S.B. Stewart-Laing's Blog, page 26

Forced Diversity

"I don’t believe that people of color, sexual preference, or gender need to be shaken indiscriminately into every series like some sort of exotic seasoning. If the story calls for a black character, great. A story about a black neighborhood doesn’t necessarily need white characters just to balance the racial profile. But this really seemed like an effort was made to add some color — and it came across as forced"
--Kareem Abdul, on Girls (read the rest here-- he's spot-on)

We have all encountered books, movies, or other media featuring the Mx. Token Diversity. (Sometimes, the lead even is the token diversity character, as is the case with many faux-feminist novels featuring the Token Mary Sue Woman bashing her way through an environment dominated by evil, sexist men). Sometimes, it's okay, usually in sci-fi or fantasy settings where the 'token' character is not actually human, and thus does not bring as much real-life cultural baggage into the casting decision. I think a big part of this awkward tokenism stems from the fact writers do not create storylines which organically include a varied cast, but instead write about a set of 'default' characters and then feel forced to add some diversity out of a forced sense of political correctness.

Honestly, not every setting calls for a scale model of the UN. If you're writing about goldsmiths in 16th-century Mali, it would be weird to include a Japanese guy who's wandered in for no historically justifiable reason (having a Token White Guy is a whole other can of worms which we shall address on Wednesday). Ditto a token female knight in 12th century Germany, a token Jewish guy in 19th century Ireland, etc. The mark of these characters is usually an implausable backstory which isn't particularly relevant to the plot, except to show that the author is Not Sexist/Not Abelist/Not Racist etc. (You may get a pass if the character's Other status is the key plot point-- for example, I'd love to see someone write about those first African-American senators who served in the late 1800s US Congress, or about the Native Americans who traveled around Europe with the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show).

There are two obvious solutions. First, you can pick settings which naturally have people from a variety of backgrounds intermingling. Write about 18th century trading ships, or the centre of the Roman empire, or the 19th century New York slums, or the Silk Road, or a modern-day school in east London, or the International Space Station, or some future expedition to Mars. Infinite possibilities really.  Second, you can go ahead and write the story in the homogenous setting without apology if that is truly right for your story and setting. It's OK.

As a final note, you do not have to go to extremes, where every cast member is a special flower who ticks a diversity checklist box. Neither do you have to go all-or-nothing. For example, it might well make sense to have a racially homogenous group of people with different education levels and sexual orientations. Really, the important thing is meshing these characters into the story so they're individual, integral parts of the cast rather than a nod to political correctness.

Worldbuilding Blogfest: Excerpt!

This is Part 5 of Sharon Bayliss' Worldbuilding Blogfest. 
For the sake of this blogfest, we'll follow the Forgotten Gods series for the first two books, which are set in Scotland and England. The third book (tentatively, out next winter) catches up with the British holdings in the Americas. The series is an 'Alien Space Bats' style alternate history/historical fantasy, so in many ways, it's our world as it was... except that the Book of Invasions (and the Ulster Cycle, etc) is an accurate account of the early history of the islands rather than a compendium of Celtic myth. 
The following is taken from Book Two of the series, The Devil and the Excise-Man . One of the viewpoint characters, Max Thorley, is a Treasury and Excise worker in London who has recently been diagnosed as insane after reporting his sightings of extraordinary non-human creatures in the streets of London. Help has just arrived in the form of a new doctor, who offers an unexpected diagnosis.
(Click through for the excerpt).



Once they were settled, Max sent for tea. The well-worn routine — accompanied by the knowledge that his brother had left at least one set of nice china alone — was deeply comforting. “Now that we are both more comfortable, could you at last explain what precisely is wrong with me?” Dr. Campbell paused again, his brow furrowed, as though struggling for words. “The Scottish analogues of what you southerners call Faeries are very different from the English conception of the word. Let us say that the Jacobites’ new allies are beings not like your Faeries. Do you follow?”“Since your time is running short, let us say for now that I do.”“Now, for all that I have said before, the stories concerning these Scottish Faeries are stories of our history. Your…fairy tales… are teaching lessons to children: do not stray from home at night, do not accept gifts from strange men, and so forth. Ours are stories about the oldest inhabitants of these the British Isles, predating even Agricola’s Caledonii and their kin.“Now of course the notion of these men being ultimately magical in nature should to shock rational men. I am a physician, a man of reason and natural philosophy. To me, the more fantastical nature of these creatures is simply some kind of natural force we cannot yet understand. But their ‘magic’ – I think that is the best word in your language–is very real. Our armies have seen it, I have seen it, and now you too have seen it.”“But you were speaking of the new rebel regiments. I have never been near the lines of battle in this war, and I have seen no magic soldiers.”“Indeed. But the creatures you have seen are of a kind with those soldiers.” “More Faeries, you mean?”“As you would understand it.” Dr. Campbell looked so earnest that Max almost wanted to believe him.“And are these also people that were here before the Greeks began to write things down? They seem very…not people like.”Dr. Campbell smiled slightly. “No. They are nothing like people.”“Assuming that I believe all this, and I am not saying that I do, why is it that I can see them but others cannot? I remember stories of Faeries being able to turn themselves invisible, but only a sorcerer or witch of some kind should be able to see through such a glamour?”“A good Scottish word at last! Or something close to one. But I am glad for how quickly you grasped my next point. Yes, they are hiding themselves from human eyes, but you sell your own quality for too little. You do have the ability to see through their magic. It is your birthright. You were born with an…an extra vision. The Second Sight, we call it. One that lets your eyes pierce through the illusions of the world around us and see things for what they are. Its simplest application lets you see what magic would make unseen.”“So I was born with a magic of my own?”“Not like the magic of these Faeries, no. But I suppose if we are going to keep using that word, it ought to apply to the Sight as well. Not that I would ever describe it as such.”Max felt his frustration rising. “And that makes me what then, some sort of witch? I have made no bargains with foul powers, and yet I am to be cursed with vile magics all the same?”“Why do you to think your Sight an evil thing? It is a part of you, neither good nor evil in itself but only in how it is used. You do not curse yourself for being born with hands or a tongue.”“I don’t think that the Lord has quite the same thing to say on the use of tongues as he does on magic. All men are born with hands, but what infernal creature would have to claim my soul for me to have this Sight of which you speak?”“Infernal creature? No. Are we not told that some men are given ‘the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits…But all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit.’”“First Corinthians?”“You know it then?” “I always thought it was more of a metaphor. But yes, ‘the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.’” “Forgive me, but I did think you such a scholar of the Holy Bible.”Max folded his arms defensively. “I had a good teacher. A teacher who would admonish me to never accept such a simple answer to such a deep theological quandary.”“Perhaps not, but you would at least admit that it leaves the possibility that you are only doing God’s work in using your Sight.” “If I believed in such a thing, which I have yet to admit that I do. But I have no evidence that you are telling anything other than a Scotch children’s story. Besides, how is it that you know so much about this Sight of mine?” “I thought that that should be obvious, Mr. Thorley. I know so much about it because I have it too.”Max’s frustration, which he had been holding back since Dr. Campbell started in on his nonsense, boiled over. “Of course you do,” he snapped. “I am sure all you Scotch go about seeing visions of Faeries when you are not turning into wolves or stealing the souls of lost Englishmen. You will have to do better than that, doctor.”

Worldbuilding Blogfest: Religion and Magic

[image error] This is Part 3 of Sharon Bayliss' Worldbuilding Blogfest. Stay tuned all week for more, and check out the other participants!
For the sake of this blogfest, we'll follow the Forgotten Gods series for the first two books, which are set in Scotland and England. The third book (tentatively, out next winter) catches up with the British holdings in the Americas. The series is an 'Alien Space Bats' style alternate history/historical fantasy, so in many ways, it's our world as it was... except that the Book of Invasions (and the Ulster Cycle, etc) is an accurate account of the early history of the islands rather than a compendium of Celtic myth.

After the events of Forgotten Gods, Scotland is a country that's 70% Presbyterian, 25% Catholic, 5% other Protestants, and 100% in theological crisis over the sudden re-appearance of mythological creatures long dismissed as legend by the general population. The daione sidhe, for their part, have insisted they don't have souls in the human sense, and aren't in the least concerned about their status in a Christian worldview. Some of the other supernatural creatures, however, have expressed an interest in human religion, which has opened several major lines of debate among church leaders in all sects on such questions as whether or not such creatures could convert to Christianity, or could even have a concept of good or evil.

England is mostly Anglican, with a number of Catholics, Quakers, and others living in fear of religious persecution. In the hopes of keeping panic to a minimum, the government has denied rumours of supernatural  creatures roaming the countryside, so a theological discussion has been averted for the time being. Several Anglican priests whose parishioners have come to them with stories of monsters lurking in the alleyways of London have had their sightings dismissed as illness or imagination, and been sent away with instructions to visit a doctor. However, this has not put a stop to wild private speculation about the nature of the daione sidhe, most of which is flavoured with Anglican tradition.

Worldbuilding Blogfest: Politics

This is Part 2 of Sharon Bayliss' Worldbuilding Blogfest. Stay tuned all week for more, and check out the other participants!
For the sake of this blogfest, we'll follow the Forgotten Gods series for the first two books, which are set in Scotland and England. The third book (tentatively, out next winter) catches up with the British holdings in the Americas. The series is an 'Alien Space Bats' style alternate history/historical fantasy, so in many ways, it's our world as it was... except that the Book of Invasions (and the Ulster Cycle, etc) is an accurate account of the early history of the islands rather than a compendium of Celtic myth.

The United Kingdom in 1745 is very much divided. Religious tensions between various Christian denominations are running high, the most important feud being between Catholics and Anglicans, with Quakers, Presbyterians and others getting trampled by the two main struggling bodies. As Britain does not separate church and state, the religious struggles directly feed all the other political dramas. 

In 1707, Scotland was dragged into the Treaty of Union with England, creating Great Britain, disbanding the 400-year-old Scottish Parliament... and reneging on their promises to cut the Scots in to a share of international trade, rewriting the laws, and generally interfering. Scotland responded with widespread riots, but nothing came of the general discontent until 1715.


The major political drama is between two monarchs-- or rather, two governments-- who both think they're the rightful rulers of Britain. The Hanoverians (Team King George II), who hail from Germany, are the de facto monarchs since 1714 by dint of actually having their government set up in London. They like helping rich people, colonialism, parliamentary democracy, spending money, flexing Britain's military muscle, and dislike Catholics, soap, and non-European people. Most of their support comes from wealthy English landowners and businesspeople who like the status quo.

The Jacobites are supporters of James VIII/III, who is legally the British monarch, but has been exiled in Italy since 1688 and thus unable to do anything useful. In 1715 and 1719, James tried to reclaim the throne with the help of a lot of angry Scots and failed spectacularly. Now they're going for the sequel, starring James' son Charles, aka Bonnie Prince Charlie. They like religious freedom, balanced budgets, and absolute monarchy, and dislike slavery, the Treaty of Union, and taxes. Most of their supporters are Scots from various socioeconomic backgrounds who are being screwed over by the status quo.

Worldbuilding Blogfest: Geography and Climate

This is Part 1 of Sharon Bayliss' Worldbuilding Blogfest. Stay tuned all week for more, and check out the other participants!
For the sake of this blogfest, we'll follow the Forgotten Gods series for the first two books, which are set in Scotland and England. The third book (tentatively, out next winter) catches up with the British holdings in the Americas. The series is an 'Alien Space Bats' style alternate history/historical fantasy, so in many ways, it's our world as it was... except that the Book of Invasions (and the Ulster Cycle, etc) is an accurate account of the early history of the islands rather than a compendium of Celtic myth.
This is a picture-heavy post, so click through to view the whole thing.

Welcome to the United Kingdom of Great Britain, 1745.  In spite of being merged into one kingdom in the Treaty of Union in 1707, Scotland and England are still very much separate countries. England is rapidly becoming a centre of world trade with busy roads and bustling port cities. Over half a million people live in London alone, or more than twice Scotland's entire population.

England is generally agrarian. Most of the forest has been removed and replaced with farmland for staple foods, or with grazing pastures for sheep and the newly bred black-and-white dairy cows. People try to avoid travelling outside of cities, as the roads are usually swamped with thick mud which traps carriage wheels, so even the wealthiest citizens limit excursions to their country manors. The majority of servants and labourers don't leave their home village, or their employer's property, during their lifetime.

In contrast, most Scots log hundreds of miles of travel, as almost half of the population lives in remote and mountainous areas, and the others in equally isolated areas of the Borders. The roads are just as swampy as they are in the south, but people walk instead of attempting to use coaches. A good many have made the trek in to the former capital, Edinburgh,  to visit the free clinic at the medical school, which offers top-of-the-line care to those willing to wait for a bed.  The city is also full of students from all over Europe who have come to attend the medical school or other courses at the University of Edinburgh.  Glasgow is a tidy port city of 11,000 and a few hundred students working on law or natural science degrees at the University of Glasgow.

Unbeknownst to most of the human population, an entire world lies beneath their hills. Driven underground by human invaders thousands of years before, the Tuatha Dé Danann (called the daione sìdhe or faerie by humans) have created a magical world in which they live without being detected by their mundane neighbours.

Character Creation Ideas

In the Forgotten Gods series, I am the plot-master, and Michael is the character writer. This is not to say that we don't overlap, but that I outline the majority of the plot and he ends up doing the majority of character development. Probably due to his background in theatre, he finds building a character intuitive and easy. I tend to get bogged down. So for all of you who may need some help with character development at one time or another, here are some tips from both of us.

Stat 'em up. Especially if you're prone to creating God Mode Sues, it can be helpful to break out your D20s and a basic character sheet and roll for stats. This will force you to limit the character's awesomeness, and decide which of their skills and personality traits are at the forefront.Cluster diagram. Start with a basic trait, concept or skill set for your character, and place that at the middle of the diagram. Each subsequent bubble should be an explanation for that trait. For example, if your character is a 20-year-old expert plumber, the next bubble could explain that his dad taught him from the time he was a kid. Write a fight. Have the character get into a yelling match, ideally with someone they've known for a long time (family member, childhood friend, spouse, etc). If you get into the flow and let the characters lay into each other, your subconscious will pull out all kinds of goodies about their personality and background. List traits and flaws that work together. Start with a single defining personality feature, and list positive, negative, or context-sensitive traits that would go with that. From your list, pull out a handful of traits to make a coherent character. For example, if you have a loud, gregarious character, she could be witty, vocal about her opinions, and tend to brush off advice.

Nature as Antagonist

Usually, when we talk about villains or antagonists, we are speaking about human characters, or at least sentient characters who act with intent. But your characters can also struggle against the natural world. It's a huge part of the human experience, but does not often form the core conflict in stories.
This can present as a continual struggle-- the endless grind of people struggling with their environment. There are predators, diseases, and storms; a setting could present daily challenges in the form of cold, heat, dryness, high winds, or pouring rain.
There are also seasonal cycles. Particularly in non-industrialised societies, timing activities around annual events such as monsoons, dry seasons, the formation of sea ice or the arrival of migrating fish can mean the difference between survival and starvation for entire communities.
Finally, we have disasters. These are big, unpredictable events like earthquakes, tidal waves, plagues, huge storms, animal infestations or wildfires.
Any of these scenarios-- or any combination of these scenarios-- can make a compelling story as your characters fight for survival. You don't need an antagonist that's out to get your main characters, or out to do evil when you have the implacable forces of nature.

Anti-Princess Syndrome

As someone who's never had an overwelming interest in anything pink and frilly*, I have a bit of empathy for Andy Hinds as he tries to stem the tsunami of all things princess.
But the undercurrent that bothered me a bit was the idea that a particular sort of femininity-- tea parties, frilly dresses, and fairy wings-- is seen as being at odds with his daughters having a substantive future career.
One sees this dichotomy way too much in fiction. 'Strong' female characters are often show as deliberately rebelling against feminine gender roles (usually in a rather stroppy way). Women and girls who follow these roles (or, *gasp* enjoy them) are shown as vapid and weak.
I've written before about this bias towards portraying female characters who pursue traditionally 'masculine' roles and presentation as superior to their femme counterparts, to the point where rejecting traditional gender roles seems to be required as part of the character's main plot.
In that post, I mentioned that I'd like to see a greater variety of heroines-- we need more 'strong' ladies who win by intelligence, guile, or skill rather than physical strength. Now I'd like to go a step further, and say that I'd like to see more female characters who either enjoy and embrace the performance of femininity, or find clever ways to work within the gender role structures around them. The heroines brought to life by Jane Austin or the Bronte sisters are excellent examples of the latter; Elle Woods of Legally Blonde or Kayleigh of Firefly are examples of the former.
I'm not saying that I have anything against the tough tomboy lead-- except when it's used to devalue other female characters. It would be refreshing to see more variation in how awesome lady leads relate to their gender.

*I paired my tutu with a plaid flannel shirt and wellies, because I was that much of a stylin' kid. As an adult, I appreciate the odd pink shirt or accessory.

Message Fiction-- Minus the Soapbox

I'm an unapologetic writer of message fiction, and in fact think a story built around a strong theme can be uniquely powerful. That said, it's easy to mess up the pacing of the story or lose reader interest by how you convey the message. The usual culprit is characters giving speeches about their views. So how to introduce key points in message fiction without character soapboxing? Here are a few ideas:
Let the characters argue. Character A holds your view, and Character B vigorously disagrees. This not only allows you to explore the flaws and nuances of the first character's position, but also shows off the opposition, making them more human and revealing motivation. Just make sure Character B has some solid arguments, and not just a bunch of strawmen.Confront a dilemma. The characters can run headlong into a situation that challenges their views, or forces them to put their ideas into action. Again, conflict and action make for an exciting story, and giving intellectual arguments a 'test run' can reveal all kinds of wrinkles. Ask questions. You don't have to provide definitive answers. The obvious urge is to expound on one's viewpoint and prove the others wrong, so it takes a bit of guts to ask thorny questions and leave the reader to decide whether or not they agree with the answers the characters decide upon. It takes a bit of practice to weave together entertainment and 'big issue' questions, but it's can be done in a compelling way. Just keep trying, and you'll find your stride.

Changes of Heart

Character growth is a core component of storytelling. Every writing resource will tell you that it's important for the characters to change in response to the events of the story. At the same time, it needs to happen in a credible way.
The more drastic the change, the more dramatic the circumstances precipitating it.
Altering one's beliefs-- especially engrained ones that are fundamental to someone's worldview-- is also not a sudden process. Even with a good deal of surrounding drama, the character will most likely take a great deal of inner struggle and soul-searching before they're ready to adopt a new belief system.
It helps if the change ties into some seed planted in the character's backstory, or shown in their personality. Perhaps you have a 18th century slave owner who has never been to his plantation, and thus believes the propaganda that the slaves are happier than they were at home. If you establish that he's compassionate towards people he encounters in his daily life, it's completely credible that he would take up the abolitionist cause after someone introduced him to the facts.
For situations where exposure to facts isn't a key component of establishing worldview-- for example, someone converting to a different faith-- it's important to establish a backstory which makes such a private, emotional transformation credible. Some radical life change can often precipitate someone to seek faith or to doubt the faith they have, and the route they take will reflect their established personality (this doesn't mean their established persona, which may be different again).
You, the author, have to know when a character's change of heart feels organic to the storyline. If it's forced, your audience will notice. But if you let your characters be true to themselves, you can show a powerful story of personal downfall or progress.