I think the first thing to do is sit down and plan out this Civilzation -- its technology, history, and social order, which seems to be the main areas of question. Once it's solid, take look at the story and look when references can be dropped in. Most of the time, additions that add to the reader's understanding of the world can be droped in with a few words, or a sentence or two at most. Info dumps, I think, should only be used for main plot points ("Why is the world going to blow up, Doctor Brain?" "Because they vill be reversing the polarity of ze Neutron flow, and the de planet don't like zhat!")

Most of the BG can be dole out, building up the picture of this world and the people who live on it. And if done right, even the main plot point can be boiled down to a few sentacnes, IF most of the info has already been dealt out earlier in the book, as part of the BG. Say a major polical figure was going to be assasinate (Major plot point), have said politician on the news, or the main character listen to their speech, or discuss the politican between two or more characters, or best yet, use all three ways to give the reader a picture of this person. sprikle a fw referecnes about the character though the first book. So, by the time the Assasination attempt is revealed, there's no need to explain who Politician is or why their important.

Of course, most of my writing has been in an estabished universe that already has all those details hashed out, which leaves me to only worry about plot points and Characters. I don't have to explain what a Battlemech is, or go into great detail about the major interstellar states of the Inner Sphere. So, a lot depends on how much the background influnces the story. I have less freedom with an established universe than I would have with my own, fully created universe.

As I have said, pick your spots to show a little more of the setting, and make sure the background being dropped in is relavent to the scene and story -- mentioning a sport called Quiddich and explaining the rules when it has nothing to do with the main plot is a waste of paper and time. Of course, there's nothing wrong with having a character complain about last night's Quiddich, then have them described enough of the action so the reader knows it involves broomsticks and more than one ball, that's fine. It's color.

Hope that helps -- I'm off to bed!! 

Craig

You could look for Osprey publishing http://www.ospreypublishing.com/ancient_world/

They specilize in military subjects from all eras -- uniforms, weapons, troops, battles (The above link is to the ancient world section of the website.) They should have what you're looking for....

Craig

First thing to so is write the note. It will show the character's mindset,

Second, show the note to your own parents and get their reaction (Explain beforehand why your doing this) What would they do if it had you that had written the note for real?

The scene is going to be tense, the longer it goes, the more tension there's going to be in the scene -- Emotions is going to rise, family mem,bers are going to become more frantic and less calm the longer the situation lasts.

The Brother may use his 'ability' to see if something is wrong beyond the obivious. He's going to be ignored (Unless the police suspect him of comitting a crime in this scene)

Craig

Been out for a while, but I'm still writing. (Up to seven stories now on Battlecorps.com, including a major anthology for teh dire) I plan on contuning short stories until I feel comfortable, then slowly expand from there into novels. When I do make that jump to novels, I want to have something to show I have a track record......

Craig

I don't disagree with you, Craig, but consider that none of us live in a vaccuum. In a You Tube videos from the recent Small Favor signings called Originality (or something similiar to that) JB talks about how he *thought* he had this fabulous 'original' idea for Bob as a skull with glowing lights for eyes and he was so excited he'd come up with something so awesome that had never been done before... and then he sat down with his son and watched the opening sequence of Scooby Doo. Obviously, his unconscious nabbed the image and ran with it.

In the case with Bob, I think Jim saw a post Bob made here that likened

(click to show/hide)

Marcone to a Robber Baron of feudal times

, and used it as only JB can, expertly weaving the train of thought into the plot of Small Favor. While the idea itself pretty much is public domain, Jim had the class to mention to Bob after the fact that he'd swiped his idea cause he thought was a good one, and useful, and man, it made Bob's day!

Mind you, I think this is pretty much a unique scenario, (using a fan's idea) but I gotta give the man kudos for giving credit where it's due and never being arrogant or aloof about his talent.

True, but He shouldn't be in the position of accepting ideas as a matter of course -- the "What if?" question.....

Minor things are one thing -- Marcone easily slides into the role of robber baron, and it gives the character a little more death, and Jim acknowledged where the idea came from. But "what if?" questions should come from him and him alone, because "What if?" are plot related.

For example, say I EMailed Jim with "What if Harry Dresden won the lottery for $300 million, moves to California, and becomes Tom Cruise's personal soothsayer?" (It's the most off the wall idea I could think of, and I'm sure Jim is not going to be desperate enough to come close to using that -- I hope! ) First, the idea is so off the wall, Jim will quietly dig a hole and bury it in the garden. So, say for the sake of the argument, he sends back a little note, saying "thanks, but no thanks." So, I have wasted my time and his, maybe set myself up for a disappointment.

But, suppose he's working on a plotline that very closely resembles that? That opens up a whole can of worms, maybe leading to legal action down the road if I was prissy enough. I know of at least one fantsy novelist (whse name escapes me at the moment) who had to defend herself in court because some person had written a fanfiction that greatly resembled her recently published novel. It was so bad that she actively goes after fanfic authors who use her series for their stories. I know that JMS, the creator/guiding light behind Babaylon 5 had to scrap a storyline because somebody mentioned the idea on the main B5 forum whilew the storyline was being developed (I also heard that the fan sent a notizied letter to WB, declaiming all rights to the idea, and they dusted off the storyline and use it in a later season.)

So taking ideas is a very risky thing to do. If Jim came on and said, "I need a name for this character," That's one thing. But he shouldn't, IMHO, come on and say, "I need help with this plot point." Jim is a better writer then that, plus it's less hassle for him that the main ideas come from him instead of us.

Craig

If you know where to look, you can find "how to" books on nearly everything -- including how to commit crimes. So, those people looking for ideas does not need to look to novels to inspire them.......

Craig

Speaking as someone who reads a lit of Military sci-fi, There's only so many different ways you can have an insteller war -- it's the details that different the story, as well as the skill of the writer writing it. Afteer all, my one original project involves a new wizard and his dragon famillar. Alan Dean Foster and Pip and Flix, Steven Brust has Vlad Talos and his pair of Jihergs. All I have to do is put my unique spin on it.....

Craig

My bear is a panda.

He's cute and distracts me.

Is his name Gema? 

Craig