Tevun-Krus #3 - SteamPunk

Steampunk: How to write it

How Do You Write Steampunk?

The first question I usually get when I tell people that I write Steampunk is, “What is Steampunk?” That is one of those questions that, if you ask twenty different people you are likely to get twenty different answers. Having said that, here is my answer to that question.

Steampunk is both a sub-genre of Fantasy (yes Fantasy, not Science Fiction as you might think) and it is a setting at the same time.

So, what does that mean, exactly?

Well, approaching it from the perspective of setting, Steampunk traditionally means several things:

1.   The time period is the Victorian Era. That officially means about 1837 − 1901.

2.   The style of dress was also Victorian-based. As is the case today, those styles changed over the 60 years of the era. Entire books have been written about Victorian Fashions so I won’t even attempt to address the subject here. Plenty of information exists on the Internet for your reading pleasure. Note, at the beginning of this point I mentioned Victorian-based. That means you can make modifications to the actual clothing. Cosplayers typically like to add brass accents, rivets and gears to practically everything. How much or how little you have your own characters wear and update their apparel is up to you.

3.   The technology is, as the name of the genre suggests, largely steam-based. Electricity exists in the steampunk society, but it plays a secondary role at best. This is where you can have some real fun. If you have ever seen an episode of the Flintstones, you know that they had the same technologies we have. Except they were largely stone and/or animal powered (picture the office intercom that was actually a bird that flew between offices and repeated what was said to it). The same is true of steampunk. This is an industrial-age society filled with all the wonders that might imply. Dirigibles, zeppelins and steam-powered buggies are everywhere. If you want to have a giant mechanical walking spider (a la Wild Wild West) that can be done too. The technology is large, somewhat clunky-looking and, most importantly, powered by steam.

4.   Architecture should be approached in much the same way as fashion. In my opinion though, make things BIGGER. Why? Because with the advanced steam-powered construction cranes and elevator technologies, buildings could go much higher up in the sky. People weren’t limited to five or six-story buildings because that’s as far as construction techniques (not to mention leg-power) could accommodate.

5.   I also like the fact that the politics of the day can largely be used and twisted. The British Empire was still at its height of power and controlled world-politics in a way that we largely see coming from today’s super-powers. Ocean roaming ships travelled faster under steam power than traditional wind-powered vessels, trains were improved to go faster and further and the mastery of the air (with airplanes, zeppelins and dirigibles) all made the world a much smaller place.

I could keep going, but you should have the idea around setting by now.

But I still haven’t told you how to write Steampunk yet…or have I?

Let’s look at it from the perspective of genre now. If Steampunk is a genre, can I add romantic elements to it? How about mystery?

Like many books today, Steampunk can include elements from any other genre you want. Do you want to write Steampunk with Spy/Thriller elements? Go for it. Tee Morris and Pip Ballentine did with their Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series. How about a Steampunk adventure with werewolves and vampires? Absolutely. Gail Carriger has been very successful with her Parasol Protectorate series. What about a Steampunk story that is filled with humour and is slightly reminiscent of an Austin Powers movies? You bet. My writing partner and I will have the first of our series titled Jack Kane and the Statue of Liberty coming out this fall.

If you pay attention to the details, you can successfully merge any other genre into a Steampunk novel and be successful.

Have you learned how to write a Steampunk novel yet? No? I still haven’t given you enough?

Huh.

I guess you could think about plot at this point. A little bit of research might be in order here. What were the political alliances of the day? Who were at odds or, even better, at war with each other (I know that sounds callous, but consider how many fantastic James Bond movies we have because of the Cold War).

Once you know about some of the conflicts (e.g. The Crimean War), you can adjust the events to better suit the technology you have envisioned.

Or maybe you write a Steampunk Age version of Romeo and Juliet or adjust Pride and Prejudice to more closely reflect your vision of that era.

Still not enough? What about researching (again) some of the famous/infamous people of the Victorian Era. I’m sure both Queen Victoria and The Duke of Wellington have some interesting skeletons in their closets. Too prominant? How about creating an orphan boy who is experimented on by a Victorian mad scientist and transmogrified into some sort of hideous beast that ravages the streets of London? Too far-fetched? Maybe your character is a noble-born Englishman who serves her Majesty as an officer in the British Army in India who ends up facing a black-magic wielding deposed Raj.

Use your research skills and imagination and you should be able to come up with something interesting.

Are you there now? There isn’t much more help I can give you. Characters, theme, conflict. I’ve given you hints for all of them. Make your characters multi-layered and interesting and you are well on your way. Try to avoid the cardboard cutouts that seem to show up in some movies and television shows.

We’re in the home stretch now.

Make sure your story has a decent beginning, middle and end. Put conflict at about the 1/3 and 2/3 points of the story and ensure you build tension as you go.

Voila. You have a Steampunk Story.

Good luck.