McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Pacing of information in a fictional world
svb1972:
It's going to depend on the social mores, the scientific ones.
For example:
If you're building a world where polyamory is the norm: Have the protagonist meet a monogamous couple and react how strange that is (although how he would know they were monogamous. a sticky point i guess.)
If there is no marriages, but a marriage contract between people with a time-limit, to be renewed every so and so. Perhaps one of the Protagonists friends can be talking about how his family pod fell apart because Maria would only renew her marriage contract if Alphonse was removed from it. But Terry and Bob would rather leave and form a new pod with Alphonse then do that.
If it's an issue of science.
Have something break, and the protagonist has to take it to a mechanic/engineer/hobbyist to get it repaired. Said hobbyist can 'chat' about the X-Luger Ionized engine. And how it's so much better than the coiled plasma engine and why, as he's repairing it.
If you're in a military setting, the Military LOVES history lessons. Have the protagonist flash back to a history lesson from a favorite Instructor.
It would help if we knew what A -> b ->C looked like, and why you're worried that people will feel like they're being hit by the Plot hammer.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: svb1972 on June 15, 2010, 07:49:58 PM ---It would help if we knew what A -> b ->C looked like, and why you're worried that people will feel like they're being hit by the Plot hammer.
--- End quote ---
Hrrm. Talking about this and staying clear of forum policy on story ideas is not easy.
If you're interested, I'll PM you when I get around to cleaning out my PMs, which will probably be in about a week.
svb1972:
Sure
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: svb1972 on June 15, 2010, 07:49:58 PM ---If you're building a world where polyamory is the norm: Have the protagonist meet a monogamous couple and react how strange that is (although how he would know they were monogamous. a sticky point i guess.)
--- End quote ---
That works fine for issues where there is the equivalent of monogamy around.
The harder bit is issues equivalent to, to stretch your metaphor, polyamory being so much the norm that nobody had ever heard of monogamy for centuries, and that they would never bump into anyone who practised it or have any reason to talk about it or even think about it consciously; the unexamined background assumptions that are different from ours.
svb1972:
--- Quote from: neurovore on June 15, 2010, 08:44:01 PM ---That works fine for issues where there is the equivalent of monogamy around.
The harder bit is issues equivalent to, to stretch your metaphor, polyamory being so much the norm that nobody had ever heard of monogamy for centuries, and that they would never bump into anyone who practised it or have any reason to talk about it or even think about it consciously; the unexamined background assumptions that are different from ours.
--- End quote ---
The way around those is to create social situations where people talk about their homelife.
A small group of friends getting together. "Hey Marvin, how's the home life?"
"Well, you know.. I'm missing Marie alot, she's up visiting Joanna from Venus. It sucks, cause John(or Jane) and I feel like the bed is empty with out her."
"I know what you mean, Nathan and Serephina went out of town about a month ago . Mark, Gavin and I had our hands full with all the kids."
Maybe go to a restaurant (if they exist) where they get a nice romantic table for 5..
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