National Novel Writing Month

[seldear]

So I'm going back in for NaNo this year.

This time, it's an original novel. China in 650AD, at the start of the Tang Dynasty, featuring a bastard Chinese Princess, successional politics, an Egyptian embassy from the Second Ptolemaic Dynasty, and possibly a land war in Asia. I'm thinking it might lead into another novel - either about the journey from China to Egypt, or possibly that Chinese steampunk novel I so wanted to write.

The thing about Chinese steampunk is that, with a more Mohistic school of thought driving Chinese science rather than a Confucian/Taoist one, it's likely to have produced the kind of steampunk technology several centuries earlier than the Victorian era. As in, around 1400AD. Which presents all kinds of interesting possibilities in writing fic. But also several logistical difficulties.

Right now, we're in the 'research phase' - working out the little details of Chinese life and living circa 650AD. It's slightly ironic that the times that Western History counts as 'the Dark Ages' and skims over were times of great scientific, technological, and philosophical growth for China and the empires of the Middle East. But one doesn't learn these things in school - or even think about them.

Next up is the 'plotting phase' which will probably start to happen next weekend in the gaps during the Armageddon convention in Melbourne.

But I am so going to write that Chinese steampunk novel. Someday.

Comments

[b36.livejournal.com]

At last year's NaNo Kick-Off Party, someone mentioned they were writing a steampunk novel. A lot of those present didn't know what steampunk was - but once it was explained, it generated a lot of interest.

Funnily enough, last year I made my first attempt at writing a story that I thought could be described as 'post-zombie airpunk', although my original description is still the best - 'Mad Max 2 in airplanes'. This year, I'm trying it again from scratch.

Has any Chinese or Asian steampunk been written and/or published yet?

All the best with your research and planning - and enjoy Armageddon next weekend :)

[seldearslj.livejournal.com]

Has any Chinese or Asian steampunk been written and/or published yet?

Not that I could find. Although there'd be anime steampunk, but I think even that's set in Victoriana.

[cailetr.livejournal.com]

This totally isn't related to your post AT ALL, but I've been wanting to tell you about something! I *finally* got around to reading the Melanie Rawn Star Wars fics! I finished 'A New Challenge' yesterday and it's BEYOND crazy how much like MT it is! She took scenes straight from one to the other and whole blocks of direct quotes! I thought it would be similar not word for word in places. I'm on 'Revenge of the Sith' now but not very far into it.

[seldearslj.livejournal.com]

Hee! It only took you, what? Ten years?

And, yeah, it's crazy just how much she completely copied from ANC! And intriguing how Revenge turns out...although I would have liked to have seen what she did with it on Lenfell with the Mage Guardians and Malerrisi...

*sigh*

I guess we'll never find out.

Old Stargate fic/novel

[nzhinga.livejournal.com]

I was reading one of your old stories on the Stargate novel archive and was wondering did you ever finish it. I can't find it anywhere

I read part one of your Honour Bound series "Waving and Drowning" and "Life for a Life".... at the end it says end part 1. Its great but I'd like to know how it ends...

Thanks alot.

Re: Old Stargate fic/novel

[seldearslj.livejournal.com]

Ah. Sadly, I never got around to writing Part 3 of that trilogy!

Sorry!