To write a science fiction story, start from real science and a message you want to convey, build a strange world that still feels familiar, give it believable characters and a consistent culture, and then shape your structure, conflict, and narrative voice. The 15 tips below take you through those three steps.
So you want to write your first science fiction story? Then you already know what science fiction is. Writing it can be a real challenge, but don't be discouraged. If you have plenty of imagination and pay attention to a few things, you are ready to write an extraordinary science fiction story. So where do you start? Here are 15 tips, and your new writing adventure can begin.
Step 1: find your inspiration
1. Look at real science
If you find it hard to come up with a good story, look for inspiration in the latest or the most interesting scientific discoveries. When you build on science, you avoid many clichés and focus on content that grabs the reader's attention. Do not let the science overwhelm the story, though. Visit online forums about popular science and science fiction. The discussions and material you find there can give you a handful of new ideas and help you picture the future world your story takes place in.
2. Learn from the classics
You probably read a lot of good science fiction already. Even so, you can still find inspiration in the classics of the genre. Read your favorite science fiction authors, and analyze their writing styles. You do not have to copy their patterns and fantastic worlds, but they might give you an idea for your own.
3. Explore the subgenres
Science fiction is a very broad genre, and that makes writing it even more interesting. Why not explore its subgenres as well? There are many to choose from: hard science fiction, soft science fiction, military science fiction, steampunk, science fantasy, space opera, cyberpunk, post-apocalyptic fiction, science fiction horror, and many others. Who knows, you may even create a new subgenre.
4. Know your message
What makes your readers tick? Build your story around the message you want to convey. When a story leads somewhere and has a clear meaning, it is much more likely to leave a strong impression on its readers.
5. Hold up a mirror to our world
The best science fiction gives you a better insight into the world you live in. Take some events or observations that have caught your attention, and place them in a world that is very different from yours. That way, you tell an important story and get past the reader's prejudices. When something you can identify with happens in the distant future or on another planet, you tend to look at it more closely and more rationally. Frank Herbert's Dune, one of the great classics of science fiction, is often read this way: its desert planet and its struggle over a precious resource echo the history and the oil politics of the Middle East.
Step 2: world-building and characters
6. Build a world that feels familiar
Now you have reached the world-building phase. Your task is to create a reality that is different from your own. Science fiction shows worlds that are fascinating and different in every way. Yet the reader must recognize something familiar in your world and be able to understand it. Connect the real and the imaginary, and your story will reach a much larger audience.
7. Create realistic characters
Your characters may live in another galaxy, but to identify with them and "get into their heads", draw on your own experiences. Which ideas or interests do you share with the characters you create? Where do you find ideas for characters? Use real people as models, with all their values, morals, gestures, interests, and quirks. Or base a character on yourself.
8. Keep the science believable
Pay attention to the scientific side of your story: it has to stay scientific. Otherwise, your story loses its credibility, and the reader stops believing it. Do not stray too far from what your reader knows about science.
9. Give an invented language a few rules
If you plan to use an invented language, it helps to set a few basic rules for its sounds and grammar. You do not have to invent whole languages, as J. R. R. Tolkien did. All you have to do is use your language consistently throughout the story, so that the reader finds it believable.
10. Craft a whole culture
Create a brand-new culture, one that reaches beyond what the reader sees on the page. Define your strange new world and its inhabitants. Think about their history. A detailed cultural background makes your world more complete, and it will look more real to your readers.
Step 3: develop your story
11. Choose a structure
The structure is the overall way your story is told. A common choice is a three-act structure: the first part sets up the story, in the second part the story unfolds, and in the third part it ends. You can also use a two-act or four-act structure, a cyclical structure (like the monomyth, the hero's journey), or a nonlinear structure.
12. Use conflict
Conflict is one of the best guides through your story. Every conflict is either internal or external, and a good story usually has both. A story may contain several conflicts, but one of them should be the main focus. Pit your characters against nature, society, the supernatural, or other characters. What you choose has a big effect on the kind of story you tell.
13. Find your narrative voice
Work on your narrative style. Choose a point of view: write the story in the first, second, or third person. Choose the time of the telling: past, present, or future. Choose a narrative voice, and ask yourself whether the reader can trust the narrator.
14. Keep your style consistent
Stick to the style of writing you have chosen. Watch for passages where your style changes. When you write over a long period, you are exposed to different moods and influences. However well you tell the story, the style has to stay the same from beginning to end.
15. Mind the sequence of events
The order of events is crucial, because it sets the pace of your story. The events must stay connected. Otherwise, as you can guess, the reader will find it hard to follow the plot and the relationships between the characters.
Final words
The end is in sight. What is left to do? Edit your science fiction story. Take another look at the world you have created and at your characters, and run the manuscript through the Spell Checker to catch spelling and grammar mistakes. Then share the story with friends or editors who will give you honest, critical feedback.
Finally, publish it. Some writers prefer to self-publish, while others look for a literary agent. Writing contests are another good way to get your story read.