tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post7841203095895377121..comments2024-03-28T01:00:29.382-07:00Comments on TalkToYoUniverse: Wednesday Worldbuilding Workshop: Defining foundation conceptsJuliette Wadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-39875473113100228972011-07-07T14:34:36.297-07:002011-07-07T14:34:36.297-07:00Lxndr, I think that would depend on the context. I...Lxndr, I think that would depend on the context. It might, but I suspect that a scene with direct impact on your protagonist would be a better choice. If the newspaper has direct bearing on the protagonist, then that might be fun!Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-72045222925356990102011-07-07T13:22:13.171-07:002011-07-07T13:22:13.171-07:00So I've been thinking about this. A conceit th...So I've been thinking about this. A conceit that I've seen a lot of alt-historical novels (and non-alt-history novels) indulge themselves in is an introduction that's basically written as a newspaper article. With this story happening 15 years after the Rapture perhaps starting similarly, with a newspaper editorial retrospective, might be a good idea?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-75803529860444905022011-04-20T22:19:59.455-07:002011-04-20T22:19:59.455-07:00Small ones, Lxndr. I've tried to make clear in...Small ones, Lxndr. I've tried to make clear in my comments that Gifts and Awakenings don't need a ton of contextual support, but they would benefit from some. I think you could leave the Rapture out of the first 500 words and pick it up when it's most relevant. People won't stumble if there is no explanation of a genesis-of-powers event in the first 500 words. Such an event wouldn't be expected or necessary, so readers can most likely wait for it.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-70772973361697366802011-04-20T18:10:42.656-07:002011-04-20T18:10:42.656-07:00Megs is right, insofar as it is pretty much superh...Megs is right, insofar as it is pretty much superhero fiction (well, in this case, superhero + alternate history). <br /><br />I've been trying to figure out a balance between narrative and setting (and I've tested it on people who claim to not read sci fi OR superhero fiction, and they seem to be able to follow it, or at least say the questions they have are ones they're willing to find out later). <br /><br />You've already drawn the line between Gifts, Awakening and the Rapture that I expected to be drawn (including making the leap that the Rapture is what the people of this universe call whatever event caused the Awakenings). I'll admit, all of these get more explanation later in the story - the 500-word limit was a tough one. <br /><br />Things are explained later on, some in this chapter, some in other chapters (I have three perspective characters, who I like to think have different enough voices that they notice, and consider, different parts of the setting). I also plan on having chapters specifically set during the Rapture, so if the discussions about the Rapture prior to those chapters don't make things clear, things will hopefully fall into place by then.<br /><br />The analogy (specifically with alternate history) that rings true to me is that the setting is similar to a mystery, and that readers are happy to peel away layers until they get down to the root cause. People are willing to wait for the mysteries to be revealed, as long as what they're reading maintains their interest.<br /><br />This was VERY helpful, and thank you! My biggest question right now is: do the clarifications you're talking about need to be seen in the first 500 words?Lxndrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05230878994082743303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6320269312957801390.post-81732312553070442212011-04-20T12:14:13.202-07:002011-04-20T12:14:13.202-07:00I admit, I followed along fabulously, minus the Ra...I admit, I followed along fabulously, minus the Rapture bit, but it reads very much like superhero fiction vs. standard SFF. If that's the tone the author is going for and the book is packaged that way, then that goes a long way to helping people familiar with the genre to connect the blanks. But I also agree with Juliette that if this isn't the superhero genre or if your reader is unfamiliar with some of those stereotypes and expectations, slight rephrasing and deepening of concepts would be ultra-helpful.Megsnoreply@blogger.com