Tag Archives: writing

The Tiffany Problem

The Tiffany Problem or Tiffany Effect refers to the issue where a historical or realistic fact seems anachronistic or unrealistic to modern audiences of historical fiction, despite being accurate. This often occurs with names, terms, or practices that, although historically accurate, feel out of place due to modern associations.
Nicola Cornick first discussed the Tiffany Effect in 2018 after recently learning about the phenomenon and encountering the term. She explained that the name Tiffany derives from Theophania, a name for girls in medieval England and France. However, if a historical fiction writer were to name a character Tiffany in a medieval European setting, the audience would likely perceive it as inaccurate. Jo Walton coined the term Tiffany Problem in 2019 to refer to this phenomenon. – Wikipedia

From: “Goslinoska, Hetter11” (hetter.goslinoska.11 @ cribipisque/comms)

To: “Tiffany, Rob” (rob.tiffany @ cribipisque/c)

Sent: 11/19/2252 @ 21:12:19:70:06 UTC

Subj: Re: Stonewall statement (draft)

Hi Rob,

Great chatting with you earlier! Just wanted to pass along our notes. This is all the feedback we have so if this is all OK then we’ll get it out the door and we’ll look to release it later tonight. Starting with this:

Hi, I’m Rob Tiffany, C6 of Cribipisque Entertainment. Over the past few days we’ve received some feedback regarding an early build of our upcoming action game Revolution Rising: Stonewall.

So we talked about it and we all agreed we’d really like you to stress the “early build” thing, maybe say it a few times, not just once. Maybe not exactly that, but like that, you know? But just emphasise it, that this is an early build. Legal would also like you to point out that it was an unauthorised leak. Maybe say some of the assets were placeholders – don’t specify which ones please.

First, I want to emphasise that, just like every other game in the Revolution Rising franchise, Stonewall is the product of a diverse team, with many different cultures and belief systems. And I’m proud of that team, and everyone on it. Each of our games is carefully crafted with an eye toward history and our own privileged place in that history.

This is good, keep this.

And of course it should go without saying that the Rev Rising games have all been developed by teams with LGBTIQ+ members from all walks of live. That’s been true since day one and it will always continue to be.

We’d prefer to lose “it should go without saying.” It makes people feel like you’re wasting their time. Legal said to maybe rephrase “will always continue to be” – in this context it could be seen as a claim. Maybe like “the makeup of our teams will always reflect our core values” or something. You misspelled “life.”

But even though our developers work closely with some of the best consultants in the business, the unfortunate fact is that sometimes we get it wrong. We want you to know we hear you, and we’re ready to have difficult conversations.

We like this – are you going to video this? You’re going to video this right? Can you do a little regretful head shake or maybe a sigh somewhere in this part?

The Rev Rising series immerses players in exciting recreations inspired by real historical events. In an early mission which has since been removed from the game, we erred on the side of player agency by giving players the option to throw a brick and begin the Stonewall riot. Following recommendations given to us after sensitivity readings, we acknowledge it’s a matter of historical significance that trans women of color threw that brick. In our current build, this event happens in a cut scene. Player choices up to that point will decide whether the brick is thrown by Marsha P. Johnson…or Sylvia Rivera. (Here I would maybe have pics of them both I can gesture to while I say their names)

We had our sensitivity analysts run this through Hiero and it came back with a lot. They tried to pronoun Marsha – Hiero is 49% confident her canonical gender was “Pay it no mind” and it’s only like 23% confident we should call her a woman instead of trans femme or gender fluid. It gave us a couple more options but the period accurate ones got wordfiltered so we’re not going to kick that nest. Apparently Sylvia wasn’t even there that night so maybe to keep it simple we cut the names entirely and just say “player choices can affect the course of history” or something like that.

And we want you to know that we hear you when you tell us we got some of the history wrong. We know this is a tough topic because so much of our idea of history comes from movies, and we’ve had a lot of opportunities to confront our own ignorance when it comes to the historicity of the events players will get to experience when Stonewall comes to homeplay next year. And we want to explain how we’re going to make it right. (examples to come from you)

This is a little run-on but I don’t think anything really needs to be changed. Maybe use a different word besides “history” once or twice so it doesn’t get repetitive.

Here are those examples, you can just sprinkle in a few. People like it when you acknowledge some specific stuff.

We’re taking out the flip phones. I know everyone expects them in the late 1960s because of star trek, but they weren’t actually invented until later. We’re changing them to walkie talkies.

We’ve received some feedback about the NYPD in multiplayer – some consultants pointed out the uniforms are anachronistic. We already paid for a whole rep of fabrics for those so we’re going to steer into this one and have all the eras of NYPD uniform be unlockable through the multiplayer. I think the messaging we want to go with here is that this was always the intention. I mean don’t literally say that, but it’s okay to not deny it.

We found players were 8% less likely to help Magnii and Brynn in builds where they talked about being sex workers so we’re taking those lines of dialogue out.

We’re removing the Antarc flag from the UN floor and removed two Antarc characters from the single-player story. No one lived there in the 1960s. The models will still be in the multiplayer.

It wasn’t called Dunkin’ Donuts Central Park until later so we can just call it central park.

I think we can still call the rifles historically accurate – they weren’t necessarily used at stonewall but they did exist at the time. And I mean, obviously every other game in the franchise has period-accurate rifles, this one’s going to have them too.

RuPaul was alive during the riots but it turns out she was only nine and lived in California at the time. We think it will be okay to age her model down and still use her for that cameo in the parkour missions anyway. It’ll be a fun little oesteregg. Maybe not use her last name. Not sure about rights or who owns them. I’m assuming it’s DisneyTwinWarnaCo but we can look it up if it comes down to it.

We learned Magnii wasn’t a common name at the time but we all agreed it just sounds like such an old timey name so we’ll probably be leaving it in.

We’re localising the Norcanala version just to be safe. A lot of markets there still won’t sell media with violence that involves trans people if helicopters are involved so we’re swapping some models in those cut scenes. We’re already releasing pretty close to St. Isabel’s Day down there – we don’t want to risk it.

The flashbangs are ahistorical, evidently.

We also found out the Hey Vern It’s Ernest guy wasn’t at Stonewall at all. I guess that’s just an urban-legend, which, like…boom! My head exploding. There’s a whole Reader about how it’s this common misconception. He’s kind of load bearing in the game though so we’re going to just change some textures and get someone to redo his lines.

As always, please be careful to say we’re doing these things, not that we have done them. I have a weekend in Vegas booked for my sister’s wedding and the last thing I need before I get on that boat is another scare like Mark at the land acknowledgement last month.

We’d also like to respond to the allegations that the game’s same-sex romance options were removed in some localised Camnasian releases. While it’s true that our very talented localisation teams make painstaking adjustments to our products to best ensure we reflect the sensitivities of every culture we release games in, Cribipisque stands with the LGBTIQ+ community worldwide. We pledge to do better, starting with (content to come from you)

We all agree you should take out the region and just call it a localised release. Also change to “stands with our rainbow family worldwide.” Focus groups find it insincere if you use the acronym too many times. I finally heard back from Legal on this – we can lose the whole last sentence. 

We’re also working closely with RBIPOC-owned consultancy groups to ensure all content for our products is designed to create a welcoming experience for all players who want to be part of the uprising when we release Stonewall to home systems next year.

We’ve been advised you should change this to say “some of the consultancy groups we work with are, or have been, part RBIPOC-owned.” You could say “part or wholly RBIPOC-owned” if you want to, just make sure to emphasise the “or,” if you do. Still waiting for final word from Legal on this one honestly. I understand there’s also been some push to change the acronym by splitting it up into RB & RI POC. Mona said the house style is “Remaining Black and Indigenous people of color” because it always sounds weird when someone says letters out loud. Up to you though. 

Other than that, we’re looking solid! Oh, and finally some good news: We heard back from Est. Downeyjunior and it’s looking like we’ll be able to get the likeness for one of the multiplayer seasons. Obviously we can’t mention iron man or any of that but we got the go-ahead to put him in a generic suit of powered armor and we can spin up a couple “Oh, this is familiar,” or “This feels…right, for some reason,” when he puts it on, some little quips like that. We’re also talking to Doublet Bear and the Double Bears about possibly doing a concert in-game. Let us know what you think.

Regards,

HG

shaelians_realm.txt

[20:19] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Hey =)
[20:21] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Just wanted to message to say I’m sorry Selivielle was being such a jerk…I think your english is really good!
[20:23] <@Azira_Oathsworn> I’m Azira Oathsworn. I was a Silver Elf before somehow being reincarnated into this reality…
[20:24] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Also I think I might be part vamp sometimes, heh =)

[20:24] <@Lisra____> im lisra
[20:25] <@Lisra____> youre an elf?
[20:25] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Hello, Lisra! ‘Tis good to make your acquaintence
[20:25] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yes

[20:27] <@Azira_Oathsworn> I lived in Lithersbaine, in a village called Moon’s Cradle. I must have somehow died and wound up here in this body, which isn’t too bad seeing how I work out several times a week…
[20:27] <@Lisra____> you died
[20:27] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yes
[20:28] <@Azira_Oathsworn> I first awakened to my true past when I was 14.
[20:28] <@Lisra____> you have friends
[20:29] <@Azira_Oathsworn> In the village? Or, like…IRL?
[20:29] <@Lisra____> any
[20:32] <@Azira_Oathsworn> No. I was a loner back then too. Besides, I don’t have TIME for many friends, between practicing martial arts and my job. But maybe I’m just scared of getting close to anyone…
[20:32] <@Lisra____> so you dont have no one you see
[20:32] <@Lisra____> besides the martial arts and the job
[20:33] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Haha, no I’m not seeing anyone.
[20:33] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Oh hey, you never said what your kin type was…

[20:33] <@Lisra____> what ?
[20:34] <@Azira_Oathsworn> You know, your kin type? Let’s just hope youre not a DRAGON, hahaha… jk if you’re a dragon it’s cool! haha
[20:35] <@Lisra____> oh
[20:35] <@Lisra____> like the kind of shape i have
[20:35] <@Lisra____> what kind of creature
[20:35] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yes
[20:36] <@Lisra____> im a lalocanther
[20:36] <@Azira_Oathsworn> A what?
[20:37] <@Lisra____> you know how its called
[20:37] <@Lisra____> the men dug into the earth and there lived a lalocanther and another and another
[20:38] <@Azira_Oathsworn> No I’ve never heard of that…
[20:39] <@Azira_Oathsworn> My friend Fuzzy is a manticore though! Well, half manticore
[20:40] <@Azira_Oathsworn> They recently discovered they were also part kitsune. So I guess I’m saying I know all kinds of strange creatures! =)

[20:40] <@Lisra____> good you can know me
[20:40] <@Lisra____> im make hot glue
[20:41] <@Azira_Oathsworn> What, like sculptures?
[20:42] <@Lisra____> sure
[20:42] <@Azira_Oathsworn> So what does a lolocanther look like?
[20:42] <@Lisra____> its lalocanther
[20:42] <@Lisra____> i have, eyes
[20:43] <@Lisra____> and what is a ring my head, like scallopp
[20:43] <@Azira_Oathsworn> You mean scalloped? Like a triceratops crest?
[20:43] <@Lisra____> sure
[20:44] <@Azira_Oathsworn> So English isn’t your first language?
[20:46] <@Lisra____> no
[20:46] <@Lisra____> i’ll tell you more about my kind of shape
[20:46] <@Lisra____> do you like it
[20:47] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Do I like your shape? I’m not sure what it is! But I bet it’s good. *grins*
[20:47] <@Lisra____> good
[20:47] <@Lisra____> the middle is robust
[20:48] <@Lisra____> good and sturdy for it
[20:48] <@Azira_Oathsworn> *scratches head* Not sure I can picture it…
[20:50] <@Lisra____> no
[20:51] <@Lisra____> but theres a face that is my face and it sings
[20:51] <@Lisra____> good songs
[20:51] <@Azira_Oathsworn> What kind of — oh haha you answered my question!
[20:51] <@Lisra____> good songs
[20:51] <@Azira_Oathsworn> I was going to ask what kind of songs you sing…
[20:53] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Do you like to sing? I’ve been told I have a powerful singing voice but I like to play guitar and accompany a beautiful voice just as much…

[20:53] <@Lisra____> well
[20:53] <@Lisra____> right now its not singing
[20:54] <@Lisra____> it singed before a long while and then it has to grow back,
[20:54] <@Lisra____> before it sings again
[20:54] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Are you a poet, Lisra? I like poetry
[20:54] <@Lisra____> it can sing soon
[20:55] <@Azira_Oathsworn> What, like…in person? IRL?
[20:55] <@Lisra____> yes
[20:55] <@Lisra____> ys
[20:56] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Well sure, I’d be open to that. But I haven’t even seen your picture yet!
[20:57] <@Lisra____> where do u live
[20:58] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Well haha, I live in Barnegat Light, New Jersey…and it’s actually not bad! I don’t know if you’ve heard anything about here haha
[20:58] <@Azira_Oathsworn> So that’s where I live…where do you live?
[20:58] <@Lisra____> so u live near the water
[20:58] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yep…
[20:59] <@Lisra____> whats an elf
[20:59] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Haha…Very funny.
[20:59] <@Lisra____> do u like
[21:00] <@Lisra____> do u want me to say more about my shape & u can like it
[21:00] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Sure. I’d like to hear about your shape very much…
[21:00] <@Azira_Oathsworn> You can send me a picture if you like…(email redacted)

[21:00] <@Lisra____> good
[21:00] <@Lisra____> u will receive it
[21:01] <@Lisra____> it will make you have a good time
[21:01] <@Lisra____> u will make hot glue
[21:01] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Oh I bet…
[21:01] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Haha it kind of sounds like you have another “hot glue” in mind…
[21:02] <@Azira_Oathsworn> omg sorry! Excuse me…dont know where that came from

[21:02] <@Lisra____> yese
[21:02] <@Lisra____> thats what i want, for u to make it
[21:03] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Well let’s just say I’m very intrigued…
[21:04] <@Azira_Oathsworn> *puts hand just above your knee*

[21:04] <@Lisra____> yees
[21:05] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Oh, do you like that? So what do you look like, you naughty thing… 😉
[21:05] <@Lisra____> eyes
[21:05] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Heh…it wasn’t a yes or no question
[21:07] <@Lisra____> i look like
[21:07] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Start with your face…
[21:08] <@Azira_Oathsworn> …do you like when I tell you what to do? *brushes your cheek with a finger*
[21:08] <@Lisra____> i look like the face sloughing off its caul
[21:08] <@Lisra____> the maneuvering protuberances swish and swing and move forward
[21:09] <@Lisra____> move me forward
[21:09] <@Lisra____> or away! they can move in so variety of ways
[21:09] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Nice…I mean IRL though…
[21:09] <@Azira_Oathsworn> ya know like
[21:10] <@Azira_Oathsworn> oh hey! an email from you!
[21:10] <@Azira_Oathsworn> does it have naughty pics in it…?

[21:10] <@Lisra____> yes
[21:11] <@Lisra____> wait
[21:11] <@Lisra____> no
[21:11] <@Lisra____> i’ll make them for u
[21:11] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yeah I’m not sure how to open this attachment.
[21:11] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Oooh good…
[21:12] <@Azira_Oathsworn> While I’m waiting…what color are your eyes?

[21:13] <@Lisra____> the ringed ones or on the face? the face ones arent real
[21:13] <@Azira_Oathsworn> No, I mean IRL.
[21:13] <@Lisra____> i dont know whats this
[21:14] <@Azira_Oathsworn> You know…IRL? Should I describe my IRL self for you?
[21:14] <@Lisra____> no i dont want
[21:14] <@Lisra____> you said youve got a job
[21:15] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yeah, I’m an assistant shift manager at the deli counter at (employer redacted). And a certified deli slicer operator! Heh it’s cool though
[21:16] <@Lisra____> do u dig in the earth for money or coins
[21:16] <@Azira_Oathsworn> What, like…
[21:16] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Construction?

[21:16] <@Lisra____> for ur job
[21:17] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Oh, no I don’t. I just operate the deli slicer and weigh the cut and package it up!
[21:17] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Why?

[21:17] <@Lisra____> i sent u an email
[21:17] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Hey I just looked up scallops…let’s just say I HOPE you mean you’ve got parts that are scalloped, haha. Have you ever seen a scallop up close? Their eyes are
[21:18] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Oh, a music file?

[21:18] <@Lisra____> its the song
[21:19] <@Lisra____> thats how i make new ones
[21:20] <@Lisra____> i sing the song & the face crusts up & falls off & i pray & whisper until i forget the song
[21:20] <@Lisra____> & what it was
[21:20] <@Lisra____> & it is gone
[21:21] <@Lisra____> then its not anywhere except in a between
[21:21] <@Lisra____> where no one knows it & no one heard it
[21:21] <@Lisra____> & then the first human to hear it takes it inside & then i have fulfilled
[21:23] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Im warm in my ears
[21:23] <@Lisra____> have u eaten dinner
[21:23] <@Azira_Oathsworn> no
[21:24] <@Lisra____> u should go eat & get full & come to the water
[21:25] <@Lisra____> u said ur not human right
[21:25] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Yeah
[21:25] <@Azira_Oathsworn> Im an elf

[21:26] <@Lisra____> good
[21:26] <@Lisra____> did i make u make glue
[21:26] <@Lisra____> with my saying about my shape
[21:26] <@Lisra____> if u are appreciative please play that sound for a human
[21:26] <@Azira_Oathsworn> i dont feel good
[21:27] <@Lisra____> then u should get away from the human
[21:27] <@Lisra____> that is how u can thank me
[21:27] <@Lisra____> for the glue
[21:28] <@Lisra____> & if u come to the water ill bring you some silver cups i found
[21:28] <@Lisra____> for thanks

Femto-Horror: The Newest Trend in Microfiction

Some time ago, there emerged Pico-Horror, the microfiction format wherein internet writers attempted to craft the scariest story possible using only two sentences. Now, hot on its heels comes Femto-Horror, a bone-chilling trend in constrained storytelling. If you find that the airy canyon of Twitter’s 140 characters gives you too much elbow room, if Pico-Horror seemed like a good start but you keep having to add filler to stretch it out to two sentences, then you’re certain to find Femto-Horror the ultimate in creative minimalism, because Femto-Horror challenges the writer to come up with the scariest story possible while keeping it to a length no greater than one letter.

Already, some of the most well-known names in literature have come forth to put their own spin on this clearly excellent idea. Noted internet person Cory Doctorow threw down the gauntlet with his acclaimed spooky story, “C,” meeting with a flood of accolades and upvotes from all corners of Reddit or boingboing or whatever. Though he faces criticism for making his story out of the first letter of his name, Doctorow insists he only picked the letter because he’s always found it powerful, and commanding of attention.

More stories emerged. None other than Neil Gaiman spoke to Commuter Barnacle about his barn-burner of a story, “H.” Says Gaiman, “Oh, I thought the idea was glorious. I find writing with constraints to be quite cozy, really, like a proper cup of tea or late Sunday afternoons in autumn, but I was quite stymied at first by how steep the restriction is. Given the limitations, Femto-Horror winds up being mostly about picking what you think is the scariest letter. I decided on H because it looks a bit like it’s raising its arms, sort of, like a monster. But perhaps we may find that sometimes we’re wrong about who is truly monstrous.”

Meanwhile, genre luminary Charles Stross stepped up to the plate with his Weird Fiction pastiche, “Q.” While the story debuted to a mostly positive reception, critics have found things to dislike about it. As one anonymous commenter whinnied, “Ugh, typical. He’s just taking something from Lovecraft and adding something to it. Like he thought nobody would notice that he just took the letter O from the fourth page of The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward and added a curvy line sticking out.” Similar charges were leveled at Wil Wheaton, whose ghost story “M” has been called a ripoff of John Scalzi’s “N,” which is also a ghost story, but in space.

Charges of unoriginality are less likely to stick to author Mark Z. Danielewski, who announced via his message board that he’d completed work on a Femto-Horror story of his own. His story, “ə,” has been eagerly received by audiences, who’ve praised its inventive  structure and ambitious prose but mostly admitted it’s still not as good as House of Leaves.

But it’s not only professionals getting into the action. Reddit user fudgechugger had barely put the finishing touches on his pulse-pounding zombie epic, “L,” before he received notification that it had been optioned for a film by 20th Century Fox. Principal photography is expected to begin in early spring. The movie has a projected budget of $80 million and Adrien Brody is expected to star. When we spoke to fudgechugger, he was terribly excited – not just for the fame, but for the unexpected windfall. Mr. Chugger did not tell us an exact figure, but he confirms that the studio is paying him a sum in excess of eighteen dollars.

It’s not all good news and roses and rainbows and that sort of thing, though, as author Seanan McGuire was unfortunate enough to learn. She unveiled her apocalyptic cyber-thriller, “@,” to wild paroxysms of orgasmic retweets, and even received much praise for the tale’s strong, well-written POC characters. Readers were so excited, and so hungry for more stories in the fully realized world of “@” that McGuire immediately went to work on a sequel. She proudly released “ƒ” two weeks later, only to be met with a hail of controversy. It seems that ƒ is also the preferred pronoun of a Tumblr user named clobberbatch, who was none too pleased to see it used in a story. “This is appropriation and it’s not okay,” ƒ said. ƒ went on to write a 20,000 word essay (though the essay is only 150 words if you do not count each use of the word literally) explaining how McGuire’s use of the character is problematic. At press time, this essay had ben reblogged eighty quinitillion times between the same six people. The kerfuffle is already being referred to as ƒ-fail 2014.

But the creative voice is unlikely to be dissuaded, as Femto-Horror continues to spread all through the internet like some kind of metaphor for a thing that spreads rapidly through a system. Already, anthologies are being hastily assembled and edited, even as writers gear up to tackle what some say will be the next fad in constrained storytelling: Un-Horror, whereby writers attempt to scribe the scariest story possible while sitting on their hands and not touching a writing implement of any kind. Fright afficionados are already looking forward to the terrifying blank pages their favorite authors come up with, and when they do, you can be sure Commuter Barnacle will be here to tell you all about it!