Creating Futuristic Vocabulary

So I've been reading a lot of science fiction and dystopian this year. Something I've noticed that sets some books above others is the use of vocabulary.

I think each world that is different from our own, even in the slightest of ways, should have an operating vocab that the author can use. And that the reader can pick up on and relate to.

So how do you do this?

1. Be aware that such a need exists. It's okay to use familiar, but not commonplace, words. Does that make sense? For example, instead of saying "teacher," you might simply call the teachers in your word "educators." Sure, it means the same thing, but it signifies that your world has changed from this one to a futuristic one. Bonus: Readers don't have to work hard to figure out what you mean.

2. Even the simple things count. In a futuristic world, things have to appear changed. We run marathons now; they shouldn't run marathons in your post-apocalyptic society. You can use the same concept, but you should be aware of the vocabulary you create to portray it.

3. Beware the capitalized word. I often see novels with many capitalized words. It sort of marks the genre, especially for dystopias. I would simply caution to think long and hard about what should actually be capped, and what shouldn't.

4. Slang. Slang is constantly revolving. It's okay--and a good idea, I think--to create your own slang. Caution: Make sure it's not so far out of this world that readers can't figure out what you mean. You don't have to use the word "awesome" to characterize awesome. You know?

What do you think? Have you read any science fiction lately that makes excellent use of vocabulary? I have, and I highly recommend BIRTHMARKED by Caragh M. O'Brien. It is fabulous.

The Future Shouldn't Have...

Okay, so we've spent some time discussing what we'd like to have in the future. Cool tech gadgets, amazing replicators, new ways of travel, etc.

But what could we get rid of in the future?

For me, I think there should be some way to get rid of mud. I know it sounds lame, but I really don't like mud. The smell, the squelching, the disgustingness of it. There ought to be some kind of absorption pellet or something we can sprinkle on the ground so that mud is not made.

In a more serious realm, I think it would be awesome to have a future without illnesses. Think of all the things that wouldn't be needed if people didn't get sick. Entire professions would be eliminated: doctors, pharmaceutical reps, nurses, hospital administrators, pharmacists, etc. With no sickness, there'd be no doctor's offices, no hospitals, no nursing or medical schools. Just eliminating one thing can really impact the future society.

Just think what we wouldn't need if we didn't have cars, if we could teleport instead of drive. It boggles the mind (or maybe just mine). But I find it fascinating to think about what we'd like to get rid of and how that would impact our lives.

What do you think? If you could, what would you like to eradicate? How would that change our society?

Changes, Changes

GIRL IN THE ARENA by Lise Haines. Dude, you guys. If you haven't read this, you must.

She made up a fabulous society that looks and breathes like ours. But the past is different, which created a different "now" than what we know. Familiar, but oh so different.

She invented Glads and their history and how it shaped our present. Awesome. And this concept sort of goes with what Angie was talking about a couple of weeks ago. Where if there's an alternate past (Steampunk) that creates an alternate future. Think Back to the Future II and all that Biff craziness.

It's a concept that intrigues me, because sometimes I think we view science fiction and dystopian novels as a future evolving out of our present. And the majority of them are, and they're awesome. But thinking on the other side of that coin is also interesting. What if you could go back in time and change something? What kind of present would we have? What kind of future? Is this kind of novel sheltered under the science fiction/dystopian label?

And hey, just for kicks, if you could go back and change one thing, what would it be? How would that impact our society now?

The Unknown

This week, I did a post on fear on my personal blog. I listed “the unknown” as something I fear the most. I got a lot of interesting comments, and many of them I could’ve lumped into a fear of the unknown. Fear of what the future might hold.

And this post and all the comments fed right into my dystopian side. I think most people fear the future. What might happen if we can’t stop the oil leak in the ocean? Or we pass that bill? Or elect that official? What will the future be like then? What will the future be like for our children?

And that unknown future brings fear. Dystopian and science fiction novels provide some answers to those questions. Sure, they’re fiction, but they bring normalcy to the chaos of our minds. We don’t know what the future will be like, and reading futuristic novels calm those fears. We see the human race triumph. We see characters falling in love, surviving, finding things that make them happy.

I’m adding “soothes my fear of the unknown” to the reasons I read science fiction and dystopian novels. What about you? What kinds of things do you fear? Do they get soothed in the fiction you choose to read?

Humans are Humans...Right?

This week, I blogged on YAHighway about creating a dystopian society. I wanted to expand a little, but I think you need a tiny bit of background in case you didn't read that post (gasp!).

Here's what I said about creating futures: Creating futures for young adults in a novel is a challenging task. I mean, no one knows what life will be like. And the future has to stem from something that does exist in this time, something that teens are familiar enough with that they can envision your future evolving from their present.

So with that in mind, how do we shape the characters that are living in that futuristic society? Will they feel the same things? Love? Abandonment? Will teens struggle with the same issues they do now?

That's what I'm going to explore a bit today.

I think the human need for love remains constant no matter what world you live in. Sure, the teens living in my brainwashed society may not have the same hopes and desires as the teens today (I mean, when someone else tells you want to wear and what to eat, your hopes are skewed a little), but they still crave acceptance. They still have to carve their own way in life. Those fundamentals don’t change too much. The road toward love, happiness and success might look different, but the desire to achieve those things is deeply rooted in humanness.

I believe that young adults like stories where they can see themselves. Their own struggles. Be that a coming-of-age story, or a battle with addictions, or a need to thrash their own path. In a dystopian society, these themes can still be explored. And, I believe, in a "safe" way, in a society that is clearly not real. I think those same things that we struggle with as humans now, should be present in humans then.

And that’s why all stories are born with believable, likeable, three-dimensional characters. Someone who could be us, living in a future we can imagine, fighting similar battles we've fought.

After all, humans are going to continue to be human.

Do you agree? Disagree? If so, what do you think humans will be like in the future?