My Lovecraftian Steampunk Noir Detective novel. Advice?

I have had this novel called "Death Dreams" kicking around my head for far too long (It can be found on the unpublished works section, but that is an old version). Anyway, I decided to mix every element that featured in all of my unfinished novels, and I came to this wonderful conclusion:

I want to write a Cosmic Horror Story, in a Steampunk setting, mixed with Film Noir to boot.

Now, I read the guides on how to write each of them, but that still isn't enough. Can anyone here suggest me where to find info on the ninteenth century? Or a place where to research about steam power, and related machines? Also, what good Cosmic Novels can you reccommend me to get the general grasp?

I don't think I need that much help with Film Noir, but if you got any suggestions, I would appreciate it.

Well your big problem is you are violating one of the main precepts of writing. You need to write what you know, what you are familiar with. If you are using guides to shore up this discrepancy you don't seem very knowledgeable about the genre.

As for Steampunk it's more an aesthetic than anything. Particularly it runs on rule of cool. Researching real steam technology and nineteenth century history lets you write about those things, not steam punk.

I didn't say that I did not know the genres at all, I am just looking up the guides in order to avoid the big pitfalls. Heck, they are there for a reason after all.

I am not so sure I can just go and pop up random steam punk coolness though. I always thought I had to have some semblance on the customs, especially If I want my reader to feel inmersed, after all, the other genres I am mixing it with requires a lot of inmersing.

Well, the Eldritch Abominations can be some kind of superweapon, the steampunk is more of a setting, but the real deal is using the Noir genre well. Use things like femme fatales, narrations, standoffs and mysteries to drive the plot.

Cosmic Horror is not just about the big ugly monsters. It's a specific flavour which should really pervade the work, much like Film Noir.

The biggest difference between an Eldritch Abomination and a Starfish Alien is the portrayal.

Cosmic Horror isn't just about the gribblies, as Bobby pointed out. It's an existential thing, and under it lies the belief that human beings are structurally incapable of perceiving or understanding true reality; that we glimpse the world through an ignorant filter which keeps us sane.

Cosmic Horror argues that ignorance is both our prison and haven, as it prevents us from correlating the horrific implications of our world at once. And it prevents us from being relevant to those beings that can see with true eyes.

In my opinion Shadows Over Baker Street is a good example of all those genres blended together. Maybe you can read it to give you some ideas that will help you out.

edited 29th Jul '12 5:23:20 PM by LABlack