a subcreator's field notes, #0 — Testing the Waters
a subcreator's field notes
by ajai raj
Issue 0: Testing the Waters / Introducing Turiya
what is the meaning of this?
That's the question, isn't it? But since you may well be asking it in an immediate sense, let me get to it.
a subcreator's field notes is a newsletter about the creative life, in the context of creating an in-depth fictional world.
The term subcreation comes from the letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. To express my understanding of it, it's the idea that fantastical worlds, to feel "true", ought to have a certain inner harmony as well as a certain correspondence with the reality of the human experience.
Besides being very practical when contemplated alongside Tolkien's own creative process and practices, I find taking on the identity of a subcreator encourages a certain humility: it reminds me that I don't create from nothing. I'm not God. (Even if you don't believe in God, it's a useful habit of mind to remember that whether or not there is a Creator, it's not you.)
It's also a practical consideration: I need to be reminded, more or less constantly, that one needs to gather raw material to create a fictional world of any scope or size — very rarely does a story spring full-blown from one's forehead like Pallas Athena, and when it does, based on my reading, it tends to happen to grizzled masters who have spent many long hours and years putting in the work on their craft.
As for field notes, I had originally wanted to call this "A Subcreator's Diary", after Dostoyevsky's Diary of a Writer. But the term "diary" these days has a negative connotation to it, suggesting self-involvement and navel-gazing. "Field notes" more conveys what I'm going for here: an intimate yet focused communication, at once personal and practical.
Consider this as shot from the hip. I had started summarizing and breaking down a book I read recently, until I realized, to my horror, that
- a) I was just writing another self-help/productivity email; and
- b) what I was doing felt labored and not liberating.
My purpose in writing this is to feed and support (and gather support for) my fiction practice, not rob energy from it. So to that end, let me get to my second point, and I'll try to be quick about it.
what I am subcreating
What's the what of it all? Should you care? Well, let's find out. The following paragraphs will either send a shiver down your spine or leave you confused and cold. If it's the former, happy to hear it, and please do reply and say hello. (I'm still figuring out the email tool I'm using, so if I don't reply, it's only because I haven't seen your email yet!) If the latter, please unsubscribe, for both our sakes. No hard feelings, even though you are 10% of my audience.
I am creating a fictional universe, an epic high science fantasy, codenamed Turiya. Turiya is my Middle-earth, my Arrakis, my Earthsea, my Urth.
Turiya is an alternate universe, steeped in and informed by Hindu/Vedic religion, philosophy, and mythology, or rather imagined religions and cultures based on the Hindu tradition(s). In this alternate universe, there were never any Abrahamic religions (and for that matter, no religions that we would recognize). Divine revelation came through something like a series of avatars — spiritual manifestations of God — culminating in a full incarnation of God, known as Isa, or Isha. This True Avatar of God was broken on the Wheel and burnt, making himself an offering to redeem mankind from sin. This happened probably a few thousand years prior to the events of the first story I'll write, but it deeply informs and impacts the world.
The parallels to Christianity are obvious; I'm making an effort to reimagine and recontextualize Christianity and Christ if both had arisen in very different soil, in a completely different cultural and theological context.
Then there is Singlaria, the technologically advanced civilization whose name derives from the Singularity as anticipated/worshiped by transhumanists in our world, as well as from the belief that they, the Singlari, are a civilization singular in virtue and power in all of human history.
The universe of Turiya will feature God, gods and goddesses, heroes and demigods, gandharvas and rakshasas (angels and demons), nature spirits, siddhis (supernatural powers), advanced technology, epic battles, a deep and rich history and lore — and complex, multidimensional characters. There will be good and evil, yes, but the goodness or evilness of any given character will not solely be a function of what they believe or which "side" they're on. That's especially important to me: capturing the depth and complexity of the human religious/irreligious/a-religious experience.
Turiya will blend ancient mythology, high fantasy, science fiction, of course the secret sauce of my own literary sensibility, whatever je nais se quois I possess and wield.
(Needless to say, I have a lot of work to do —— years and years of work. Work that is a joy and a gift, if also daunting. So writing this newsletter is also a way of making the journey less lonely.)
I could go on, but I want to keep these emails around 1000 words or less. (Don't hold me to that — or to anything, really. I'm still figuring all of this out.) Besides — by now you surely know if you're in or out.
If you're in — welcome! I look forward to making this journey with you, and I'll be in touch soon. In the meantime, please say hi, and let me know what questions you have — your suggestions will help guide what I write about next.
speaking of which...
This could go in any number of directions. Sometimes I might write about something I'm reading, sometimes about my writing process and maybe tools and other practical considerations, sometimes reflections on culture, philosophy, theology. My central purpose is to write something that feeds both you and me, creatively and spiritually.
some operational notes
- Please add me to your contacts. In Gmail I think you just click on my name and then click "Add Contact", but if not, you can Google it! I don't know about any other email provider. This should also keep my emails in your main inbox and not the Promotions tab.
- You might see a link to upgrade your subscription. I don't have a paid option at the moment, so that link leads nowhere and means nothing. In time, as I figure this out, I will offer a paid option, optionally.
- Please excuse any weird formatting, misplaced logos, or other oddities, as I work out the kinks.
Til next time, Ajai