Past vs. Present

[dawnmipb]

I've been thinking about writing a story set in the 80s. The problem is that it would be a genre story. In my experience, there is not a lot of use in the marketplace for genre set in previous decades. In general, especially in books, we tend to accept only literary fiction set in the past. Stephen King is a partial exception, but he only sets

Comments

[jennilee_rose]

I am here to confirm your suspicions on the Grafton series. And yes, they are still as good as ever.

[dawnmipb]

There's that other genre I keep forgetting about--the alternate history. Though that's trickier the more recent the history.

Grafton's still working on that series? She hasn't run out of alphabet yet?

[aardy]

I think you're right, by and large, but it's probably because the nostalgia or historical interest required to make a past setting attractive to readers doesn't kick in until a few decades have passed. (Probably related to the Rule of Twelve.) It's like the horror-show that are "decade retrospective" tv shows about the current or just-ended decade; memories are too fresh for the fuzzing or omission of details that's required for historical settings to work. That said

[dawnmipb]

I think you and Jenn and pepperjackcandy are right--I should just do it and worry about it later. If it works as a "previous" piece in the series, then great. If it doesn't work at all, at least I'll know.

[pepperjackcandy]

Stephen King is a partial exception, but he only sets things in the past to tie them to events in the present.

[snip]

The reason I am thinking about this is because I want this story to be part of a shared universe with stories set in the present

Well, there's your answer.

Write the historical book first, then the modern-day one, then publish them in the reverse order. That way, you will be tying the events of the past to events in the present day. 8-)

[jlsigman]

"Or maybe I could just write the stupid thing and see if it works."
DINGDINGDING we have a winner! ;-)