of that nature yet, but I hope that I can come up with something that will be a good read for anyone who reads it.
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Permalink Reply by G.A. Jack Hammerquist on -
Although I have not finished my current work I have done a ton of research to make it as real as I can, I feel there is with any fictional story an acceptable amount of suspension of disbelief is important. The story must be believable within some boundaries. I have also read many steampunk novels some are better than others. Like any story, when you read it it must come alive for the reader. But I am sure you know all this anyway... So with all that said... I would say the most important aspect of writing a good and believable novel is to have a love of the subject matter. Then if not love at least a firm understanding of the world from which you draw your inspiration from. A friend of mine told me to never write about something you have no knowledge of. Because it will be apparent to anyone who does have knowledge of the subject. Such and sparkly vampires.... shudders.
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Permalink Reply by Eden A. Burnes (AirshipMechanic) on
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~shudders and wrinkles nose in disgust along with you~
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Permalink Reply by G.A. Jack Hammerquist on
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After having given this subject some more thought and after having read the rest of the replies... I think with any story that is steampunk their are elements that need, no must be included.
First and foremost is the Historical setting... This is far more flexible than some would think due to the following factors.
Just because Our history was one way does not mean a parallel world would have the same history... ie. the age of steam did not have to end in 1910 or so... it could have continued for the next 200 years... After all if something ain't broke don't fix it. If you want it broke give it to the government.... but that is another discussion for later...
The driving forces behind a culture are exceedingly important in some cases. Such as... why would the world have a steam age that continues far beyond what technological innovation would normally allow. Example: Why did a world keep the steam engine and not go the internal combustion engine.. And explaining this reason in the course of the story.
Environment also could play a role in your story..Does you world have a lot of steam geysers? etc...
Peoples with in the world... is their a single race or are their many? If a single then are there different color peoples... How are the people of color treated... ( I know this may seem obvious as was the case of slavery but I am thinking of it on more a class issue.) Red colored are rulers white are worker. Tan are farmers.. etc. (this is a pull from the old Star Trek TOS).
Magic and Technology...
What is the techs highest level of development? Such as... WMD's could they build an atom bomb... finding this level and maintaining it.
It there magic or is it tech that only a few understand and in turn use it to control the masses.
One last thing about tech is... How common is it in the world? Can you walk down the street, throw a rock and hit something that is powered by steam or in some way effected by the tech. Or is it a dawning age of steam where steam power is for the most part rare and unique. If so who has it? The government? Is this the sole property of those in power? Or are they stodgy old fogies and afraid of the power of steam? Are scientist and inventors the ones who control the power of steam.
Metallurgy is also important to the world of steam punk. Does your world have some metal that we do not or do they have it in greater abundance?
Magic... this one I am sure you can figure out on your own.
This list could go on and on..
For me and my story, I have a power source that when mixed with water it creates steam in a non harmful way much like a nuke reactor would. I call it a Steam Reactor since it creates steam with a reaction. simple and effective. There is a limited supply of the ore and at this point in my story it appears that the ore does not get exhausted. What this means is, A) my character is rich. B) he is smart. C) he is bored and adventurous. (he discovered the ore and conceived how it might be used)
Okay one more one last thing... Airships, Battery powered Subs, Underground Steam Moles, Trains, Cars, trucks, tractors, Steam (motor) bikes. Orothopters (air craft that fly by moving their wings) Helicopters of some sort. Prosthetic limbs, Difference Engines and the like (gear driven computers). Electricity, Weapons, Types of engines (steam, Internal Combustion Engine- ICE {gas and diesel}, pulse jet engine.) Human type Clockwork Automations (robots)
All these were either conceived of or dreamed up in the 1800's And I plan on using a lot of them in my story.
I hope this helps.
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Permalink Reply by S.C. Barrus on -
Personally I begin with character, themes, plot and then move on to setting and the rest. This means that while I am writing a novel which can be categorized as Steampunk, it also has universal characteristics that readers can hold onto. Remember that many readers will come for the genre but they will stay for the relationships, the characters, and the themes. That's what makes any novel great no matter the genre.
So, what elements should you be sure to include in your novel? Whatever serves your story or the world you've created.
Another thing that works well for me is writing the basic character interaction and action in my first draft, and adding all the other elements in rewrites. This give you a chance to get your basic thoughts on paper quickly, and also allows you the time to be thoughtful about everything else.
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Permalink Reply by Earl Grey (The Mad Aristocrat) on -
That the world, story, or characters has at least one majorly unique aspect about it to differentiate it from the rest of the genre.
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Permalink Reply by DeAnna Cameron on -
Interesting discussion. I'll be moderating a steampunk panel at a romance authors convention in a couple weeks and we'll be talking about this.
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Permalink Reply by G.A. Jack Hammerquist on
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Do tell us the juicy bits when you get back.... :) And best of luck and have a blast with your panel.
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Permalink Reply by S.C. Barrus on
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That should be fun. Good luck at your panel!
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Permalink Reply by DeAnna Cameron on
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So, the panel was quite interesting. The authors represented were Suzanne Lazear ("Innocent Darkness," an elfpunk YA romance), Theresa Meyers ("The Hunter" & "The Slayer" in The Legend Chronicles, a western steampunk), and Cindy Holby writing as Kassy Tayler ("Ashes of Twilight," first in a steampunk dystopian series). Since this was the Romance Writers of America conference, it's not surprising that these novels are heavily oriented toward romance.
And since this workshop was intended for authors (aspiring and published) who are interested in writing steampunk, the content focused primarily on defining the genre and its elements. So, Steam = the Victorian era and its materials. And Punk = attitude.
Then the authors presented the leading archetypes to be found in Steam Punk stories: Adventurer/Explorer, Airship Captain/Aviator/Aviatrix, Aristocrat, Cardsharp/Snake Oil Salesman, Dandy and Lolita, Saloon Girl/Femme Fatale, Hunters, Inventor/Mad Scientist, Mechanic, The Professor and Reporter, The Airship Pirate, Military Man or Woman, Suffragette.
They also mentioned that the genre embraces cross-cultural characters and plots and inventions that transcend the period. (We do love our gadgets!)
Also, that writers who pursue a Steam Punk story would do well to be aware of the world events and variety of fashions that emerged during the Victorian era whether they evoke them or not.
And if you are deviating from the historical record to create an alternate history, then it is imperative to be consistent within your narrative, have reason and logic for what you are doing, not to let the backstory overwhelm the story you are trying to tell, and presenting the technology in such a way that the reader will not require a degree to understand it.
That was it, for the most part.
So what do you think? What would you add (or omit, as the case may be)?
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