Would you find this interesting?

[Aakaakaak]

I haven't put pen to paper yet, but before I start I thought I'd bounce the idea off a few people first. Since this is the "author craft" forum I'm starting here.

I was thinking about writing basically a poli-sci-fi series spanning 5-6 books. It would start in early college with a group of poli-sci students who become disenfranchised with the entire "the spirit of party" system we have today and set out to change government for the better, by getting rid of the two-party system. The span of the series would start with them in school, then seeing the inner workings of "the system" and growing disgusted with it, to volunteering with a non-party group (which they realize later is just a front for a party), to starting their own group, to working their way up through the political system, to becoming tainted in the same ways as the two-party system, to freeing themselves of the system, and eventually realignment of the government as a whole. Instead of using traditional means for political promotion they take fresh approaches of how to "get the word out".

Hopefully, this was clear enough in the concept.

I know it's not really in the realm of traditional fantasy, but I figured you'd all be able to tell me if I'd be wasting my time before I start in on it.

[Blaze]

Sounds deeply ambitious!  I'd say go for it.  Just remember to keep some level intriguing on a purely human interest point of view for folks who aren't poli-sci majors.

Have you read Asimov's Foundation?

[svb1972]

Sounds deeply ambitious!  I'd say go for it.  Just remember to keep some level intriguing on a purely human interest point of view for folks who aren't poli-sci majors.

Have you read Asimov's Foundation?

Asimov's Foundation is the best, worst book ever.  There are entire sections of it that read like a history book where you just want to shoot yourself.

[Aakaakaak]

I vaguely remember looking over the foundation books. I can't say I've read the series. The one I can think of this would most closely model (but not that closely) would be Bio of a Space Tyrant....at least in the later progress of the series.

Edit: Now I have somewhere else to look for research. Foundation...thanks. (I think I only have one of those books floating around.)

[svb1972]

It has the potential to be cool.

I guess I'm curious as how you can get this small group of people to take over the US.
The 2 party system.. has alot of money/power behind it.  Breaking out of that mold is going to be incredibly difficult.  Getting people to partake in smaller parties, even more so.

What does this group of people have that's special, that will allow them to pull this off.
Also, are you writing as spy/intrigue/suspense book.
Are there elements of scifi to help you distance it from current events.  or are you planning on using current events heavily.

[Aakaakaak]

1) The two party system is absolutely the antagonist. I fully expect to assassinate a couple protagonists.
2) Social networking and the utilization of various forms of media that nobody really utilizes properly. Politicians are just now starting to use twitter and facebook. I'd also be thinking about using old political avenues in new ways. One of the theories I've seen only slightly used in the past is exploiting political news agencies for free advertising. And, of course, it doesn't have to be completely realistic. It just has to be close to real.
3) I'd like to use a limited amount of current events. For example, the Tea Party movement would be used in part of the first book, but not specific real life people. Everyone is intended to be fictional by person.
4) Very few people who don't explicitly align themselves with one party or the other rarely succeed in government today. The concept of everyone having a more powerful voice in government instead of the black and white, yes or no system we have now is what I'm trying to sell.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Interesting.

It could work, but what will they be proposing as an alternative ? I presume you're a reasonable degree of familiar with alternative models for democracy - there's material enough for a PhD thesis is the Irish, Canadian, and British variants on parliamentary democracy alone.

Also, how familiar are you with the realities of on-the-ground political organising ?  I would recommend, if you've not come across them already, Ken MacLeod's Fall Revolution series - available at the moment in two two-book volumes called Fractions and Divisions - for an example of excellent fairly recent SF that really gets down and dirty into on-the-ground political organising, in a dimension that an awful lot of SF by US writers just Does Not Get.  Particularly the first and last volumes (the series is not exactly in chronological order.)

[snowbank]

The thing is, just because something sounds like a sure winner/loser doesn't mean it will be. Joss Whedon, Charlaine Harris, Laurel k Hamilton, Earl Emerson, the 3 name Louisiana guy who writes Dave Robicheaux and innumerable others had ideas that may not have been mainstream or may have just had to pay their dues to become successful.

Kelley Armstrong has been very receptive to her reader's suggestions about narrators for her online stories, although she writes the books as she pleases. Dana Stabenow (and J.K. Rowlings) are adamant about writing what and how they want to write.

Refining your ideas by discussion may be helpful to your own perspective. It would be an interesting exercise, at the very least. And maybe help educate people about how government functions.

I look forward. 

[Aakaakaak]

personal experience comes from several years of political blogging (which I don't do anymore), and talking with my father who used to be one of the behind the scenes guys in WA republican politics. I'll check those books out Neuro.

I'm experimenting with a few governmental ideas that wrap themselves around more around a "people first" idea, trying to home into more of a non-representative republic, while still maintaining a strong governmental structure. It's still a work in progress for the fine-tuned pieces.

Snow, thank you. I'll try and be sure to stay true to my ideas and not glean to heavily on someone else.

[meh]

I'll read it.   


If you really want to make me giggle, make sure to include a condemnation of astroturfing somewhere in the first or second book.

[Aakaakaak]

I'll read it.   


If you really want to make me giggle, make sure to include a condemnation of astroturfing somewhere in the first or second book.

Heh, I'm thinking toupee...

[shades of grey]

bio of a space tyrant also sprang to my mind and altho i would never have normally read it a good friend changed my mind

will there be a front lawn flagpole?

[Aakaakaak]

Yep, already read the Bio series. I think there might have been an afterward book that I never read, but I've read all the primaries from mercenary through his death....Statesman?

Um...flag pole? I know most state and federal buildings have a flag pole out in front?

[shades of grey]

i have known people in this country who are particularly 'patriotic' to have a flagpole of some description at the front of their house

[Aakaakaak]

Ah...well, I haven't gotten that far in yet, but I know at least one character who would "definitely" have one. Might be a nice touch.