So who is our resident steampunk?

and will you be willing to take a look at a story I'm wrapping up? I'm worried it's not steam punky enough

Have you browsed the category to see who shows up there regularly? I know I've seen people talk about writing for the category in threads before but can't recall any names. I have never warmed to the genre myself even for reading so I can't really help.

Steampunk is an interesting genre for a writer, since most of us don't know much about it. 🙄 When I wrote a story in that genre, I needed to write one in my pursuit of gaining my omnium badge. I did some research and soon realised it was not too hard to write steampunk stories. Think Victorian Britain, goggles, steam-powered machinery, blimps, big hats, etc. There are plenty of photographic examples online.

The downside is that not many people read stories in that genre; my steampunk story, which I have always considered one of my better ones, is The Open Purse

that's gonna kill me. I did the final edit just now, and I cannot believe that it came together in literally 3 days. More's the pity if no one reads it

wxt55uk's ideas are sound and will help place your story in the mainstream of the genre. For what it's worth, although my recent Steampunk story "Steam Mates" was set in an alternate timeline/reality (as is common for the genre) in which steam power was widely accepted for cars and many other things, I chose a far different setting than Victorian England. I placed mine very specifically in Portland, Oregon in 1972, and researched the fuck out of the time and location.

I'm pretty happy with how that turned out, remarkable considering that I was once stumped by the genre and figured it would be the last for me to tackle on my way to Omnium. But then I discovered the existence of the Oregon Steam-Up fair as well as active gay steam baths in the early '70s, also learning about early steam cars, and everything just clicked together.