>> Times like these make me question many things I hold dear - things like art, like stories, like enchantment (and re-enchantment) and all of the soft and subtle things that seem to be a part of my natural nature. The world often seems like it wants to be hard and harsh and breed hard people. It feels like those people only want art that protests or rages, and that it only wants stories that can be used as rallying cries. <<
Here's a thought for you ...
I've been an activist since I could walk and talk. I've done the usual marches, rallies, protests, letter campaigns, etc. But the thing that has the highest throughput of people saying "I did the thing" is plain old storytelling. I describe how something works, readers like it, and they use it. The instructions are there if people want them.
By far my most popular series is Polychrome Heroics, which is superhero fantasy. It's a version of our world that is, in many ways, softer and sweeter and mostly nicer to live in. Yet most of the best parts aren't the superpowers; they're social differences that can be replicated with local resources. Readers are so intrigued with this way of life that I've written meta things like how to make your hometown more like Bluehill.
Don't underestimate the power of a nice place to live.
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." ― J.R.R. Tolkien
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Thoughts
Date: 2022-05-07 04:58 am (UTC)Here's a thought for you ...
I've been an activist since I could walk and talk. I've done the usual marches, rallies, protests, letter campaigns, etc. But the thing that has the highest throughput of people saying "I did the thing" is plain old storytelling. I describe how something works, readers like it, and they use it. The instructions are there if people want them.
By far my most popular series is Polychrome Heroics, which is superhero fantasy. It's a version of our world that is, in many ways, softer and sweeter and mostly nicer to live in. Yet most of the best parts aren't the superpowers; they're social differences that can be replicated with local resources. Readers are so intrigued with this way of life that I've written meta things like how to make your hometown more like Bluehill.
Don't underestimate the power of a nice place to live.
"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world."
― J.R.R. Tolkien