One of the single most important considerations for a new author is word count. Besides actually having a good story, you have to be able to fit that story into industry confines. And those confines are based off of words–not pages. Not too few. Not too many. I know. It sucks. But if you are…
Every Sci-Fi Writer Needs to Read A City On Mars
If you write, or plan on writing space themed Sci-Fi, you must read Kelly Weinersmith and Zach Weinersmith’s pop-science book A City On Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through? This non-fiction book takes a humorous approach to many non-humorous problems humanity will face if we ever plan…
Writing Fiction: The Value of Constructive Criticism and Peer Feedback
If I could go back in time to my naive teenage self and give him one piece of advice about writing, it would be this: learn to accept constructive criticism. Afraid to Delete I wrote my first joke of a novel in the 7th grade. I was cutting my teeth on word processing. Hunting and…
Writing Tech in Science Fiction
Early on I discovered that writing technology in futuristic sci-fi themes can prove challenging, if not downright overwhelming. Do you create something brand new? Or an evolution of existing tech? Does that evolution occur within a reasonable timeline? Is your tech central to the point of your narrative–almost like its separate character. Or it a…
Artificial Gravity for Sci-fi
I wasn’t always interested in outer space or other planets. I gravitated towards near-future dystopian themes. All my early experiments in writing occurred on Earth. Then one day I had the crazy idea, what if you transplant one of your survival themes to another planet? That sounded simple enough. Create an isolated jungle on a…
Ingredients for Life on Another Planet
When I first decided to write science fiction, I wondered what was required to sustain human life on another planet? I should start by saying this is a broad-stroke examination of needs. I’m not diving into microbiology or detailed chemistry. What is the base platform requirements for seeking out another Earth-potential planet? I don’t want…
Writing and the Importance of Paying Attention to Detail
Every Marine Corps recruit will graduate bootcamp with an appreciation for 1. The Fundamentals of Marksmanship and 2. Paying attention to detail. The former is a gift. The latter is a curse. If you’ve decided to write about military themes, be sure to get the details correct. Even if you don’t think your audience will notice,…
Sci-fi v. Fantasy
Years ago I picked up The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Writing a Novel. It encouraged the importance of “owning” your genre. Even if you don’t fully agree with where your book falls, the stores have to stock it somewhere on the shelves. My writing had traversed from historical fiction, to fiction, and I was dabbling…