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Alternate History - how does it function?
Aug. 11th, 2008 08:42 pm I am unable to wrap my head around the idea of how writers write alternate history. The whole big mess is so interconnected. Just to have any understanding of the economics OR politics OR social history of just one country, or one region or city, let alone several.
And then to combine that with knowledge of clothes, finances, food, etc.
And then to try to come to some set of rational decisions about how your alterations would alter those things (because, for instance, food and clothing trends are often in response to international trading factors or technological innovations, which may or may not hold constant under the conditions of your premise).
And then to try to convey that set of consistent changes through discreet worldbuilding.
I admit I don't read much alternate history as a formal genre. But the concept still staggers my mind. How? Are all of these people stealth PhDs in comparative world history with a fun little hobby of computational economics or something?
And then to combine that with knowledge of clothes, finances, food, etc.
And then to try to come to some set of rational decisions about how your alterations would alter those things (because, for instance, food and clothing trends are often in response to international trading factors or technological innovations, which may or may not hold constant under the conditions of your premise).
And then to try to convey that set of consistent changes through discreet worldbuilding.
I admit I don't read much alternate history as a formal genre. But the concept still staggers my mind. How? Are all of these people stealth PhDs in comparative world history with a fun little hobby of computational economics or something?
