Columns

The home for all of Doctor Fantastique’s regular columnists, on topics such as humor, business, writing, and more.

The Gatehouse Gazette Surfaces in an All New Format!

May 7, 2012

The Gatehouse Gazette, an online and print version magazine, presented a great variety of writers and information about Dieselpunk and Steampunk culture during it’s most critical growth and expansion into modern awareness. In fact, they helped organize and promote the “Great Steampunk debate” in the Spring of 2010 that helped define the subculture as well as setting standards for more than one mainline approach to Dieselpunk. The two main streams of Dieselpunk are now often referred to by terms referencing the name of the Chief Editor of the Gazette, Nick Ottens, and to the name of another prime contributor...

The Apprentice Salesman

March 28, 2012

By Julien Harrison

Becoming a salesman isn’t a job; it’s a trade. Something that is learnt day by day in the marketplace by getting out there and trying to make a sale. It is one of the hardest professions to become proficient at because it requires you have good people skills, clear speaking and critical thinking skills, the ability to adapt to situations readily, and the ability to make a convincing argument without making it sound like one. Most salesmen take years to learn how to sell, and struggle through their jobs until they learn the lessons that let them make their...

Taking on Etsy

March 15, 2012

By Julien Harrison

The Steampunk Artisan often finds him (or her) self sitting for long periods without a convention to go to, especially in the winter. While for many this becomes the time that they catch up on special orders, put together their stock for the next year’s circuit, or take time to spend with their family, it also tends to be the time that money starts to run short. Let’s face it, conventions are expensive. Leading the life of an artisan is expensive; if you cannot bring in revenue, you will fail quickly. The best option for most artisans is to...

For those outside the United States, we have to use non-Kickstarter sites for our crowd-sourcing. Here are two Extra-Statesian projects you can opt to back: A fob-watch chain-style holder for your iPod Nano. A bit more on the Diesel-punk side of things, but still splendid. Professor Elemental (yes that Professor Elemental) wants his own TV show. Well who doesn’t?

Mainstream Steampunk

March 7, 2012

By Julien Harrison

Recently, there have been people talking about the possibility of Steampunk going “mainstream”, and what it will mean for the subculture, both aesthetically and intellectually. More importantly, there is a loud part of the subculture (though not necessarily large) that does not want our subculture in mainstream stores such as Hot Topic or Spencers because they are afraid of either a) the quality of normal Steampunk goods degrading, b) solo artists (such as the iconic figures Jake von Slatt and the Datamancer) losing their market share through the Corporate Machine (see previous article), or c) that it will be...

The Corporate Machine

March 5, 2012

By Julien Harrison

General Disclaimer: This is not in any way meant to be a political commentary. This should not in any way be construed as legal or financial advice. The Steampunk CEO is neither a Financial Advisor nor a Lawyer; just a business man. The selected style is atypical of most of my blogs, however I thought it would fit better. The Corporate Machine. The oppressors of all artists everywhere that keeps you from becoming the artist you want to be by not paying enough to keep you working on what you want to and paying the bills; or pumping out...

Dress Code

February 23, 2012

By Julien Harrison

Now for a moment many artists fear: time to implement the dress code. Even in a flexible culture of people such as Steampunk, it is important to put your best foot forward and show off your desire to be taken seriously as a businessperson as well as an artist. The first step to being taken seriously, is to dress the part. This does not mean to drop the Steampunk gear. Any businessperson walking into a Steamcon in a modern suit and expect to do business will likely be laughed off the stage unless they are selling pieces that are...

The Importance of Adding Value and Upselling

February 13, 2012

By Julien Harrison

The jeweler in front of you carefully pulls the necklace you asked to see off the table and hands it to you. She watches as you carefully inspect the piece and then place it down on the table. “I’ll take it,” you say. “Fantastic!” she says happily, “I have two clasp options for you; the first is a basic ribbon that will adjust as you like; the second is a handmade ‘S-hook’ that will fasten it close to your neck. Which would you like?” After a few moments deliberation, you say “I’ll take the ‘s-hook’.” She smiles and pulls...

Bits and Bobs of Steampunk

January 18, 2012

By M Gabriel Colbaugh

People love the look of Steampunk. The styles, aesthetics and certain looks that turn what could be an ordinary outfit, or a Victorian recreationalist outfit, into something slightly off the beaten path and into the realm of Steam. One of the biggest fears I hear from a lot of people just starting out isn’t that they don’t have an outfit so much as they don’t feel it’s Steampunk enough. This, of course, raises the question…what does it take to make an outfit Steampunk? It’s something I’ve debated with my wife on multiple occasions about how many added bits do...