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SO anyone into steapunk? Anyone read any steampunk books or stories?
I am writing a steampunk novel and plan on writing a whole series and would be interested in finding out what are some things that you feel are important to a steampunk story?
I did my research and I know the basics but I always like to hear from people that are into it whether it is general interest or hardcore.
I used to love steampunk, until it got diluted to the point of being 'worn neo-victorian stuff with useless gears attached".
My biggest tip to writing steampunk fiction is to read victorian fiction. Victorian fiction heavily reflected the concerns of the time. The War of the Worlds is a great example, they weren't afraid of aliens per se, but a lot of Victorian fiction had to do with advanced civilizations invading weaker ones (a reflection of Britain's actions in Africa at the time). Before you write, you must read. Familiarize yourself with the fiction of the time, as well as modern steampunk literature (I highly recommend the Leviathan series).
morfangdakka wrote: SO anyone into steapunk? Anyone read any steampunk books or stories?
I am writing a steampunk novel and plan on writing a whole series and would be interested in finding out what are some things that you feel are important to a steampunk story?
I did my research and I know the basics but I always like to hear from people that are into it whether it is general interest or hardcore.
no, i enjoy my fuel injected v8 and my microwave
Man fears what he does not understand- Anton LaVey
I liked the video Ketara, I had not seen it before.
OP: I agree reading some Victorian era literature does give a better feel for the sensibilities of the time.
My go-to is the Difference Engine as a favorite read for material a little more recent.
I would say that form and function are important, everything was well made, it has some elegance of design.
I am mainly into the music scene but I had made a "Dr Steel" miniature in my gallery and picked up some "Abney Park" miniatures as well.
I feel Steam-Punk is widening the scope of times in history as the basis for the then alternate history.
Professor Elemental seems to be pushing the British expansion into Africa end of things while Steam Powered Giraffe starts around the American civil war time period.
I enjoyed the Cyber-Punk craze a long while back and was so impressed with "When Gravity Fails" as an Arabic viewpoint so I like looking for hooks into other cultures for the genre.
I like to think my guide to the design of some gadget to get something done would be to ask "What would Leonardo da Vinci make?" he was a fine inventor and an artist so it all comes together.
I suspect there will be some future craze on taking the 80's and give it the high-tech treatment with even bigger hair.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/03/26 02:09:47
A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets.
Napoleon Bonaparte
I got interested in the visuals, and then the music (Abney Park, The Cog is Dead, Vernian Process, TMTWNBBFN, and a bit of Doctor Steel, although he's more atompunk), and then a lot of the culture (stuff you make yourself, being what you want to be instead of what you are told, lots of punk culture).
I have seen a depressingly large amount of plastic junk and worthless stuff trying to use the buzzword though.
To me, steampunk it more then visuals. It is a multi-faceted super-culture. There are many different types. There is strait up historical fantasy (which generally covers from the beginning of the British industrial revolution, up to some time around WWI), from which a lot of modern steampunk originally grew. Mixed in with that are a lot of the classics, like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells7
There is the post-apocalyptic side which often focuses on more of the punk side. This is often mixed up with western themes as well, although it depends on the type of apocalypse.
There is dark-steampunk, which is part aesthetic, part storytelling. It often focuses on oppressive governments. Or places that feel like they would belong in 40k. They often have a "workers of the world unite" feel to them, with the downtrodden rising up against those in power.
There is light-steampunk, the one I see most commonly. Stuff like Steam Powered GIRAFFE. It seems to focus on the aesthetic more than anything else. Very, for want of a better word, user friendly.
In these there are often recurring themes such as adventure and freedom (airship pirate, discovering new places or worlds, thumbing your nose at authority), clockpunk (a world run on clockwork,
with things such a difference engines), fantasy science (mad science and stuff like that).
And that's just the beginning.
It generally has some theme of rejecting societal norms, the truly diehard will start to reject and more on as soon as it starts getting manufactured. It devoloped from counter culture, and I hope it stays that way
(in this writing I managed to call it stampunk, steakpunk, stenapunk, and stempuk )
Homosexuality is the #1 cause of gay marriage.
kronk wrote: Every pizza is a personal sized pizza if you try hard enough and believe in yourself.
sebster wrote: Yes, indeed. What a terrible piece of cultural imperialism it is for me to say that a country shouldn't murder its own citizens
BaronIveagh wrote: Basically they went from a carrot and stick to a smaller carrot and flanged mace.
Co'tor Shas wrote: It generally has some theme of rejecting societal norms, the truly diehard will start to reject and more on as soon as it starts getting manufactured. It devoloped from counter culture, and I hope it stays that way
. I think this bit here covers the "Punk" aspect well.
So the "Steam" element is a focus of the technology or heart of an era that used steam to be the engine of their society.
I like much of what Co'tor mentioned above.
It is the surprising application of that chosen technology base and the culture of the people working in that society and how they have or will adapt to the change(s) that generates the interest in the literature.
A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets.
Napoleon Bonaparte
I have seen a depressingly large amount of plastic junk and worthless stuff trying to use the buzzword though.
To me, steampunk it more then visuals. It is a multi-faceted super-culture. There are many different types. There is strait up historical fantasy (which generally covers from the beginning of the British industrial revolution, up to some time around WWI), from which a lot of modern steampunk originally grew. Mixed in with that are a lot of the classics, like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells7
There is the post-apocalyptic side which often focuses on more of the punk side. This is often mixed up with western themes as well, although it depends on the type of apocalypse.
There is dark-steampunk, which is part aesthetic, part storytelling. It often focuses on oppressive governments. Or places that feel like they would belong in 40k. They often have a "workers of the world unite" feel to them, with the downtrodden rising up against those in power.
There is light-steampunk, the one I see most commonly. Stuff like Steam Powered GIRAFFE. It seems to focus on the aesthetic more than anything else. Very, for want of a better word, user friendly.
In these there are often recurring themes such as adventure and freedom (airship pirate, discovering new places or worlds, thumbing your nose at authority), clockpunk (a world run on clockwork,
with things such a difference engines), fantasy science (mad science and stuff like that).
And that's just the beginning.
It generally has some theme of rejecting societal norms, the truly diehard will start to reject and more on as soon as it starts getting manufactured. It devoloped from counter culture, and I hope it stays that way
(in this writing I managed to call it stampunk, steakpunk, stenapunk, and stempuk )
Thank you there is a lot of good information people have given me. What are things you would like to see in a steampunk story? Mine has the dark side with an oppressive government. It is on a different planet in another universe everyone seems to write their stories based in England. I have some light stuff as well. I have steam powered horses, airship pirates. as well as a few mad scientist and doctors, a few crazy inventors that create unusual items. I also have the main character that works for the oppressive government battling a witches coven. I will read some Victorian literature to get a better idea of things so thank you that was a good suggestion. Any more suggestions would be greatly helpful.
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Thank you there is a lot of good information people have given me. What are things you would like to see in a steampunk story? Mine has the dark side with an oppressive government. It is on a different planet in another universe everyone seems to write their stories based in England. I have some light stuff as well. I have steam powered horses, airship pirates. as well as a few mad scientist and doctors, a few crazy inventors that create unusual items. I also have the main character that works for the oppressive government battling a witches coven. I will read some Victorian literature to get a better idea of things so thank you that was a good suggestion. Any more suggestions would be greatly helpful.
Sounds cool. Mysticism is often included.
If you want some more ideas I'd reccomend you check out the [url=]Steampunk Magazine[/url]. It's free and they have sorts of things, short stories, interviews, musings, articles, art showcases, and how-tos.
Also check out abney park. Their music isn't for everyone, but it is quite unique (and they actually started out as a goth band), but it's damn good IMO. You can fins all but their first and last two albus on spotify, and I think grooveshark has them as well.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/03/26 05:29:37
Homosexuality is the #1 cause of gay marriage.
kronk wrote: Every pizza is a personal sized pizza if you try hard enough and believe in yourself.
sebster wrote: Yes, indeed. What a terrible piece of cultural imperialism it is for me to say that a country shouldn't murder its own citizens
BaronIveagh wrote: Basically they went from a carrot and stick to a smaller carrot and flanged mace.
Squidmanlolz wrote: I used to love steampunk, until it got diluted to the point of being 'worn neo-victorian stuff with useless gears attached".
Damn. Beat me to it!
I like Steampunk and had a impression for awhile, albeit it was lazy as hell, "flight goggles", leather aviator cap, khakis, some suspenders, shin guards, and a "rebreather" set up that I fabricated. The community is kinda dead now, more about what the song above says then the things that inspired the style.
I beg of you sarge let me lead the charge when the battle lines are drawn
Lemme at least leave a good hoof beat they'll remember loud and long
Some tips for the OP specifically on writing in the genre:
- First and most important of all, you need to write something that stands up as a story in terms of character, plot, setting and style. You can create the most brilliant aesthetic or theme of all within the Steampunk genre and it'll be no good unless you have the writing to back that. A simple test is to ask yourself "If I took out the steampunk/fantasy/sci-fi/genre influences, would I still be left with the bones of a good story?" If the answer is "no", then you need to make it "Yes", as writing steampunk is no different to writing anything else: If you can't get the characters/setting/style/plot down, the genre is somewhat irrelevant. Similarly, if you feel at any point that something "steampunk for the sake of steampunk" is getting in the way of said story or character, then just drop it. It's far better to go light on steampunk and heavy on character/plot than vice-versa.
- All that said, you do also need to think carefully about what kind of steampunk tropes/styles/themes you are going to employ, typically choosing from actual steampunk, clockwork-based steampunk or sometimes a science-magic fusion (Malifaux, for instance). While you can pick and choose from all of these, and don't need to restrict yourself to one, it helps to know the principles you're basing your setting and aesthetic off. Personally, I go for clockwork most of thetime, simply as clocks are a gift from a literary perspective. So many metaphors/analogies/themes you can play with around time, control, connection, precision ect.
- Setting is key. Past-earth, Future-earth, or some other settting entirely? Again, it's up to you, but bears thinking about, especially if you go for past/historical Earth. Familliarise yourself with the works and culture of the time, not obsessively but enough to understand the style, and most importantly the people. Autheticity in how characters speak, act and think go a long way towards establishing a narrative and being convincing. Don't be afraid to play up to steretypes to some extent; Steampunk is one of those genres where you can get away with moustache-twirling villains, rich, old and mad inventors and an adventurous orphans seeking higher prospects.
- Don't overdo it. While it can be a temptation to have steam/clock/magic-powered everything, just ask yourself "Is this actually better/more practical than the conventional solution?" While humans as a species are often enamoured with the Next Big Thing, it would take some selling to get them to take a clockwork door-handle or a steam-powered rocking chair (extreme examples, but pertinent ones).
Paradigm wrote: Some tips for the OP specifically on writing in the genre:
- First and most important of all, you need to write something that stands up as a story in terms of character, plot, setting and style. You can create the most brilliant aesthetic or theme of all within the Steampunk genre and it'll be no good unless you have the writing to back that. A simple test is to ask yourself "If I took out the steampunk/fantasy/sci-fi/genre influences, would I still be left with the bones of a good story?" If the answer is "no", then you need to make it "Yes", as writing steampunk is no different to writing anything else: If you can't get the characters/setting/style/plot down, the genre is somewhat irrelevant. Similarly, if you feel at any point that something "steampunk for the sake of steampunk" is getting in the way of said story or character, then just drop it. It's far better to go light on steampunk and heavy on character/plot than vice-versa.
- All that said, you do also need to think carefully about what kind of steampunk tropes/styles/themes you are going to employ, typically choosing from actual steampunk, clockwork-based steampunk or sometimes a science-magic fusion (Malifaux, for instance). While you can pick and choose from all of these, and don't need to restrict yourself to one, it helps to know the principles you're basing your setting and aesthetic off. Personally, I go for clockwork most of thetime, simply as clocks are a gift from a literary perspective. So many metaphors/analogies/themes you can play with around time, control, connection, precision ect.
- Setting is key. Past-earth, Future-earth, or some other settting entirely? Again, it's up to you, but bears thinking about, especially if you go for past/historical Earth. Familliarise yourself with the works and culture of the time, not obsessively but enough to understand the style, and most importantly the people. Autheticity in how characters speak, act and think go a long way towards establishing a narrative and being convincing. Don't be afraid to play up to steretypes to some extent; Steampunk is one of those genres where you can get away with moustache-twirling villains, rich, old and mad inventors and an adventurous orphans seeking higher prospects.
- Don't overdo it. While it can be a temptation to have steam/clock/magic-powered everything, just ask yourself "Is this actually better/more practical than the conventional solution?" While humans as a species are often enamoured with the Next Big Thing, it would take some selling to get them to take a clockwork door-handle or a steam-powered rocking chair (extreme examples, but pertinent ones).
Hope that gives you some ideas.
It does help reaffirm things about the story. I have an editor and a group of published authors that critique my story to make sure the story is heavy on character and plot first and they call me out if something is not right. Which it was important to me to make sure that the story is good. Usually when I am writing it I leave the steam punk stuff out to make sure the plot and characters are moving the story along then go back and add some steapunk details if the appropriate. This story I am working on now is more science-magic fusion so more Malifaux style. IT takes place in another universe on a earth like planet. I have a couple of mad inventors but that is it. Otherwise I like to add characters that aren't normally seen in steampunk like a motorcycle gang of Navajo Indians, an african american female airship pirate captain. The lead character in another story is a Chinese railroad worker. so thank you for making sure that I am on the right track as well as possibly some ideas to think about.
Can I just say that I hate the idea of Steampunk that needs to ride on the back of supernatural crap? Whenever you see something with the label "Steampunk" in recent times it, 9 times out of 10, has some sort of fallen god manipulating everyone from behind the scenes.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
I've never feared Death or Dying. I've only feared never Trying.
Slarg232 wrote: Can I just say that I hate the idea of Steampunk that needs to ride on the back of supernatural crap? Whenever you see something with the label "Steampunk" in recent times it, 9 times out of 10, has some sort of fallen god manipulating everyone from behind the scenes.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
I think you're suffering from only being exposed to half of what is out there, both types of things exist and are just about equal in their distribution. The reason so much steampunk is supernaturally infused is due to the popularity of lovecraft
Slarg232 wrote: Can I just say that I hate the idea of Steampunk that needs to ride on the back of supernatural crap? Whenever you see something with the label "Steampunk" in recent times it, 9 times out of 10, has some sort of fallen god manipulating everyone from behind the scenes.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
I think you're suffering from only being exposed to half of what is out there, both types of things exist and are just about equal in their distribution. The reason so much steampunk is supernaturally infused is due to the popularity of lovecraft
Any good recommendations? I would love unsupernatural Steampunk.
I've never feared Death or Dying. I've only feared never Trying.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
Oh thank you so much this is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. I was heading this way for my second book so it will contain all of it.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
Oh thank you so much this is exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for. I was heading this way for my second book so it will contain all of it.
The warlord of the air by Michael Moorcock, is a classic example of a steam punk novel. It's about Giant Zeppelins and other airships controlling Earth. It's a decent read.
"Our crops will wither, our children will die piteous
deaths and the sun will be swept from the sky. But is it true?" - Tom Kirby, CEO, Games Workshop Ltd
Slarg232 wrote: Can I just say that I hate the idea of Steampunk that needs to ride on the back of supernatural crap? Whenever you see something with the label "Steampunk" in recent times it, 9 times out of 10, has some sort of fallen god manipulating everyone from behind the scenes.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
Have you read Phillip Reeve's "Mortal Engines" Quartet and accompanying prequel trilogy? While they don't go into all-out warfare until the finalbook in each series, there's plenty of steampunk and nary a fallen god, evil ghost or haunting horrorin sight. Instead, you have a world reduced to dust by ancient nuclear war,and every city mounted on giant treads, the larger ones preying on the smaller ones, stripping them for parts and fuel and only the larget mega-cities ekeing out a living. Throw in some airships, a pirate or two, a stalking robot that makes a T-800 look easy to put down and some of the best writing/character work of the 21st centry and you're on to a winner. If you haven't read them, I wholeheartedly suggest taking a look.
And if that doesn't hook you, these pieces of artwork from the series should!
Slarg232 wrote: Can I just say that I hate the idea of Steampunk that needs to ride on the back of supernatural crap? Whenever you see something with the label "Steampunk" in recent times it, 9 times out of 10, has some sort of fallen god manipulating everyone from behind the scenes.
I wanna see some WWI or WWII Steampunk wars. Trench Warfare, SteamTanks, Steam Walkers, zeppelins, gasmasks, THAT'S the kind of steampunk game/movie/book I wanna watch/read/play .
I think you're suffering from only being exposed to half of what is out there, both types of things exist and are just about equal in their distribution. The reason so much steampunk is supernaturally infused is due to the popularity of lovecraft
Any good recommendations? I would love unsupernatural Steampunk.
I've already recommended it in this thread, but the Leviathan trilogy is a great alternate reality re-imagining of WWI.
Here's a quote from Wikipedia
Spoiler:
It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, diesel-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. Their Leviathan is a whale airship, and the most masterful beast in the British fleet.
Aleksandar Ferdinand, prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battle-torn Stormwalker and a loyal crew of men.
Meanwhile, Deryn, a commoner girl is staying with her brother Jaspert in London. Her father died in a ballooning accident and her mother and aunts want her to grow up as a proper lady. Deryn dreams of joining the British Air Service and to serve on one of the great air beasts
Hive Fleet Aquarius 2-1-0
)
