h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi there, love this posting and will likely use it to start some groundwork for my own procrastinating ... err, that is writing!

But I fear that your example of Caleb's world *does* overstate the fact that it's on another planet. Maybe it's just my personal preference but the proliferation of capitalised adjectives/names seems fractionally overdone. Of course I realise you've just provided one paragraph to introduce all these items, and in a longer excerpt or work you might spread their introduction over more pages/time..

Just an observation. Keep up the good work though!

'picky' rooftiler

The example was meerly a tool to compare. I agree in fact that it would be far too much for a real story, but the details are there to explain to the novice how useful well researched detail can be in making the story come to life.

Good luck with your writing,

Tony C

I believe the trick is in segueing (?) smoothly into any necessary expositions.
You rightly cited Professor Tolkien and Frank Herbert. IMHO, you might add Jack Vance as an example...he has the knack of transporting the receptive reader into a strange cosmos within a single, apparently simply-written paragraph.
As a reader, i expect to be confused at the first page, at least a little. I definitely award style points, for the finesse with which the author assuages my persnickety sense of logic.

In good sci-fi and fantasy, the environment is the most predominant character. Shouldn't be shortchanged.

Peace,

foolish mortal