z

Young Writers Society


Sci-Fi Advice



User avatar
45 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 529
Reviews: 45
Sun Oct 18, 2015 11:55 pm
Europa says...



I'm trying my hand at Science Fiction writing, and while it's fun and I really love doing it, I'm a little out of my element and would love some advice. Anything is welcome, as long as it helps. Thank you!
  





User avatar
93 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 3819
Reviews: 93
Mon Oct 19, 2015 2:13 am
Lefty says...



Saying just "Sci Fi" is a little vague. Is it aliens? Is it in outer space or another planet? Robots? Do you characters have paranormal powers/abilities? Also, what time frame are we talking? Modern day? Futuristic? Tell us a little about the Sci Fi you're trying your hand at. Thanks!
Hear me out, there's so much more to life than what you're feeling now. Someday you'll look back on all these days, and all this pain is gonna be invisible. - Hunter Hayes
  





User avatar
45 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 529
Reviews: 45
Mon Oct 19, 2015 1:36 pm
Europa says...



Futuristic/Post apocoliptic kind of thing.
My characters don't have supernatural abilities thus far (no one's met 72 yet...) but it's the kind of thing that spans the entire galaxy. Involves space pirates, fictional planets alein races, and two brave humans on the run from the main bad guys, an alien race called Rigellions. Looking to publish this one, so help would be appreciated.
  





User avatar
39 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 2470
Reviews: 39
Mon Oct 19, 2015 5:53 pm
LordZeus says...



So, you took my suggestion about the pirates! Or did you think this one up all on your own? Anyway, I'd be glad to help you. I've been reading and writing sci-fi since I was six! I LOVE SCI-FI, so ask me any specific questions regarding it, and I'd be more than willing to answer. Plot points, storyline, tips on making it realistic, anything and I'd love to help! Just tell me, are you having any problems at current with this? Any specific problems that I could help with? If so, please do tell.
  





User avatar
45 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 529
Reviews: 45
Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:27 pm
Europa says...



I'm actually using both of them, my plan being that they live on earth for a while, the Od sells them to the crew of 'The Star Falcon' (Because Odessyus Maplethrope is a jerk with a cash register where his heart should be.) I'm trying not to rush the plot, I have problems with that sometimes, and this way Foust and Ahlee have some time to bond before they get (Quite literally) shipped out, and then have a little bit of wiggle room to get to know Mei before 72 shows up. And in case your wondering 72 is an experiment. Engineered to be a sort of super soldier, (She's human, by the way.)
I've got a vague-ish sort of idea of how her character will develop from a kind of robot-girl to thinking and acting more human, but Experiment 72's kind of character development is still in the "How the heck" Phase....heheh...fools rush in, right?
  





User avatar
39 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 2470
Reviews: 39
Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:39 pm
LordZeus says...



Sounds great! however, in this case spend a little time on earth and everything, but make sure you have an idea of what they're going to do there. And in a sci-fi story like this, it can't all be romance, and character conversation. thre's gotta be some action in there. I'm not telling you to rush anything, just make sure that you have an idea how to keep the reader entertained throughout the story. Perhaps they're trained to fight and shoot, and maybe they even run a few missions someplace? I suggest making them become sold after an encounter with the Rigellians, as that would frighten the guys they're with enough to want to get rid of them anyway possible. I also suggest adding 72 as a crew member aboard the star falcon, maybe created by the rigellians to serve as a spy aboard ship so as to take it and perhaps an entire pirate union down. Perhaps she was hired due to programmed fighting capabilities or technological knowledge? But then she becomes friends with Foust and Ahlee and starts to have second thoughts. The transformation from unfeeling machine to feeling being would make good reading. Just a thought. Let me know if you ever need any help, 'cause I'm always willing to help!
  





User avatar
39 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 2470
Reviews: 39
Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:02 am
LordZeus says...



@TheFantasy14 , what do you think of the suggestions I posted above?
  





User avatar
45 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 529
Reviews: 45
Thu Oct 22, 2015 12:45 pm
Europa says...



really helpful! Thanks!
  





User avatar
565 Reviews



Gender: Male
Points: 1395
Reviews: 565
Tue Dec 08, 2015 4:31 pm
Stori says...



Sounds like you're taking on a large project for your first foray into this genre. If you can pull it off, more power to you! But it also might be a good idea to start with some smaller pieces. Shameless plug here- in my series "A Hundred Suns", I have most of the action taking place on a small station with no galaxy-spanning action. It's just the life and times of one girl and her friends.

Do let me know when you post a new chapter, please. I'm intrigued.
  





Random avatar


Gender: Female
Points: 9682
Reviews: 156
Sun Dec 20, 2015 9:07 pm
McMourning says...



Because it's fiction, of course, you can make up whatever you want. We don't yet know much about other planets and aliens and space pirates.

But there are a lot of interesting resources out there to help you put real science into your piece.

For example, here's a blog post about entering the atmosphere of a gas planet like Jupiter... http://what-if.xkcd.com/139/ and another one about a "space burial" http://what-if.xkcd.com/134/

NASA's website provides info on current technology used in space... http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/index.html as well as what we currently do know about the rest of the solar system... http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/index.html
"One voice can be stronger than a thousand voices, " Captain Kathryn Janeway
  








If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
— Mark Twain