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@kyronthearcanin Thanks…that honestly really helped a lot!! I’m not a big sci-fi writer, more of an animal protagonist kinda gal, but I had the crazy idea that built itself in my head when I was in surgery(its a long story).
follow the one with fire in His eyes
@whalekeeper aww thank you I’m so glad I could help!!
@sarafini hey u still looking for some editing help?
@livingwoodchronicles heyo!! Good to cya!I don’t really write sci-fi so I’m sure others can help a bit more then I.
imma tag @loopylin since she may can help
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#ProtectSebHi! I can’t remember if we’ve ever talked. If we haven’t, nice to meet you!
What’s your idea for your sci-fi story? Even if I don’t have any good advice, I’d love to hear it.
“Nothing says autumn like slurpin’ apples.” -my uncle
Awesome! I’m so glad that could help. Yeah, I get it. I’ve been a fantasy writer longer than I’ve done sci-fi, and now I love both. I actually kind of built my world so I could have both sci-fi and somewhat-animal protagonists, so that’s been amazing to write so far. Well, if you ever decide you want any more sci-fi help, I’ll be here! 🙂 And I’m sure Loopy will have some good stuff for you, too.
Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.
I don’t think I have anything to add. Godly, HybridLore, Solfyre, and Miley covered it all.
I really like your theme, btw. 😉
So, I haven’t written sci-fi (tho I tried when I was like ten or something XD) but from writing fantasy and dystopian, I can give ya few pointers.
First of all, read in that genre. Figure out the cliches and tropes that are common in sci-fi look for things that are different between sci-fi stories, and what stays pretty consistent. This is something I have yet to do, since I’m writing dystopian rn, but I’ve heard it’s really helpful. 😂
Second, when you’re building your world and your stories, obviously things are going to be drastically different from our world. Add at least one thing that will keep readers grounded. If the world and the story and the things in the story are too sci-fi and a little weird, it could turn readers off. One of the biggest things you can add to keep readers grounded is relatable characters. (Which you should have in the first place, no matter what kind of story you’re writing. 😉 ) Characters with struggles that are similar to our own. I don’t have many other ideas of what to add to achieve keeping readers grounded, because my story world is similar to America, but I’m sure you could figure out some other stuff. 😉
I can’t think of anything else to tell ya right now, so…
Good luck!! 😀
Write what should not be forgotten. — Isabel Allende
@loopylin We have met before, but it’s been a long time…like, a long, long time. So, I’ll give you the basic rundown of my story:
The year is 4022, 1,999 years from the present. Humanity has diminished to a mere population; the Upper Class brutally overpowers the Lower Class slaves.
The planet humanity lives on is called Erimos (the Greek word for desert), the atmosphere is breathable just like oxygen and the world’s biomes consist mainly of dunes and bamboo forests.Akanatha is my MC, she’s 16 going on 17, and she has always grown up in the slave fields, where child labor is forced by law. Her father, Weylin, hasn’t been the same since her mother passed two months earlier from exhaustion and lack of food. Lorcan is three years younger than her sister, and what he doesn’t make up for in brawn, he makes up in attitude.
Anyway, I could give you a long description of each character, but on to the plots.
So, there are these terrorists, they are called Bicru; basically humans that cover themselves in baggy, dark clothing and wear alligator skin shoes. These terrorists have been threatening the existence of the slaves for years but for the past few years their numbers have increased. And strangely enough, they don’t attack the Upper Class. After an attack from the Bicru, Akanatha is separated from her brother and father and left by the Seas of Silver; where she forms the plan to undergo a mission impossible: to figure out who’s behind the raids and put a stop to it. So, dying her hair (the Upper Class society all has shades of purple in their hair; distinguishing them from the dirty blond haired Lower Class) purple from Clone Snail Shells (Snails that clone themselves; yes, one of the many creatures I’m proud of creating). Going undercover, she starts her journey, fearlessly fighting off Visha (bats that have three fangs shaped in the form of a triangle that have deadly green poison; the Bicru use the poison for their spears and arrows; I’ll leave a picture below of a drawing my illustrator drew).
Accidentally however, she reaches the borders of the bamboo forests, full of creatures unknown, and encounters a creature she later learns to have a love-hate relationship with: a boy. By the name of Seren, he is 17 and has lived in the bamboo forests ever since his father went to war 10 years ago when strange beasts with four horns attacked Erimos. His mother died giving birth to him. Seren has befriended the creatures of the Bamboo Forests, while on his own quest to find and track down revenge for the death of his father. These two meeting each other is no coincidence; they join forces and begin a journey to the Upper Class. With Akan’s fierce determination and amazing fighting skills, and Seren’s ability to ward off wild beasts and communicate with the creatures, these two become an unstoppable pair.
Once in the Upper Class, using their disguises, they happen across a ruthless street vendor, who giving them clues at an expense and a bit of threatening, tells them to take it to the Gladiator Competitions to find out more on how/why society is falling. Well, that happens to be a trap. Go figures. Seren ends up fighting against Akanatha, but each are evenly matched, so it’s declared fight to death. Well, Seren throughout this whole trip has grown feelings for Akanatha; meanwhile Akanatha is stubborn and refuses she has the same feelings for him. Seren refuses to kill Akanatha, getting both of them thrown in prison, where they find out a little bit more about the demanding rulers that subject the slaves to hunger. It turns out that it wasn’t the Upper Class that controls the beasts that attack the slaves, but it was a dictator in the Lower Class that wants to destroy everything to make the Upper Class and Lower Class heavenly matched. Also, the Upper Class are the ones who send the terrorists to kill off unneeded workers; weak and meek. And that’s where the first book ends…follow the one with fire in His eyes
That whole thing sounds epic! You have a lot already. It’s kind of like a mix between Dune and Mistborn. And I love Seren! And all the alien critters!
(Have you read Dune?)
I appreciate everyone else’s confidence in my advice giving capabilities, but really I don’t have much. My sci-fi story is a lot more light hearted and generally not what people think of when they think of sci-fi. I do have one thing though (though you probably have already thought of this): What kind of technology or advancement does this world have to make it sci-fi? Currently, despite it being on an alien planet, it sounds a bit like a fantasy. Which is totally fine, of course. To me, there isn’t much of a distinction between fantasy and sci-fi. They’re more like two ends of a spectrum. But, if you’re going for more sci-fi, you might want to add more technology to the world. Maybe little supervisor drones that follow the lower class around? Flying cities that are only populated by the upper class? Cool futuristic weapons for the gladiator fights? Holograms? Clones? The fact that all the lower class are blonde made me think of clones. Maybe not all of them are clones, but they have been cloned enough that they all started looking very similar. Maybe the upper class did it because it is a cheap way to get more laborers, and they also consider blonde hair more attractive or something.
Aaaanyway, there’s some of my ideas and “advice.” You don’t have to use any of it if you don’t want to.
I really love your story so far. Please tag me if you post any more about it!
“Nothing says autumn like slurpin’ apples.” -my uncle
Oooh, I love that idea so much! Especially the creatures and stuff (and Seren sounds seriously cool!). I agree with Loopy it kind of has a Mistborn feel to it, though I haven’t read Dune. Yes, I’d definitely read this!!!
Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.
@loopylin I’ve watched a trailer for the movie Dune, but it might not be the same. And I’ve also never heard of Mistborn. Yes, there is a distinction between fantasy and sci-fi and I agree. The gladiators fight with higher-tech swords than your common everyday sword; it’s called plasma beam Technology. Whenever the wielder goes to fight an opponent, the beams are used when making slices, causing burns to sear flesh.
I do think I need more Technology though…and I will definitely think about that. Thanks for the suggestions.
@kyronthearcanin Thankyou. I love the creatures, they are my absolute favorite part! Although I have never read Mistborn or Dune, I hope to make this a bit different than those books. I came up with the idea when I was in surgery (long story) and I really hope I can make this work out!follow the one with fire in His eyes
Oh well…the image didn’t go through. That’s a bummer…
follow the one with fire in His eyes
Yw! Oh, and it’s plenty different from Mistborn, it just has the same feel I got from the paragraph I read. I’m sure it will work out! The world needs more clean sci-fi XD
Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.
Oh, and the pictures on KP haven’t been working for a while. Kathleen knows tho so it should be back to normal sometime soon.
Follow your heart, but take your brain with you.
@kyronthearcanin Yes, the world really does need more clean sci-fi…actually that could go for everything lol. And that’s good to know about the pics, I’ll keep that in mind.
follow the one with fire in His eyes
Heeey does anyone have advice on writing heroines? I’m a girl myself (in case you weren’t sure), but I’ve always preferred heroes while writing. Somehow heroine voices in books always sound the same to me. And even when they sound unique, I’m kind of just “meh”… Don’t get me wrong, girls are GREAT, but they are strangely harder to write… Help?
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