 Fantasy: February 28, 2018 Issue [#8778] |
  Fantasy
This week: Picking and Researching a Time Period Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Fantasy Newsletter by Dawn
History is a helpful subject and can help to creature a speculative fiction story, whether it's alternative histories or just inspiration from them. Research on specific time periods can help but first one has to decide which era to use as inspiration. |
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While fiction and make believe are fantastic, there is much we can learn from history and some of that can be used in creating new stories.
I have one story that I started a couple of years ago that I'm trying to get back to writing that was first inspired by a strange prompt from a contest here on WDC. On a whim, I considered using a more alternative history approach and well, things have sparked from there. First was the idea of having a story set during prohibition. That has led to taking the idea full on, which means... research.
This interest brought about a trip to the library in order to find books on the 1920's. I never was that into history growing up as far as a school subject matter but that has changed. It's fascinating and can really help in creating fantasy stories.
There is alternative history and steampunk, which use sections of history while creating a fictional story. Keeping elements of reality intermixed with the speculative is part of what makes for the creation of something intriguing that readers can enjoy. Or one can still make up pretty much everything while still having historical influences.
But how do you pick a historical period in story to use?
Good question. It will depends on the writer and the story. For example, the one I'm working on was sparked by a decision to use a particular situation found within history. I picked prohibition based on the story starting to develop in my head, which then meant needing to know more about the 1920's in order to get the little details right within the world I'm creating. One thing sparked another and now there is the potential for even more. But for someone else, it might be an interest that already exists. Maybe you have always loved the 1960's and want to learn more. Why not also put a story in that time period?
Once you pick when in history to use, then the time comes to do the work, which is more than just writing. It's time for research. Time for a trip to the library or you can open another window and use google, whichever you prefer. There are many historical books out there (web sites too) available to help. For those in the United State who are wanting to research specific decades, one useful example is a series of books that are called: A Cultural History of the United States Through the Decades. I'm reading the one on the 1920's and it's very useful. The book includes many different elements during the time along with helpful pictures.
Where to go from there? After research, then we get to the fun and write. Or if you're like me, then you'll do both at the same time. Cause let's be honest, for some of us, it's always time to write.
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How do you pick a section of history to use for a story? Where do you go for research?
Last time, I gave a list of sci-fi authors and novels that I've found to read, most of which are deemed classics. Here are some comments sent in over the reading list:
Comment by JayNaNoOhNo 
Good list, Dawn! (Heinlein I don't like, but he seems to fall into the 'love him or hate him' category of writers. Stranger in a Strange Land got a little too 'trippy' for me.)
- Well, I've only read (or well listened to) the one book from Heinlein and that was back in college. Hard to say either way really though the Left Hand of Darkness was interesting, at least to me.
Comment by HWinB.C. 
Thank you, Dawn for the plug. :) I personally have found Sci-Fi increasing difficult to write in a world that is sci-fi to me. What was once sci-fi is not longer fiction.
I too enjoy Connie Willis and her time travel books. Another author was Arthur C. Clark in which one of his classics was made into a mini-series "Childhoods End". It was a good show.
Orson Scott Card's Enders Game recently came to mind with the emerging virtual reality world. An intriguing story of which I don't want to give away spoilers, but deserves a thought of two in our current world. It was also made into a movie.
Thanks for a great newsletter. I look forward to the rest on this topic.
HWinB.C.
- You make an interesting point. What they wrote about as sci-fi in the past is more of a reality now. So what can we create that will be sci-fi that will stand out from our reality.
Comment by John Yossarian 
Read em all. My favs? Stranger in a Strange land and Ender's Game. Although I don't know if Card would be classified as 'Classic' author.
- Well done on having read them all. I'm sure others are far more read that I am in the genre. Some might not put Card in with "classics" but his name came up in my search and I have yet to read one despite Ender's Game being so known, thus I included him in the list.
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