Writing Stack Exchange
Writing Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [science-fiction]

Stories about space, technology, the future, and other things that could be real but aren't.

The exact definition of science fiction is controversial. Generally, if what's happening in the story is impossible, but explained by scientific principles, it will qualify as sci-fi. "Hard" sci-fi focuses on strict extrapolation from contemporary scientific theories. "Soft" sci-fi is more apt to use hand-waving science in order to move the plot forward. Social sci-fi focuses not on technological advancements, but on the social, political, and ethical implications thereof. If the impossible things in your story are only explainable by magic, toddle over to the tag.

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I wrote a novel, now what?

I'm new here, so, please, bear with me. I had a look at previous answers to similar questions, but my case is (possibly) a bit different. I am not a professional writer, so I wrote this (long) novel for personal amusement. Important "detail": I'm…
ZioByte
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Writing a Super Intelligent AI

Something I have been thinking about recently is how to write a character who is an artificial intelligence and not have him feel human. Specifically an AI who is designed to think faster and better than a human. In my current book, I have an AI who…
White Eagle
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Can I conceal an antihero's insanity - and should I?

I have an idea for an anti-heroic sci-fi character whose character arc runs from spoilt rich girl, to a refugee in the rubble of human civilisation after an alien invasion, to crewmember and then captain of a pirate spacecraft, and ultimately to…
Monty Wild
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The unknown and unexplained in science fiction

Science fiction has been defined as a genre where the "incredible" elements are "recognizable as not-true, but also as not-unlike-true, not-flatly- (and in the current state of knowledge) impossible" (According to Darko Suvin, from Wikipedia link).…
Liquid
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Does everything have to be accurate?

Do I have to make everything apply to logic, physics, science, etc? The Harry Potter series has been a major hit, and it is nowhere near to being scientifically possible. But I've noticed that I can't seem to just "let things be" in my writing, as…
A curious writer
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Problems Blending Sci-fi & Traditional Fantasy?

I have been cautioned against blending: Traditional fantasy elements Such as magic systems and exotic, less plausible creatures (on a scientific level - magic tends to explain away these beasts) Traditional sci-fi elements Such as advanced…
DVNO
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How do I create uniquely male characters?

In How to write strong female characters, Standback says that the best way to write a strong female character is to make her uniquely female, the type of character that can not possibly be male and isn't a stereotype. Lately I have found the…
TMuffin
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When writing science fiction, how important is it to provide scientific details for the (fictitious) things you are presenting in the story?

I know there is a difference between 'hard' and 'soft' science fiction. But even then, it can be hard to know what sort of categorization in which to place and treat your story, and it is not really clear how little science 'soft science fiction' is…
user394536
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Can I use the name Valerian in my sci-fi novel?

I have an Ancient Roman theme with the names of my characters, however someone pointed out to me Valerian is already a scifi character's name. Are the french comics (which spell it with an accent over the e) and the movie THAT popular that I would…
S. N. Walker
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What breaks suspension of disbelief?

So much of Sci-Fi and Fantasy requires the viewer (or reader) to suspend their disbelief: The speed of light can be circumvented, magic works, vampires are real (and may or may not sparkle), etc. What sort of things break suspension of disbelief? …
Jeff
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How to explain the main plot with science based concepts, without the non-sci-fi fans getting bored?

Let me explain: I'm writing a game where the Earth gets a massive biological attack from an alien race in the close future, and only a small part of the planet's life survived (few dozens of humans and animals). The explanations for those events are…
Guilherme
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How can I make a "meeting in VR" less dumb?

I've written myself into a sci-fi cliche which I have never seen done well: two characters meet in virtual reality. The gist of my scene is one character has been in a pseudocoma, more aware of her surroundings than anyone knew. Another character…
wetcircuit
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How to deal with common Earth references in a non-Earth setting?

Until now, I have mostly written in settings similar enough to Earth, mostly with human beings. For the first time, I am writing a short story set on a different planet, where the protagonists are not human and will have no interaction at all with…
Cristol.GdM
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How to add depth to writing - turn a story into a book

I've had a few 'great ideas' for books. I'm a big sci-fi fan, especially Michael Crichton. I'm not sure if that's relevant but there it is. I want to write a full length book, not a short story, a full length hundreds of pages long book. I draw up a…
user6916458
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Is every story set in the future "science fiction"?

Science Fiction is a "big tent" genre, and we all know it when we see it. Even if we argue about the specific tropes – and what might make something lean heavily towards another classification (science-fantasy, speculative fiction, etc), is every…
wetcircuit
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