Tag Archives: science fiction

Jun 18 2013

Starting Your Book With Exposition

nanowrimo-1

 

 

A lot of people are asking if they should start their novel off with exposition and the answer is no! Do not take those first 5-6 precious paragraphs you need to catch a reader’s attention and waste them on useless narration. Do not put back story into them. In fact, you don’t have to write the back story in all at one time. Dribble it out! For example: I got an entire back story built for Talia, but I only let it out in drips and dribs over all of the novels with her. Plus, I’ll run a subplot that deals with something in her past that’s relevant to the current novel to help spread out the background. Keep in mind Stephen King’s quote on the subject:

“The most important things to remember about back story are that (a) everyone has a history and (b) most of it isn’t very interesting.”

So, don’t waste that valuable time on needless things.

 

Jun 17 2013

Is Dystopia Overdone?

bladerunner-full

 

 

That would depend on your idea of ‘over done.’ While Science Fiction started with the glory days of the space opera, things have changed over the decades. The idea of the world not being a pretty place in the future is something presented in many novels. Is it right? It is wrong? Totally depends on your viewpoint of how the world’s advancing. If you ask me, the dystopian future is more likely then a positive one.

With that said, should Sci Fi writers shy away from it? No. Any idea can be ‘over done’ depending on the person involved. In all honesty, there’s no real original ideas left anyway and we all borrow from other people when we write. However, that’s neither here nor there.

What matters is your viewpoint on things. If you believe in the ‘Blade Runner’ type future then by all means write a book that fits what you see. Don’t worry about what others think! You the writer have to write the story you have in mind and then make it commercially viable-not the critics. Keep that in mind when writing and learn to ignore the artistes.

Happy Writing.

Jun 16 2013

Series Writing

It’s always been said to new writers to not try to do series but to stick to single novels. While that is true for getting started (doesn’t mean you can’t leave the first novel open ended or have character’s that have enough back story that you can write more books) it doesn’t mean you can’t do it either. In fact, Goodreads. com listing of top Science Fiction of 2012-13 is nothing but series after series.

Kind of makes you wonder doesn’t it?

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/20917.Can_t_Wait_Sci_Fi_Fantasy_of_2013