Continuing on with the Jeffrey A Carver online writing course this morning, I came across a world building exercise that's made me think there may be more juice to extract yet from my first submission. Don't get me wrong, the story's complete, submitted and ready for the public (is the public ready for it?)
He had me imagine a world in which there's only one fundamental difference from our own. Then come up with a list of consequences. I took the world of the Dream Stealers, from the recently submitted story, and came to the realisation that it would make a great backdrop to a series of stories, maybe even books.
This is what I came up with:
1} (The Point of Difference) The Dream Stealers exist and feed on imagination, ingenuity, and ambition.
2} Creative and or ambitious people seem to “burn out” at a surprisingly young age
3} Creativity is all youth-centric.
4} Artists, writers, scientists & entrepreneurs tend to be idolised but at the same time can't help but feel isolated.
5} Writers , scientists and artists (as well as of course rock stars) tour like, well, rock stars.
6} The burn outs are never talked about, and fade into obscurity very rapidly.
7} Science still progresses, but in very erratic fits and starts.
8} Very few radio stations actually focus on music, far more talk back. (Oh God NO, the HUMANITY!))
9} Most major companies lack a recognisable “face” as they're run entirely by committees.
10} Politicians (and all the creative types listed above) tend to be in their 20's or younger, rarely late 20's.
We shall see what comes of it. Dream Stealers wasn't my preferred style, I'm more a space opera kinda guy. But it does give me another playground to hang out in.
Just noticed (to my mild annoyance) that my posts are being date stamped from the previous day. Must be on American time zone for some reason, I can't find a setting to change for that. I've already put in my profile that I'm in Australia. I did change the spell check setting to UK English, it hasn't made a difference, still wants me to use far too many Z's and not enough U's for my liking.
I've spent a portion of the rest of my day solidifying my idea for another "world" to base some stories in. A pre-FTL space opera kind of place if you will.
Belt Wars and Aftermath
Earth's resources are just about exhausted. In a bid to keep the wheels of industry turning, and to stop the rapid slide into barbarism that would result from the inevitable war for the dwindling resources (not to mention living space) of mother earth, the nations and corporations of the earth as a joint project settle the asteroid belt with a mining community. They establish hydroponic farms with artificial suns, but the Belt's primary source of food will always be Earth. Hollowed out asteroids make for a handy start as basic housing. As it's so far from earth, they establish families, schools etc...
Local governance comes to the fore as an issue after a time as the Belter society begins to feel like second class citizens, taken advantage of by the greedy grasping corporate and government sponsors of earth. Revolution.
The Belt breaks away from Earth control in a long drawn out, brutal struggle. One Earth can't possibly win because of the distances involved and the logistical nightmare of building and supplying a military like no other that's existed previously, without the raw materials available to do so. Earth becomes a primitive (comparatively speaking) agrarian society who's sole stock in trade is biological. Food, textiles, people etc...
A new religion of sorts slowly starts to form among the Belters, something akin to the ancient superstitions of the mariners of earth.
Another war breaks out, with the pretence of religious tension(actually it's more economic factors, and the growing feeling of disaffection with the lot left them by the first Belt War.) Earth being the aggressor this time, and with one advantage over the last time in that the Belters aren't one cohesive political bloc any-more. Factions within the belt side with Earth. The mainstream Belters prevail, but only just and the peace is tenuous at best. Earth citizens are subjected to a rigorous evaluation process if they want to emigrate to the belt and travel for pleasure is out of the question due to the vast distances involved as only the richest of the Belt community can afford such luxuries, certainly not any of the poor beaten down masses from Earth.
So... I now have two playgrounds established in which my mind can play. The beauty of Belt Wars is that I can base a story anywhere along the timescale there too. On either side of the conflicts, or with the conflicts/tensions just sitting there as a background.
Carver put a link in to one of his short stories, an excellent example of short story fiction. In just under ten thousand words, he created not one world, but two linked in a very special way. His main character leaped off the page into vivid reality. Can't say more at this point as I'm awaiting his permission to put links to his work in here. You may consider dear reader perhaps purchasing one of his books. Dragon Rigger perhaps. A fascinating blend of sci fi and fantasy.
?:-) Got his permission (Only took 15 minutes, impressively fast and very helpful, these sci fi people I've been dealing with) so without further ado :
http://www.starrigger.net/mountain.htm
enjoy. I found it to be a rich rewarding read. (Almost sounds like a wine appreciation society blurb... rich, full of body with a hint of plum and cinnamon...)
I've not done any "actual writing" today, though I do feel I've laid the groundwork for a whole lot more to come. I did know about the idea of world creation before today, it just never occurred to me that short stories need it just as much as books do.
Yee Haa!! Just before bed (While Paula was reading through the blog for typos) I fished through the settings again, this time I went to the publishing tab and found the timezone and Australian English settings. I know it may seem petty to any American readers, but we Australians are probably even more particular than the English about spelling honour and colour with the U's in place, and randomise with an S rather than a Z. Many of us feel it's one of the last things keeping us from becoming the 52nd state. (Hi Canada, how're you doing up there?)
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