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Alternate History General Discussion

I've got option 1) outlined and while I like it, the limited scale of the book (And not wanting to overcomplicate it) I dont explore the AH concept that much .
I think Option 1 works well as an introduction to ideas of the multiverse for children, particularly if combined with references to Child Horror and Fairytales.

2) perhaps appeals to me more as a) Emily is older so I can explore more how her life has turned out b) the audience is older so I can perhaps explore the concept of alternate history more, for example Rose (the first parallel she meets) has a world that diverges in 2000, but there could be much more divergent worlds.
I remember reading a book where they discuss that quite well, for example the main character exists in several different worlds but looks different and has different siblings due to when the POD occurs. The other him even mentions that in a world where Franz Ferdinand isn’t killed, they don’t exist as they would.

I do like the second story, I do think you could have some recent AltHist stuff mixed in too (a series’s of streets are named after Prime Minister Kinnock etc.)

I would happily proof read and discuss either.
 
2) A 28 year old trans woman is left a house by her surprisingly tolerant grandmother and discovers the door under the stairs leads to other worlds. Several of which are incredibly, inhabited by other versions of herself including one where she never transitioned. A n analysis of what helps and makes people come out. Possibly tied in with a big scifi adventure as eeeevil timelines discover the portal



This one would probably work better if you kept the story small and personal, rather than tying it in with something bigger (the personal stuff would be lost.)

Chris
 
I do like the second story, I do think you could have some recent AltHist stuff mixed in too (a series’s of streets are named after Prime Minister Kinnock etc.)

I've got a list somewhere of different presidents after Florida goes to Gore*. From there Britain slowly diverges too

*something like
Gore in 00
Mainstream republican in 04
Narrow republican victory in 08
Bernie in 2012
Bernies Veep in 20 with a Overton Window to the left.

This one would probably work better if you kept the story small and personal, rather than tying it in with something bigger (the personal stuff would be lost.)

Chris

Fair point. I can have them explore other weird worlds without the plot properly being intruded on by IDFK, interdimensional space nazis. Might have something more low key like the door being closed by some kind of dimensional clean up squad
 
I'll get planning on two. Very rough same beat as 1) but fleshed way the fuck out


Also I get to say fuck


Dammit thats three ideas I want to pitch to SLP but haven't finished yet
I mean I'm many scenes behind on editing and posting my self-therapy project. And the other two projects I have are comatose. Its just life.

That said always glad to see more Queer Content showing up. ☺
 
I mean I'm many scenes behind on editing and posting my self-therapy project. And the other two projects I have are comatose. Its just life.

That said always glad to see more Queer Content showing up. ☺

My planned ISOT short story collection has several queer characters in it (along with stuff like people trying make Hilary win or a dude trying to save his marriage)
 
My planned ISOT short story collection has several queer characters in it (along with stuff like people trying make Hilary win or a dude trying to save his marriage)
It's always a good thing to do. Diversity sells. And in the case of AH you know, matches the community. Which is why I'm writing Queer Trans Relationship AH.
 


Serrano does refer to AH Fandom, not AH in general.

What I do have an issue with in this context is broadly sweeping narratives that handwave away the population of an area by genocide, ethnic cleansing or natural disaster. The author then projects their fantasy onto the terra nullius canvas they have created.

It may not surprise the reader that in many such narratives the outcome is an enduring white South Africa, Rhodesia or Angola...
 
This is more on writing in general, but I feel that a problem in some stories is that the ones posting comments in stories don't really offer much criticism, or if it is, its drowned out by all the praise. It just kind of leaves the writer in a bubble where people keep encouraging them to keep going despite the obvious flaws.
 
This is more on writing in general, but I feel that a problem in some stories is that the ones posting comments in stories don't really offer much criticism, or if it is, its drowned out by all the praise. It just kind of leaves the writer in a bubble where people keep encouraging them to keep going despite the obvious flaws.
That's why I don't generally post my work here much tbh. But that is a feature of the system that predates even AHDC.
 
This is more on writing in general, but I feel that a problem in some stories is that the ones posting comments in stories don't really offer much criticism, or if it is, its drowned out by all the praise. It just kind of leaves the writer in a bubble where people keep encouraging them to keep going despite the obvious flaws.

It's the nature of amateur fiction communities in general really. Because on the one hand its free and the person writing is an amateur who might have no ambitions of ever honing their craft so the audience are less inclined to be critical because the writers reaction might just be to stop writing entirely as they're not getting anything from this apart from praise. More than that if they're someone who you know and engage as a human to extent through posts in the off topic forum, you don't want to hurt them by saying 'this is shit, do better'. And if they're someone you don't know, there's the worry they're a 16 year old who you could put off writing forever.

And on the other hand, because the amateur writers are producing niche stuff there is an audience that doesn't really care about making it better, because the level of writing quality is not the appeal. If what they want is erotic fiction about their kink, or fanfiction about their favourite show or historical fiction about the area they find most fascinating, the content is more important than the technique. I'm much more likely to read a timeline about an area of history that I find fascinating where the writing quality isn't great than one about an area I don't care about that's written superbly. Because honestly if all I cared about was writing quality, I wouldn't be reading amateur fiction, full stop.

But I don't think that's a bad thing, in general. It's nice that the writer and audience have found each other.

I think it's a problem if they then try and go pro on the belief that they have the skills already, but most amateur writers are content to stay amateur and I don't think you have to try and be good at everything you do for fun.
 
It's the nature of amateur fiction communities in general really. Because on the one hand its free and the person writing is an amateur who might have no ambitions of ever honing their craft so the audience are less inclined to be critical because the writers reaction might just be to stop writing entirely as they're not getting anything from this apart from praise. More than that if they're someone who you know and engage as a human to extent through posts in the off topic forum, you don't want to hurt them by saying 'this is shit, do better'. And if they're someone you don't know, there's the worry they're a 16 year old who you could put off writing forever.

And on the other hand, because the amateur writers are producing niche stuff there is an audience that doesn't really care about making it better, because the level of writing quality is not the appeal. If what they want is erotic fiction about their kink, or fanfiction about their favourite show or historical fiction about the area they find most fascinating, the content is more important than the technique. I'm much more likely to read a timeline about an area of history that I find fascinating where the writing quality isn't great than one about an area I don't care about that's written superbly. Because honestly if all I cared about was writing quality, I wouldn't be reading amateur fiction, full stop.

But I don't think that's a bad thing, in general. It's nice that the writer and audience have found each other.

I think it's a problem if they then try and go pro on the belief that they have the skills already, but most amateur writers are content to stay amateur and I don't think you have to try and be good at everything you do for fun.
I've also seen pro writers who do amateur fiction as well say "I'm not going to read constructive criticism on this, I do it for fun, if I go down that road it just becomes more work and I'm not even getting paid for it"
Which was a bit of a shock the first time but I get the logic of
 
It's the nature of amateur fiction communities in general really. Because on the one hand its free and the person writing is an amateur who might have no ambitions of ever honing their craft so the audience are less inclined to be critical because the writers reaction might just be to stop writing entirely as they're not getting anything from this apart from praise. More than that if they're someone who you know and engage as a human to extent through posts in the off topic forum, you don't want to hurt them by saying 'this is shit, do better'. And if they're someone you don't know, there's the worry they're a 16 year old who you could put off writing forever.

And on the other hand, because the amateur writers are producing niche stuff there is an audience that doesn't really care about making it better, because the level of writing quality is not the appeal. If what they want is erotic fiction about their kink, or fanfiction about their favourite show or historical fiction about the area they find most fascinating, the content is more important than the technique. I'm much more likely to read a timeline about an area of history that I find fascinating where the writing quality isn't great than one about an area I don't care about that's written superbly. Because honestly if all I cared about was writing quality, I wouldn't be reading amateur fiction, full stop.

But I don't think that's a bad thing, in general. It's nice that the writer and audience have found each other.

I think it's a problem if they then try and go pro on the belief that they have the skills already, but most amateur writers are content to stay amateur and I don't think you have to try and be good at everything you do for fun.

A good critic is the writer's best friend. A bad critic is the writer's worst enemy.

Chris
 
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