Part Two
One of my favorite parts of world building is creating iconic elements.
It’s also one of my favorite things to think about when I’m analyzing my favorite fictional brands: Star Wars, Fallout, Lord of the Rings, and even Minecraft all do this so well and it feels like magic to me when an author can invent something for their world that is so unforgettable and unique that one or two words can bring you right to that reality without mentioning the titles or names.
Part One is here: What's a Light Saber?
But now the question is: if this is so important, what am I making iconic in the world of Space Truckers? I have a few things planned, and since this is your early insider’s look inside my head as I build this world, I’m going to tell you what I’m planning.
Space Truckers
Obviously, I am working hard to make “Space Truckers” a thing. I didn’t invent the word, and I’m not the only one using it. But I want to really take it, make it my own, and build a whole mythology around it. (Some more background on that)
My dream is for you to associate “Space Trucker” with a certain kind of archetype, like “Jedi Knight.” Not that Space Truckers are like Jedi Knights. But if Jedi Knight makes you think of a wise and powerful space wizard, I want Space Trucker to make you think of an order of independent space rogues who makes their own rules, finds their own adventures, and know how to work hard and watch each other’s backs.
I’m trying to write my own trope. Han Solo comes close to what I’m after, but he’s fundamentally a criminal and a loner, always on the run.
Space Truckers have a sense of camaraderie. The Crew of Firefly is closer. But that world lacks the balance of community and good-natured competition that I’m going for.
If I’m successful, then someday everyone will get it — even if they can’t quite explain it.
LOST
The Loyal Order of Space Truckers is the first “brand” I’ve invented for my world. LOST is a combination of a guild for Space Truckers and a fraternal organization (Don’t be thrown off by “fraternal” though. Nothing bores me more than the battle of the sexes.)
Every member of LOST is also issued (after paying their dues) a book that tells them everything they need to know to seek fame, fortunes, and spiritual enlightenment.
The Space Trucker Handbook
This is Lucky Jack’s guide to the life of a Space Trucker. It is a loosely organized collection of wit and wisdom meant to guide Space Truckers on their life’s quest through the galaxy. Jack’s personality and philosophy is meant to shine through on every page, and I intend it as not only a valuable guide for Space Truckers in the world and in the stories, but actual valuable insights for my readers in this world.
That’s extraordinarily ambitious, however. As you can imagine, I haven’t written very much of it, yet. Believe me, I’ll let you know when it’s done.
There’s some risk, I think, that this is ripping off the Hitchhiker’s Guide, a significant source of inspiration and influence for my own writing. The Space Trucker Handbook does play a role in the stories, but it’s not a storytelling vehicle like the Hitchhiker’s Guide.
People love to compare my writing to Douglas Adams; they say, “You are nothing like Douglas Adams.”
Call it Homage. And anyway, I have a few things of my own to say about life, the universe, and everything.
The GIF
The government in my world is called The GIF, and it’s all built on the joke “Nobody can agree on how to pronounce it.” This isn’t a very good joke, but I like it.
It stands for Galactic Interstellar Foundation. It was going to be “Federation” but that didn’t really make any sense as I went further into its history. It’s very much a bureaucratic construct and part of a larger body of intended satire.
Making fun of a sprawling and inefficient space bureaucracy is not very original, but I think it’s as relevant as ever. At the end of the day, these stories are about how to be free and live in a society at the same time. I got that definition from John Trudy, and I really love it. That’s exactly what being a Space Trucker is all about.
The Pancake Wars
There’s one fixture in the life of a Space Trucker that sets this world above and apart from anything else in any speculative fiction: Space Truckers love pancakes, and they love Pancake houses.
The Fantasy genre has the tavern. Noire has the detective’s office plus any number of seedy bars and restaurants. And Cozy Mysteries have … well, I’m not sure because I haven’t read any Cozy Mysteries, but I’m sure they have something.
Adventures in Space Trucking has pancake houses. That’s really an extension of the space station, the center of activity where you can always reliably go. It’s the diner from Spaceballs. It’s the cantina from Star Wars.
One House to Rule Them All
Originally, I thought there would be one Pancake House that dominated the rest. You could find one at any space station. They were to be called “Boxcars” and the sign was a big lit-up pair of dice that count up from 2 to 12 in a continual loop. The restaurants are like the old boxcar diners from the 50’s, reinforcing a retro-futuristic vibe.
Then I started re-writing the first scene at the pancake house and I couldn’t remember what I had been calling it, so I called it “Pancake House” (Like Waffle House) and I thought that was ok, but maybe too on-the-nose.
I changed that to “Pancake! Pancake!” and I thought that was the right amount of goofy and unique, but then I found my old chapter where I named the diner “Boxcars” and I had my best idea, ever.
There are two competing brands that serve the Space Trucker’s favorite food. Each commands intense loyalty among it’s devoted fans. Most Space Truckers have a preference, only a few are indifferent. Nobody can tell them apart.
It’s Coke Vs Pepsi, or Chevy Vs. Ford. It’s Mods Vs. Rockers, in space.
The older Space Truckers, grizzled and space-weary, prefer Boxcars. Boxcars is sensible and a little old-fashioned. The new kids coming up, they like Pancake! Pancake! It’s a little shinier. The colors are brighter, but the veterans will be quick to warn you that a new shiny exterior doesn’t mean anything, because Boxcars has Soul.
( In case you missed it: Part One)