The most obvious form of structure for any story is the three-act-structure.
#Setting elements of fiction series#
Charlie Brooker, writer of the Black Mirror series does this brilliantly.Īny story needs a good structure for readers to be able to enjoy it.
Surprise them, sting them, activate them, scare them even. Pose a hypothesis and take the reader by the hand. As a writer, you have the power to hold up a mirror that spurs readers into action only to prevent future worlds they would not like to inhabit. It provides a way of dealing with possibilities that are inherent in our society right now but are not yet fully enacted.īase your story on (scientific) research and present your reader with a tale that makes them think about their future. This type of science fiction writing is often known as speculative fiction. I did that once with a short story called ‘ The Sapien Zoo’ where people are connected to AI and have become a new and advanced species, only to lose touch with their humanity. Like Heinlein says in the quote, as a science fiction writer, you have the power to build upon existing knowledge and create what I call ‘what would happen if’ situations. A story that’s already proven to become a reality in some forms. The result is a chilling tale that still haunts society today. He used the course of history to explore what could happen to the world if this would have gone even further. These dictators and their totalitarian politics fueled Orwell’s hatred. Heinleinįor 1984, George Orwell was inspired by the rise to power of dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. "A handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method.” – Robert A.
A different take on what’s already written.Įxploring ‘what would happen if’ situations It is your job to come up with some inventive new tale. These tropes can be found in dozens of sci-fi stories. I could go on and on and I bet you know a couple more too. The following are typical examples of science fiction tropes:Īdvanced tech shows a glimpse of a future However, I would urge you to be careful and provide your own unique take on them and avoid a string of clichés. It helps you form a story readers recognize and love. So what mix can help you write a good science fiction story?Ī trope describes certain common recurring language, tactics, images, motives, or even clichés of a particular genre.įinding out what tropes are common for the genre you like to write in can be very handy. If not, the story might be considered fantasy, where ideas are explained by the supernatural or magic.Įvery genre has different needs, approaches, ideas, and tropes. It’s imperative that the ideas presented can be explained scientifically. The relationship with science – in any form – is important, it should be somewhat believable. “Fiction about science” actually covers a lot because sci-fi stories deal with science and technology, often set in the future. Most of my short stories belong to either genre. Which begs another question: what’s the difference between science fiction and fantasy? People make distinctions between hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi. These are some of my favorites, although people disagree on the latter being pure science fiction. War of the Worlds, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Asimov’s Foundation Series, 1984, Brave New World, Ready Player One, Black Mirror, Star Wars. What do you like about science fiction? What are your favorite science fiction stories? Looking at this enumeration of sci-fi elements, it becomes ever more clear that sci-fi is considered the literature of ideas. All these concepts can be used to touch upon a specific issue, whether that’s something in society, future developments, human nature, etc. What makes a good science fiction story? I love science fiction because it’s a beautiful way to hold up a mirror to the reader, dealing with futuristic concepts, ideas, speculations, space travel, time travel, and more. “Individual science fiction stories may seem as trivial as ever to the blinder critics and philosophers of today, but the core of science fiction - its essence - has become crucial to our salvation, if we are to be saved at all.” – Isaac Asimov
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