Writing a science fiction story can be a really challenging job. Not only do you have to conjure up a story that will be interesting enough to engulf the reader, you also have to create an imaginary world with larger than life characteristics. So, you put all your imagination on those pages in front of you, and you look back at the world you have created. Do you have the feeling that, maybe you could have written a better story? Or maybe you could have invented a better character, or a better universe where those surreal characters live? Perhaps, you would want to read ahead and find out how to write good science fiction.
1. Develop a Vivid Imagination
By far the most important thing that your science fiction story needs is a vivid imagination. You must be able to think of unreal characters and places that may not be so easy unless you possess this trait. So, how do you go about developing a vivid imagination? Start by reading. Read science fiction novels, lots of them. Read the classics of science fiction and new authors as well. See the changes through the times, and also notice what remained constant. Do your homework. You should be clear about the differences between the real science and technology present today and how your imaginary world is different from it.
2. Build your Universe
Once you have done your homework, begin creating (or imagining) your universe. Decide what period it is set in: It could be the past, the present or the future. Choose the location and other details of your world. For example, you could be telling a story about how the planet Earth is coming to an end, or maybe, you could be telling a story about aliens on Mars! Be imaginative!
3. Ask yourself, What if?
This question, perhaps, will be very important in the type of story you will come up with. Take a general scientific topic for instance, and ask yourself, what if this weren’t true? Remember, this is science fiction. You can afford to get a little crazy here! For example, humans can’t fly and that is science. But, what if they could?
4. Science Fiction vs Fantasy
One thing you have to keep in mind while writing a science fiction story is, no matter how far-fetched or crazy the story may seem, it still isn’t a fantasy story. This means, you have to write it in such a way, keeping in mind that this could happen in some parallel universe. Since science is involved, this could mean that your science fiction story may be a possibility in the future. Fantasies, on the other hand, are probably never going to occur. You need to differentiate the two and create boundaries.
5. The Science in Science Fiction
You cannot take science out of science fiction. To write a good science fiction story, you must have a good piece of science or technology as the backdrop. Science fiction is not mythical, it is scientific. A science fiction story must have an engaging and believable science in the plot. The better the science, the better the fiction.
6. And Finally
Science fiction should be fun! Your story should have abundance of thrills, excitement, and a sense of wonder. It’s not literature that you are writing, its fiction. You should aim to make your story enjoyable and it must be a place where people come to escape their mundane lives and want to be transported into a land of imagination.
Image credit: Futurilla on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0
Pranay Kanagat is a freelance writer who has a love for writing on various subjects. In particular, he enjoys creative writing. He is also studying for an Engineering degree.