Here's the background.
I've designed the planet. I've done dozens of hours of research. I've written up something like 130 pages of background on the planet - climate, regions, continents, size/mass (of the planet itself), the system. Included in those pages is also the "history" of the planet's various regions, the basis for the main philosophical background, the planetary government, religious beliefs (there's more than one), their approach to events and life ...
No, not patting myself on the back, just giving you the background - I know this place well. Perhaps too well.
My problem?
How do I introduce all of these things without bogging down a story with the obligatory infodumps? How do I present the standard expectations of the Emperor? Slavery is widespread and accepted on this world - but it is organized, civilized, and being a slave does not mean you lose all rights or expect to be abused. There are so many things ...
I know that you present in a story, that you show and don't tell, but sometimes it doesn't work. The planet is roughly 5% larger and has 7% greater mass than Earth, resulting in a more physically challenging race. How does that get shown without saying it - or do I just blow that off, because it doesn't have a severe impact on the story?
This is something that's been plaguing me for some time now, and I'm trying to get my seval all lined up before I start. ("seval", by the way, are waterfowl roughly equivalent to ducks - except that they have been known to treat smaller animals as prey, not just fish)
Thanks for all the help.
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"Just because you close the door, don't mean the bear ain't still outside."
50,937 / 50,000
avr. 11, 2008 - 17 06
It sounds like you have a massive (and beautiful) setup. I suggest you start dropping your characters into this world of yours. Do you have any ideas who they might be?
1.) The slave who (although he is not abused) still wants his freedom?
2.) The farmer who notices something is wrong with the water, and it is killing her livestock?
3.) The traders from Earth who land there after getting lost on a trip through uncharted space?
Your characters will begin to move through your world and encounter things in a very natural and organic way. If somebody is unfamiliar with things, they might ask another character what that thing is. If somebody is familiar with it, they will take it for granted. Present things to the reader as they become relevant to the characters, but filter out the details that don't have to come immediately. For example:
A character wakes up. Is it really important for us to know s/he sleeps in a round bed? Is it important that the house is also round? Is it important that you can hear the river from outside the window, and that the window is open? If it is important, include it. If it isn't important, bury it in the text by not dwelling on it:
"Joab awoke and rolled off the edge of his bed. His legs caught him but wobbled. "I had too much obah to drink last night" he thought. He still felt like he was swaying. He skirted round the shaft of sunlight coming down through the window. Joab knew that the round shaft of light would be too bright for his eyes. Hung over as he was from the sweet tasting obah from last night, the rest of the room seemed too bright. As he headed for the door, Joab wondered whether his new master would be as forgiving as his old one."
In my sample, I just told readers the following:
1.) the window was round
2.) obah is a drink that tastes sweet but is intoxicating
3.) Joab has a (new) master
4.) Joab had a master who (may have) cared less about Joab's drinking (habit(s))
50,833 / 50,000
avr. 11, 2008 - 17 06
How do I introduce all of these things without bogging down a story with the obligatory infodumps?
Introduce only what is essential to the story. And a good place to introduce many of the things is at the moment where each becomes important to the story, the moment where it affects a character's actions.
Consider simply assuming most of those things, and trust your readers to glean most of it from the context. Write the story as if your audience were members of that society. Then add only those details that are necessary so that your real 2008 readers can understand the characters' actions, only those details that they can't learn or guess from the context.
If it affects the story in a noticeable way, use it. If it doesn't, omit it.
Dale
2,496 / 50,000
avr. 11, 2008 - 20 37
(Replying to each individually - easier that way! One now, one in the morning.)
Bonklebert - thanks for the reply!
(interesting name, by the way)
Actually, I have the main characters all conceived, created, historied, the whole nine yards. A cast of thousands! Okay, more like 3-4 main characters and a dozen or so background characters. The plot is in place. The outline is well on its way. I know where it ends up - I started at "A", and I know where "Z" is ... it's that whole "Q-X" part that's difficult.
Anyway, taking your character listings, they're not bad - here's where they are ...
1) Free - knows what he wants, and is forceful enough to demand it. But it's not popular to one group.
2) Slave - who knows that she wants that life, but does not want to live it as a slave.
3) Slave - who wants the slave life, and seeks her niche.
4) Free - fighting one he cannot fight, a fight he cannot win. But refusing to stop.
(I won't go into the secondary/background group, but they're interesting also!)
You've reinforced what I'm trying to do - I just hope I do it well enough!