Let's say you have an idea for a SF story in which there is a planet of genetically modified people. It's important to the story that they have a difference from normal humans, but they don't ever interact with normal humans. And it's been long enough that the time before they were altered is fuzzy.
I'm interested in the culture, not the "how they got that way". Do I have to spend time talking about how the planet was "seeded" with the modified people or can I just write the story?
Specifics might help.
I've had a mileau idea for a long, long time about a world in which people had a crop stomach, like birds and ants. Which means they can store food without digesting it for long periods of time. I finally came up with a story to go with the mileau, but I'm hesitating because I don't care about why they are like this, but feel like I have to explain it. It's the culture that would arise from this diference that interests me.
Thoughts?
Posted by shadowynd (Member # 2077) on :
Casual mention by characters is one possiblity:
"My great grampa told me that a long time ago, people weren't able to store food the way we can. How did they ever manage?"
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
How deep you delve depends greatly on how long you want the piece. If this is a novel, by all means, work everything into the story. I'm going to want to know.
David Gerrold's "Voyage of the Star Wolf" has two groups, the humans and the Morthans (bastardized version of More Thans.) Although we see it from the human POV, we also learn a great deal about how they became the Morthans, about their culture, and about their "betterness" in everything they do.
Although the genetic manipulation is common between his story and yours, I think the differences between his style and story are different enough from yours that you won't be significantly influenced by his story, yet it may help you to figure out what you want to do with your story. (Be forewarned if you read it that chapter 1 is 100% info-dump and should be a foreward.)
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Thanks, Spaceman, I haven't read that one, but I've read a couple of other novels that deal with modified humans. I can't think of an example in short fiction though.
Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :
I think for me, a sentence or two of handwavium would be enough to explain how they got to be that way - but like you I'm more interested in their culture than in their history.
Posted by autumnmuse (Member # 2136) on :
I recommend leaving out the explanation, or at least most of it, and then see if people are bothered when they read it. If so, add it in. If not, you're good to go.
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Autumnmuse--thank you. That is exactly the advice I needed to hear. I need to stop trying to fix things that ain't broke.
Posted by calavari (Member # 2631) on :
Well, did you read the third of the Ender books, Xenocide? There's a whole altered planet and he doesn't even mention how they get like that until the cure becomes part of the plot. Up to that point, you kind of accept that people are different and move on to the culture. And Anne McCaffrey only gives a few pages of background to the telekenetic changes in the prologue of the Rowan. Then she moves right into the story at the onset of chapter one and doesn't really talk about it again. Mostly though, people have no idea why they've evolved the way they have, just that they have, so if the POV doesn't have a need to question it, neither does the reader, really.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Mary, how long a piece is this intended to be?
Posted by abby (Member # 2681) on :
The cause can be interwoven in the story. For instance, if they developed this type of stomach because of frequent famine or draught condidtions, try something like:
During the time of the two year drought of the ten year season cycle ... (lead into what a main character, or the government, or whatever does, maybe a farmer who can't work the fields to mention what they do instead, or how the farmers trying to "moonlight" in other jobs for two years affects the rest of the population in thier job hunt).
Okay, not the best sentence, but you get the idea.
[This message has been edited by abby (edited July 03, 2005).]
Posted by hoptoad (Member # 2145) on :
I will probably only care about the 'how'd they get that way' if you start telling me and then stop.
BTW I liked Salt, the little kicker at the end.
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited July 04, 2005).]
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Thanks gang, (especially hoptoad for the Salt compliment) it's a short story, and I'm just going to ignore the issue unless I get complaints. I know how they developed so I won't have to do frantic world-building to weave it in later, but it would just muddy the story line, I think.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Reasonable. I somehow got into my mind that this was intended to be a novel. In a short story, you obviously only need to say what the reader needs to know to understand the story and nobody feels cheated, IMHO. In a novel, I'd be disappointed if I was left in the dark about the differences.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I'd wonder why you need to mention it at all. Also, I'd wonder what possible advantage there could be to a crop stomach that could outweigh the serious health and safety issues, I mean, humans already can store food for long periods of time without digesting it.
My advice would be to just have the story be about some humanoids rather than any human descended species. That way you don't need to ever explain anything.
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
How are you defining "long", Survivor?
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
The only reason I felt the need to explain was because I thought people might get annoyed if I didn't. In the novel version of Nightfall there's an introduction in which the authors say, "Look, these aren't humans but we're going to write the story as if they are because it will be easier for you to understand." That's where I feel like I am.
Anyway, for those who are interested, I got interest in Honey Ants years ago and wondered what a society would be like if people could be Repletes. I've developed an interesting mileau, but could never come up with a plot. I finally have and I suddenly had that moment of "Wait, my aliens are just like people, but with one difference." It's generally a no-no, but I feel like I'm justified in breaking it here, because they don't interact with humans and it's the society that I'm interested in. It's sort of Science Fantasy, I guess.
Jerialy, I think Survivor is talking about fat.
[This message has been edited by MaryRobinette (edited July 05, 2005).]
Posted by MCameron (Member # 2391) on :
I thought he was referring to food processing: freezing, canning, drying, etc.
--Mel
Posted by MaryRobinette (Member # 1680) on :
Oh, I figured we were just talking about biology.
Posted by Spaceman (Member # 9240) on :
Biology is just a branch of chemistry, which, in turn is just a branch of physics. That's why I store my fat in my nucleus.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
I'm afraid to even contemplate the meaning of that comment.
I meant food preservation technologies, many of which do involve considerable processsing of the food. By "long" I meant hundreds of years/indefinitely.
My point was merely that humans, having already learned to get along perfectly well without a crop or any such thing, have no reason to want one and thus are not likely to aquire one through the natural course of evolution or through advanced genetic engineering.
The story makes much more sense if it is about a species that has always had a crop (or whatever). I have to say that it is an interesting idea, what would go through the head of a sentient Replete, particularly one captured as booty of war several times? But the plausibility issues of making these modified humans are severe. I'd go with (mostly) human-like aliens. The first scene involving a Replete will disabuse sane readers of the idea that these are just regular humans with putty noses/ears
Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :
Fair 'nuff with the food preservation thing. I thought you were talking about adipose storage, which does require digestion.
Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :
It would also require...something rather disturbing, if you wanted to do a story about "Repletes", like MR does. :not even bothering to look for a smiley for that one:
This just in, a bit of dialogue from the Spiderman game
quote:"Could you help me? I lost my purse on one of the rooftops around here."
