Jerry
Minstrel
Not really world-building, but perhaps it is... but my question, how best do we fill in the reader to an era or time, year, in a dystopian-speculative world that doesn't exist though of course, closely relates to our own in an era specific. (I know, speculative fiction 101). Certainly wardrobe, buildings, transportation may work, but say as in 'A Song of Ice and Fire' or 'The Handmaid's Tale' - both take place in distinct and obvious times and era without mentioning it or the year as in example, "The year of our Lord, 1231' etc. There's a resemblance but...
Fire and Ice takes place in medieval times relatively while Handmaid's is a dystopian America, but how does the reader know going in? Though Fire and Ice is a bit more easier to grasp in setting and fictional time, it doesn't ever mention the age, era, etc itself, I think. Though we may understand the setting, familiar surroundings, costumes, how is it conveyed we are not in 'traditional medieval times' from the get go without mentioning an era - or do we? Same as in Handmaid's... It's modern America (North America really I suppose) yet dystopian. Tricks? Tips? What's a good approach to tell readers where we are? I'm assuming as the novel progresses, it will reveal itself. The flaps of books, or sections in bookstores, at least there we can get the idea or before you hand it off to someone, we give them a blurb. But in the overall writing process approach, what is best? I'm assuming the approach is simply let it unfold.
Fire and Ice takes place in medieval times relatively while Handmaid's is a dystopian America, but how does the reader know going in? Though Fire and Ice is a bit more easier to grasp in setting and fictional time, it doesn't ever mention the age, era, etc itself, I think. Though we may understand the setting, familiar surroundings, costumes, how is it conveyed we are not in 'traditional medieval times' from the get go without mentioning an era - or do we? Same as in Handmaid's... It's modern America (North America really I suppose) yet dystopian. Tricks? Tips? What's a good approach to tell readers where we are? I'm assuming as the novel progresses, it will reveal itself. The flaps of books, or sections in bookstores, at least there we can get the idea or before you hand it off to someone, we give them a blurb. But in the overall writing process approach, what is best? I'm assuming the approach is simply let it unfold.