# Science Fiction as Fiction



## Shouden (Aug 13, 2008)

I always try to make my characters seem as real as I possibly can. But when you are writing science fiction, it can be expected to simply be all out of the world and through the laws of science and reality out  the window. I actually love dealing with some of the deeper emotions, I find that I write better when I have a more real canvas to work with.

My passion is really sci-fi (although, I have dabbled with regular fiction. even published a book that is  such), and I have made a pact to simply start taking the Science part out of Science-Fiction. Now, granted, I  do have my own science and laws to govern my universe, but I have moved to focusing on the characters and trying to make them deeper.

I have started writing stories that focus on one or two characters and tell a little bit more about them and about their history and their lives. I do this mostly for me, so I can learn their personality and try to figure out what they would do in certain situations and why they behave the way they do. This is especially useful when you have new characters or new series. I am hoping this will give my readers a little bit more depth and information on some of my characters as well. This also is helping to try and pull myself away from the science aspect of my fiction.

Remember that when you are writing in a sci-fi world, the characters should be relatively used to everything that goes on; they have a set way of doing things, and it is their world. Now, that said, there are always exceptions to the rule like when a science-fiction world is thrust upon the real world. But, I find it is easier to have everyone living in the my sci-fi universe like it is nothing new.

Anyways, I just wanted to make a first thread and figured this was a good subject to start on. Look forward to reading everyone's thoughts.


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## Stratelier (Aug 13, 2008)

If you want to throw a law or caveat of known real-universe science out the window you're certainly entitled to that privilege as an author; but you do need to come up with an at least reasonable-sounding explanation for why, and by "reasonable" I don't mean one that only the characters within the world understand, but which can also be communicated to the _reader_ in a believable way.

After all, as a certain saying goes seeing isn't believing; "believing is seeing".


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## Shouden (Aug 13, 2008)

Oh yeah. I always try to explain things which need explaining to readers, but I always try to let my characters do so.


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## Magikian (Aug 14, 2008)

Shouden said:


> Now, that said, there are always exceptions to the rule like when a science-fiction world is thrust upon the real world.



I am working on a story at the moment that fits in there. It's fun to write ^^



Shouden said:


> Oh yeah. I always try to explain things which need explaining to readers, but I always try to let my characters do so.



That is always a good idea.. Might use it in mine.


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## Shouden (Aug 14, 2008)

Magikian said:


> I am working on a story at the moment that fits in there. It's fun to write ^^





I am working on a script that does this as well. Though, it is a little different POV, but still. It is fun.


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## M. LeRenard (Aug 15, 2008)

> But when you are writing science fiction, it can be expected to simply be all out of the world and through the laws of science and reality out the window.


Actually, that's another genre called 'fantasy'.  Science fiction generally is called that because it involves unbelievable things that still have a basis in the real-world (in other words, they are 'scientifically' possible).  If you want to throw all of reality out the window, it's not science fiction anymore: it's fantasy.  I actually think that would be the defining difference between those two genres, if ever there was one.
Anyway, I don't think yours is necessarily a new idea.  Most science fiction and fantasy authors tend to give their characters familiarity with the world they live in; it's the bad ones who don't (I could use the ever-famous example of the ignorant farm-boy who gets dragged into an epic journey and learns all about this mysterious force of 'magic' that everybody else already knows about to illustrate this... though I do still like Harry Potter).  But Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, Robert Heinlein... all the biggies are quite good at doing what you suggest.  
But it is a good practice.  It's easy to fall into the 'newcomer' trap when dealing with alternate worlds.


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## Shouden (Aug 15, 2008)

thanks. Star Trek is another great example of Sci-fi fiction/drama.

I think i was  just trying to describe my way of writing. I like to touch on real world issues and things in a sci-fi world.(Although, I guess with your definition, it would be fantasy with a dash of sci-fi thrown in for good measure.) I love writing drama. (in literary terms it is called "romance" for some reason). I find you can get to know characters and make them a little more believable when you get them an opportunity to express themselves.


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