Changing sub-genres/setting

Desperado · May 26, 2012

Recently, returning to my on/off love affair with trying to write and epic fantasy novel, I've started to feel like maybe the same old medieval(ish) fantasy world is bit boring and has been done to death. So I was thinking about maybe switching the setting of the world to a much more modern one with some fantasy twists.

Now my story isn't too far along and I figure some things are actually relatively easy to change (instead of a horse; one of my characters might drive a motorbike, instead of typical noble families; you might have some rich socialite family with maybe some mafia ties etc.) but of course it does involve starting over a with a bit of the world building and there will be some obvious changes.

Now my question(s) to you fine folks is; should I do it? Or should I just go along with my original plan of a more standard fantasy world? And am I just looking for a way to spice up a story that perhaps doesn't necessarily need it?

RichardGarfinkle · May 26, 2012

That's a pretty tough question. So let me throw one back at you? What do you see as the core of your book? Is it the world? The Characters? The plot? The meaning?

What about your story do you see as vital to it? Figure that out and you should be able to tell whether you can change the setting this much.

Desperado · May 26, 2012

Well I've always been best at coming up with characters, with plot usually coming later and I can easily see how they would fit in this new world. The problem I'm having is not whether I could do this, more whether I should do this. I'd hate to get deeper into the writing only to discover it was just some silly spur of the moment idea I had just to differentiate it from other stories.

RichardGarfinkle · May 26, 2012

On the whole stories and characters should fit into their worlds. If the characters are clear in your mind, you should probably consider whether they fit better into one or the other.

If you stopped the earlier version because it didn't feel right, then you should figure out what's wrong and change it accordingly. Don't be tempted by a genre jump as an easy solution. Worlds shouldn't be changed casually. If your sense of the characters and the story is that they belong in the more modern setting then do change. But you may need to dig a little deeper into world building and character backgrounds in order to figure out if that's the change that needs to be made.

Once! · May 26, 2012

Pros and cons. Your standard medieval fantasy setting is easier to write for because we all know it. I know what a castle looks like. I know what a sword does. I know that rings are enchanted things that send you on quests.

But ... I'm getting a bit bored of it all. Give me an alternative fantasy setting where the Riders of Rohann are Hells Angels on Harleys. Where Sauron's tower is a skyscraper and the orks are SWAT teams.

Harder to write, but IMHO a little more fresh and interesting.

Filigree · May 26, 2012

I'm a fan of medieval fantasy, and *I'm* getting bored with it. It has to have some details of worldbuilding that take it away from the standard trope.

In the end, go with the world your characters want to live in, but try to make it interesting. Would having a more-modern setting speed up the action, or make the plot more complex?

MetalDog · May 26, 2012

I think the medieval fantasy world setting is only in danger of being genuinely boring if the medieval fantasy setting is your main focus. If the stuff going on in the setting and the people involved in it are interesting enough, the setting doesn't need to be fresh boom bang.
I do like the idea of orc swat teams and Sauron in a skyscraper though and if you think that sort of transplant would improve what you're aiming for, go for it.

Maybe writing a scene twice, once in each setting would help you make your mind up?

rwm4768 · May 26, 2012

I'd say go for it. The fantasy genre could use a bit more variety. Then again, it also might not appeal to fans of the typical medieval fantasy. Or it could attract a new audience to fantasy. You never know.

I guess this wasn't very helpful. In the end, write the book you think you should write. The setting's only boring if you as the writer allow it to be.

Debbie V · May 31, 2012

If it's boring to you it will bore your reader (no matter what it is). If you are changing it because we might think it's boring, that's not a good enough reason. Figure out what bores you about it and what doesn't. Keep what doesn't.

frimble3 · May 31, 2012

Maybe think of it as a variation on urban fantasy? Taking all the classic epic fantasy tropes and urbanizing them? It could be interesting.

Buffysquirrel · Jun 1, 2012

Save the WIP under a new name. Start making the changes in the new file. See how you feel about it.

Lissibith · Jun 1, 2012

Buffysquirrel said:
Save the WIP under a new name. Start making the changes in the new file. See how you feel about it.

THIS! Save the original in case the reworking turns out to feel even more wrong, and then go to town. At worst, you're exploring some of the core character concepts and themes that can be in part ported either way. And trying something new can be a nice way to stretch the brain muscles.

eatoncrow · Jun 3, 2012

Thirding that -- save the WIP and try out changing it in a new document. At the very least, you'll know what's more fun for you to write -- and if it's fun for you, it has a stronger chance of being fun for readers and, you know, generally fulfilling to you.

Plus, I like the idea of an epic-fantasy style story in the modern world.

Changing sub-genres/setting

Desperado

RichardGarfinkle

Nurture Phoenixes

Desperado

RichardGarfinkle

Nurture Phoenixes

Once!

Still confused by shoelaces

Filigree

Mildly Disturbing

MetalDog

Woof!

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW

Debbie V

Mentoring Myself and Others

frimble3

Heckuva good sport

Buffysquirrel

Lissibith

On target

eatoncrow