《How to Write Science Fiction》Making a Start
Advertisement
Making a Start
“Writing means sharing. It's part of the human condition to want to share things - thoughts, ideas, opinions.” - Paulo Coelho
Ideas can come from anywhere, and many writers carry a notebook or use notes on their mobile, or even record spoken prompts. Orson Scott Card in his The Writer’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy - well worth a read - refers to an ‘Ideas net’ where he likens writers to fishermen who pick up potential stories from all around them as they walk around in their daily lives. As a writer, you need to keep your net and note taking equipment handy at all times.Be awake to the possibility of anything giving you the idea for a story, whether it be an unusual label in a pair of jeans (and yes, we have seen this), or a story on the news about someone mistaking a flock of seagulls for an alien invasion fleet (not seen this one yet, and it’s all yours, so go write it now).
The point being that before you do anything else, you need an idea. It doesn’t need to be too complex at first and can come from anywhere and indeed anything, but you do need a point to start.
Once you have it, write the idea down.
Get it out of your head and onto the page or screen in front of you. Doing that immediately defeats the ominous whiteness of the BLANK PAGE staring at you. It doesn’t really matter if the idea sits there for a while or is even grammatically correct. Let it look back at you rather than simply floating around under your scalp.
Think of it a bit like music: the musician doesn’t just imagine the tune, he fires up his keyboard, penny whistle, or guitar and picks out the first few notes to see what it sounds like. Do the same with your idea: pin it to the page, look at it, let it free from the confines of your head.
Advertisement
Does the idea excite you?
Does it send parallel ideas coruscating around in your head?
Yes? Then proceed.
No? Write down another idea and see if that one gets you going but do not discard the other idea. Keep everything you write. Things have a habit coming in handy down the line and while the idea may not fire your neurons now, it may well do later on. Ultimately, there’s no point writing something that doesn’t get you fired up: if you’re not interested, then your potential reader sure as heck won’t be either.
Okay, so you have your idea. Now at this point many folk will say “but all the great ideas have been taken, it’s all been done before”.
Nonsense.
You can make anything new by processing it through your brain, it’s called imagination. Allow your ego a moment of “Hey, not bad at all” for coming up with the idea, and then start looking forward to the next step in the process (unless you’re a Dalek, most of them aren’t so good at steps).
But the idea is just the start. Now we have to create the universe.
Advertisement
- In Serial71 Chapters
Dragon Road: How I Rise in My New Life
Unbeknownst to most life in the vast universe, there exists worlds with life that nestle within cracks in the void of the physical plane of existence. Whether these worlds are the realms of the afterlife is unknown, but what is clear is that sometimes… some things… physical or not… real or not… tend to slip into the cracks… This is my story... Of how I died filled with regret, but was given a chance to live my new life (though not the way I expected) hoping to gain what I desire the most. Power... Women... and most important of all... Family. * Arc 1: An End and A Beginning * Arc 2: Journey to the New World * Arc 3: The All-Treasure Pavillion
8 216 - In Serial12 Chapters
The Navigator
I'm a navigator. This essentially means it's my job to ferry goods and/or people from point A to point B. I know, shocking, but here's the thing. I don't navigate the seas or stars. Hell, I don't even have a ship, craft, vessel or vehicle of any description. 'What is it you navigate, then?' you may ask. The chaotic nonsensical void between neighboring realities. That's what. [Participant in the 2018 NaNoWriMo RoyalRoad challenge.]
8 149 - In Serial16 Chapters
Re: Slavemancer (LitRPG Fantasy)
Rohan lived the easy life of a noble with comfort at the end of his fingertips. He was grateful and all, but he was missing that little excitement that he yearned. Fortunately for him, the dungeons came. Monsters? Check. Game-like stats? Check. Abilities like in those RPG-games? Check. Loots? Check. It was was more than he asked for and yet, trouble was brewing. Nocturns from the East, and greedy Lords and nobles in the continent. Multiple sparks were going off and a calm stable future was slowly fading away. But that wasn't the worse thing. Shit. I mess up didn't I? [Congratulation. You have obtained a new class.] [User is now a Slavemancer.]
8 133 - In Serial12 Chapters
The Fragile World
Time… The river that flows down many paths. Every action that can be will be and has been. What seemed to be an unchangeable force yet turned out so fragile. That which separates two time lines has shattered and now all god can do is try and mitigate the damage. What happens when the most dangerous enemy you must face is not a great and powerful demon lord… Or over powered villain. What if the great enemy you must face is none other then yourself. Join David Nowak, an Ex-Psychologist now hunted by every country across the globe as he must keep his other self from meeting his goal at all costs. But just what is his goal, and who is this mysterious woman who calls herself Nona.Authors note- Switching my release day to sundays. Trying to work around some things. Some tags may not be apparent immediately. Tragedy isn’t limited to the MC.
8 97 - In Serial167 Chapters
Anime/Webtoon Oneshots
Basically the title. Requests will be explained in the story. Please, enjoy :)
8 165 - In Serial10 Chapters
Your Name?
Cinderella AU (kind of?-)Shameless LWJ x Stoic WWXWei Wuxian was adopted by the Jiang's after both his parents died. Wei Wuxian thought his life would be better after getting adopted by the Jiangs as they had a good business which meant he could live comfortably.But it all went downhill the moment he saw the Lady of the Kingdom."I found you dear Lotus" "Nonsense""You both have the same sword, quite impossible for 2 cultivators to have the exact same name for a sword now isn't it?" This author is previously A_flower_in_the_snow, (I wrote that Uno Reverse and OOC for those who read my previous works) my old account got deleted because...we don't talk about that-
8 144