Other Searching for Creative Ensemble

[Shireling]

Alright, so. I have been trying to write a successful novel or franchise of novels for quite a while. This morning, I had an idea for a setting and I set my mind to work fleshing out the setting and then potential plot points. My experience with writing books in the past is very bad; I typically get halfway through and don't finish. And so! I plan to contract a small group of people to assist me in creating a living setting and an intricate plot, doing some proofreading and editting, and so forth. 


What I am Looking For: 


-Fellow writers/storytellers


-Concept artists/illustrators adept in the "semi-photorealistic" style willing to devote time and energy for no pay (sorry, I'm broke) 


So I mentioned I had an idea for a setting. I will give a brief description of what I have so far and what I want to get across about the setting in the novel. 


The plot I have planned to set in the 2080's. In the 2020's, an environmentalist movement called The Degrowth Movement grew. The DM believed that industrialization and exponential growth of the human race and the economy would lead to overshoot and collapse of civilization within the next fifty years. They advocated for the abolition of capitalism, heavily planned, environmentally-friendly and sustainable economies, and deindustrialization. 


A more extreme fringe of the group believed that in order to achieve these ends, it would require the extermination of two thirds of the world's population and the initiation of harsh population control measures. They advocated for a holocaust of unimaginable proportions. One of their most ardent followers, although wanting to be anonymous within the organization, is Brigadier General Thadeus Roberts of the US Army. Roberts sees The US nuclear stockpile as the perfect opportunity to initiate his plans for radical degrowth and the saving grace of humanity. 


Using his political connections and military status, Roberts runs for election in 2024 on a liberal environmentalist platform and wins the presidency. As President, he acts mainly to streamline the United States nuclear response program. 


In 2026, agents of the Degrowth Movement infect the computer systems of the nuclear response arm of the Russian Federation with a virus tricking the Russians (then allied with the Indians, Brazilians, and the Chinese) into believing they are under attack. Russia fires its nuclear weapons at the West, and Roberts uses this as evidence of the necessity of retaliation. Most of the major urban centers of Russia, China, India, South America, and the West are utterly decimated in nuclear fire. Following the initial strikes on cities, the United States and Western Allies initiate a conventional ground war against the disorganized and mostly decimated Eastern Bloc nations, spearheaded by American forces who had begun a conventional arms build up and stockpiling in secure sites two years earlier. After the conclusion of the war, the United States then turns on its allies in the Unification War and easily decimate the weakened and scattered European forces. Roberts consolidates his power as the emperor of the world's largest empire and begins the Three Hundred Year Plan to rebuild the Earth. 


Sixty years after the war, Roberts has fallen ill and there is some confusion as to who should succeed him. Erstwhile, the conditions imposed by nuclear winter and a lack of fuels have caused the empire with an evil sounding name I haven't thought up yet to wonder if the dream of their emperor will ever be realized. When a conflict erupts between Imperial forces and insurgents led by warlords squabbling for resources, the empire seems to be at a breaking point. 


Things I want out of the characters/setting


-some of the characters should be fairly high-ranking, but a fair amount of the book should cover peons on the ground


- the setting is dirty, cold, hopeless, full of death and especially scarcity


- the antiheroes (the Imperials) should not be opaquely evil


-computers and other highly complicated manufactured goods do not exist


-despite being heavily dystopian, the setting should not be melodramatically terrible  


Anyways. If you're interested, leave a comment below. If you want to comment on what I have so far, do so. 

 

[Miracleist]

Oooh, I'm intrigued for sure, though I'm also quite uncertain about the level of commitment that would be involved with this (as proofreader/editor). Though I think there's quite a lot more thought that has to be placed into the whole premise - though I suppose that depends on how realistic you want it to be. Using a real-world setting leads me to use real-world facts and logic, which makes your idea... Rather ludicrous in reality. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely curious about where this story goes, but I think this premise needs a lot more work, or a setting that isn't the real world to serve as an implicit justification that real-world explanations might not be relevant. 


For instance, computers would not exist...? W-why not? Not to mention... "Highly complicated manufactured goods"? Like what? That confuses me. Suppose the nuclear destruction was mutual, and the US was prepared... Why didn't they save some scientists, some top professionals in their respective fields to ensure that these goods (computers in particular) remain? I find it perplexing for someone to be able to prepare for MAD and somehow not include the experts. Or that the DM agents do not somehow already include scientists - it can't just be a purely ideological movement, I can't suspend disbelief to accept that somehow no experts lent their minds to the rationalization of such an extreme plan (such that after the MAD, none of these experts were around to share knowledge).


This is, considering there had to be a significant amount of coordination to keep the conventional arms build up and stockpiling under wraps - or if not under wraps, to spin it in a neutral fashion that doesn't antagonize the other nations. Not to mention, that there had to be a significant amount of manpower as soldiers as well - bearing in mind Asia and Europe together is massive. Your claim of the story being set in the 2080s suggest that this war would not last more than 4 years (since the MAD began in 2026). That'll take a significant amount of manpower to sweep across the land in conventional ground combat - even if it was extremely one-sided. Don't forget, the fallout would also mean a lot more expenses than just 'conventional arms' - making the whole affair even harder to keep under wraps... Also slowing down the military as they attempt to crush the resistance on the ground.


Also, abolition of capitalism to be replaced with.... What exactly? Communism?

 

[Shireling]

Oooh, I'm intrigued for sure, though I'm also quite uncertain about the level of commitment that would be involved with this (as proofreader/editor). Though I think there's quite a lot more thought that has to be placed into the whole premise - though I suppose that depends on how realistic you want it to be. Using a real-world setting leads me to use real-world facts and logic, which makes your idea... Rather ludicrous in reality. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely curious about where this story goes, but I think this premise needs a lot more work, or a setting that isn't the real world to serve as an implicit justification that real-world explanations might not be relevant. 


For instance, computers would not exist...? W-why not? Not to mention... "Highly complicated manufactured goods"? Like what? That confuses me. Suppose the nuclear destruction was mutual, and the US was prepared... Why didn't they save some scientists, some top professionals in their respective fields to ensure that these goods (computers in particular) remain? I find it perplexing for someone to be able to prepare for MAD and somehow not include the experts. Or that the DM agents do not somehow already include scientists - it can't just be a purely ideological movement, I can't suspend disbelief to accept that somehow no experts lent their minds to the rationalization of such an extreme plan (such that after the MAD, none of these experts were around to share knowledge).


This is, considering there had to be a significant amount of coordination to keep the conventional arms build up and stockpiling under wraps - or if not under wraps, to spin it in a neutral fashion that doesn't antagonize the other nations. Not to mention, that there had to be a significant amount of manpower as soldiers as well - bearing in mind Asia and Europe together is massive. Your claim of the story being set in the 2080s suggest that this war would not last more than 4 years (since the MAD began in 2026). That'll take a significant amount of manpower to sweep across the land in conventional ground combat - even if it was extremely one-sided. Don't forget, the fallout would also mean a lot more expenses than just 'conventional arms' - making the whole affair even harder to keep under wraps... Also slowing down the military as they attempt to crush the resistance on the ground.


Also, abolition of capitalism to be replaced with.... What exactly? Communism?

Right. I started working on the setting yesterday, so I haven't fleshed out everything. But I will try to address every question you presented. 


1. Computers/Manufactured Goods, scientists, etc. 


What I meant by this comment was that computer systems are not as ubiquitous as they are now. Firstly, modern computers contain lots of rare earth elements, like Indium, which are rare enough anyways but supply problems would be exacerbated by the war and refineries would most likely be destroyed or heavily damaged. Secondly, much of the actual materials we use to create computers are polymers produced by hydrocarbons (i.e. oil, coal, natural gas). In the setting, even after the war Peak Oil occurs in the 2050s. This means not only does it cost exorbant amounts of resources to prospect for new oil resources, but the reserves in the existing wells and mines are being depleted (at an albeit much lesser rate than modern consumption). Also, let us keep in mind that the Empire is a fundamentally anti-fossil fuel regime except in areas where other fuels or power sources just aren't viable. That means production of plastics and polymers is down and all available petroleum is being used for heat energy in the farthest flung provinces or for the war machine. So, computers EXIST but the average person has probably never seen one. They're used mainly for coordinating military movements using communication arrays, supporting a makeshift Internet used in libraries and universities, and coordinating the power grid. They consist mostly of large, very expensive units with wood coverings and vacuum tube screens, or repurposed LED and plastic parts. So, in short, they are highly valuable tools of management but no longer used on a personal basis. 


As for "advanced manufacturing" this means manufacturing using robotics or polymer-based processes. So they can manufacture bullets, but not a Nissan Leaf or flat screen TVs because of the above stated phasing out of plastics but also given the energy costs of manufacturing. Factories in this era are clustered closely around the largest communities, use low-tech "human based" assembly lines, and manufacture mostly arms and munitions or the basic necessities of life such as canned food, boots, mirrors, etc. Reclamation Faculties are also very prominent. These take the form of oxygen scrubbers which recycle fallout and CO2 out of the air or metal and polymer reclaimers that recycle scrap metal and plastics for use. 


I didn't touch on this, but the DM was almost all scientists or learned people that found their way into top positions in the governnent during the war. Specialists and engineers were preserved and were invaluable during the war, and in the restructuring afterwards. Their focus has mainly been on researching new technologies that would allow the Empire to abandon its use and reclamation cycle for energy and goods such as more efficient non-petroleum based farming, geothermal power, advanced fission techniques, and also practical technologies like radiation medicines, gene theories and therapies to prevent mutations, low-cost arms and munitions, fuel-efficient heavy machinery, etc. 


2. Conventional arms and the War 


During the War, it was mostly population centers and infrastructure that was targetted. Given that, 80% of the US population lives in cities, we'll assume that some smaller cities weren't directly targetted but that radiation sickness and other factors probably led to a death toll of close to 90%. That leaves about 40 million Americans in mostly rural areas. Given that most of the PERSONNEL used in the War were held in cover while a the rest were no doubt obliterated in nuclear fire, then the military had a fair amount of personnel between the purposefully preserved military members and specialists, and the rural population that could be conscripted. Using hidden strategic stockpiles while rebuilding a makeshift nation at home with labor enforced by both personal necessity and marshal law, while the US military waged a war of mostly extermination and looting for nearly two decades--yet the goal was not occupation. That would have spread his forces too thinly. After the Unification, most world leaders had accepted the impossibility of fighting Roberts's forces and conceded defeat. Their nations were established as Co-Prosperities and were given much the same treatment that the US mainland was given directly after the war. As areas were slowly reclaimed from nuclear radiation, they were stripped of their resources by Imperial scavengers and used to build new housing and goods or to feed the maw of the now much smaller war machine. 


3. Abolition of Capitalism


Capitalism or the free market system was abolished in the US (and suspended in most other states) directly after the War began and replaced with a system of Marshal Distribution, in effect a centrally planned economy or communism. Workers in the Empire are evaluated for performance by Work Boards and awarded ration cards proportional to their output to prevent waste. Given the corruption and bureaucratic largess that is common under communism, Imperial officials are not paid but live in government dormitories with access to government faculties. Its nice, but not  the Ritz. 


I hope that explains a bit more. 

 

[Miracleist]

Ooooh, that does help clarify a bit more... And it does illustrate how big an undertaking this is going to be, given the amount of depth behind the world... Well, and also the difficulty of the world-building here. I'm no expert on the science behind the manufacturing of stuff like computers - but I suppose from another perspective, I could probably represent the average reader in that such knowledge are not something that readers can reasonably be expected to know. That said though, since you mentioned it wouldn't be ubquitous, and is in fact rare, I suppose it might not be a major issue. I guess it also depends on which character you write from the perspective of (older, learned characters would obviously know about computers from back in the day and the comforts of our 'modern' life). 

 

[Shireling]

Ooooh, that does help clarify a bit more... And it does illustrate how big an undertaking this is going to be, given the amount of depth behind the world... Well, and also the difficulty of the world-building here. I'm no expert on the science behind the manufacturing of stuff like computers - but I suppose from another perspective, I could probably represent the average reader in that such knowledge are not something that readers can reasonably be expected to know. That said though, since you mentioned it wouldn't be ubquitous, and is in fact rare, I suppose it might not be a major issue. I guess it also depends on which character you write from the perspective of (older, learned characters would obviously know about computers from back in the day and the comforts of our 'modern' life). 

Yes. I planned for the plot to have two interwoven axises. The first set of primary characters are two brothers who were conscripted into the Army. One is older and more wordly while the younger brother has high-functioning autism, is socially awkward, and obsessed with collecting knicknacks from before the war. The older brother tries his best to shield the other from misery and bloodshed to preserve his sense of childish exuberance. 


Meanwhile, Roberts's grandson and his aids and advisors have to cope with the knowledge of the crimes committed by the regime during the Cleansing and forge a new future while erasing their culpability for the holocaust.