Writing Sci-Fi

[W_L]

Most people have seen my writings of Exodus, so I am wondering, am I over doing it?

 

I think I am getting too detailed on technological progress and potential technologies within the next 30-40 years. I know some writers are detail oriented, like my favorite author of the genre, Arthur C. Clarke. I do enjoy writing sci-fi.

 

However, it is slowing down my progress in my story writing among other things like finishing off my novella, which kind of side tracked me for a bit as it is modern fiction, not sci-fi.

 

Should I limit my focus to one genre of writing, because I'm not sure how I can focus on multiple genres at the same time, while maintaining my detail oriented stories.

 

Any suggestions?

[Rilbur]

Well, I've liked Exodus so far... what little there is of it...

 

I enjoy the little technical 'nuts and bolts' and how they effect the story, so... writers choice, naturally!

[JamesSavik]

Sci-fi works best when it makes sense and I think that can only help you by providing the readers some context.

[Linxe Termoil]

I'm finding sci-fi hard to write. I have this story I want to write, but the research (what little I have researched) is a pain in the ass, because I've had to look up galaxies, the speed of light, etcetera, and I also need to look up other stories and crap. It's a very painful process, mostly because I keep thinking about it in an effort to find out what I want to do, and what I need to know. I'm also more of a hands on learner, so trying to make sense of crap coming out of a book that doesn't involve my imagination is very hard to do.

 

I'm also tempted to just start writing the story and whatever I say goes. Nyeh. It's hard, trying to incorporate something you know nothing about into a story just for the stories sake. needless to say, I haven't even been able to start this new story, (not really) because of said research and my lack of knowledge.

 

Oh well

 

Me (someday I'm going to have to get a degree in astrophysics/science/etc just so I can write this story)

[Nephylim]

Write the story and add the detail in later when you know when it's going. Maybe you will be able to find a way round being too explicit about some of them and at least it will narrow your research to what you actually need to know.

[David McLeod]

Well, I've liked Exodus so far... what little there is of it...I enjoy the little technical 'nuts and bolts'...

 

I've posted a similar thought at "Exodus." It's good...but kind of short. Details that provide verisimilitude without distracting are, I think, essential to any story. That, however, is the author's challenge: how much to incorporate? Consider "Star Trek" and compare the shows and movies with the book, "The Physics of Star Trek." There was just enough detail (and jargon) in the show to allow the viewer to "suspend disbelief." I think you're looking for the same thing as an author.

 

Sci-fi works best when it makes sense and I think that can only help you by providing the readers some context.

 

"Making sense" in this context means, I think, a consistently logical framework for your science...just as in fantasy, there needs to be a consistently logical framework for the "magic."

 

I'm finding sci-fi hard to write. I have this story I want to write, but...I've had to look up galaxies, the speed of light, et cetera...

 

Write the story and gloss over the science...just enough to provide verisimilitude...it's not the science, but the characters and the plot that will make the story! (Please, write the story?)

 

Write the story and add the detail in later when you know when it's going. Maybe you will be able to find a way round being too explicit about some of them and at least it will narrow your research to what you actually need to know.

 

See? Listen to Nephylim.

[Nephylim]

The sex seems to write itself and the technical stuff is just the filler between the sex and helps the plot. Take care.

 

Louisiana Writer.

 

 

I just loved that line I have to admit that in the story i have been writing it's a bit like... everything is just a filler between the sex .. it's been the most fun EVER.... well apart from actual sex of course

[W_L]

I have a tendency to hold off on the sex until it's absolutely necessary.

[Nephylim]

I have a tendency to hold off on the sex until it's absolutely necessary.

 

 

Depends on the story. Some of my stories have no sex at all... some are all about the sex right from the start and some have a few scenes where it is necessary. As I said it depends on the story. I do find sex scenes tremendous fin to write though... especially ones that are... different. For example vampire ones or the bdsm ones because it gives more scope to be creative

[W_L]

Don't get me wrong, in a few chapters of Exodus, you will get a lot of sexual tension and issues coming up.

 

I just tend to pent up my sex and let it explode later.

[David McLeod]

I have a tendency to hold off on the sex until it's absolutely necessary.

 

Pray, when is sex not absolutely necessary?

[W_L]

Pray, when is sex not absolutely necessary?

 

hmmm...How about during a space walk? (I'm trying to figure out how zero-g sex would happen, what I found in my research is interesting and kind of scary about your sperm in space.)

 

One reason why I am using centrifugal force to generate artificial gravity in my story.

[David McLeod]

hmmm...How about during a space walk? (I'm trying to figure out how zero-g sex would happen, what I found in my research is interesting and kind of scary about your sperm in space.)

 

One reason why I am using centrifugal force to generate artificial gravity in my story.

 

(Sounds like one more reason to practice safe sex.) You've probably thought about this, but using centrifugal force to generate a sense of gravity requires a rather large structure, doesn't it? In a "small" structure one's head would be "significantly" closer to the center of rotation; the force would be significantly less there than at the feet. I think this would cause problems. On the other hand, this discussion is the sort of thing that would bog down a reader, and probably should (and could) be glossed over in a story.

[W_L]

(Sounds like one more reason to practice safe sex.) You've probably thought about this, but using centrifugal force to generate a sense of gravity requires a rather large structure, doesn't it? In a "small" structure one's head would be "significantly" closer to the center of rotation; the force would be significantly less there than at the feet. I think this would cause problems. On the other hand, this discussion is the sort of thing that would bog down a reader, and probably should (and could) be glossed over in a story.

 

These are pretty big ships and if the reader wondered how they could be built and hidden from earth's telescopes prior to launch, let's just say there is a certain rocky body near earth's orbit, which is tidally locked and served as a base in a potential prequel series.

 

I act as my own scientific adviser, which puts a lot of headaches on me.

 

Centrifugal force is just one way to achieve artificial gravity as you read into the story, I do acknowledge much more advanced techniques based off one possible solution to the UFT (Unified field theory). Yeah, there's a lot of geeky stuff in my story that science guys will have fun poking at and jeering about my ideas for technology use in the near future.

 

However, mixing that and the human element is very difficult for me. I try to create a scenario where our technologies have reached an exciting point in time within decades. I know some of it seems impossible today, but if things did develop along my lines it would be possible, i.e anti-matter, nanotechnology, and other breakthrough occur in the next few years. The same can be said about my exile's origin scenario, a genocidal war against homosexuals and other undesirables have happened once in the last century during the holocaust, so it is not beyond human focus for the 21st century.

 

There is going to be a sci-fi element that is out there, but I do think it questions the very nature of human conscience or I hope as the storyline continues.