If you have a knack for creativity and a scientific mind, you may have thought about writing a sci-fi novel at least once in your life. This genre pushes the limits of imagination and explores ideas outside the box.
If you have made up your mind to write your sci-fi novel now, here are some tips to consider.
1. Develop a Big Idea
One of the most important things you must do before you start writing your science fiction novel is to know your story better. You may think that you can easily transfer the ideas in your head to paper, but it can be a bit more challenging than that.
While other genres prioritize characters and their development, the same approach cannot work for sci-fi novels. It demands an additional big idea to stand out and create an unforgettable impact on your readers. The genre offers endless possibilities for innovation, and you must use this opportunity to your benefit.
Your big idea holds a lot of importance in making or breaking your reputation as a science fiction author. Since there is a lot of room for imagination and creativity, you do not have to hold back from thinking outside the box.
2. Know Your Audience
Another important thing every fiction writer must pay a lot of attention to is their audience. It is one of the most essential parts of learning how to write stellar sci-fi novel. If you do not know what your audience needs, you can never work towards impressing them.
You may feel limited knowing that you have to always keep your audience’s preferences and interests in mind. However, things become a lot easier when you know your story and stay true to it while considering the expectations of your target readers.
3. Figure the Scientific Details
As the name suggests, the sci-fi genre must incorporate scientific elements into its story. If science is not an integral part of your story, you cannot call it science fiction literature. In such a case, your story will fall into another genre of fiction.
While science is an important part of your sci-fi novel, you must keep in mind that your story does not have to revolve around it. Just like any other fiction novel, you can also keep your characters as an integral part of your novel. You cannot let science overwhelm your story.
Whether you are writing fantasy, mystery, or romance, a good fiction novel always has its characters at its core. After all, you are not trying to give your readers a fictionalized science textbook. At the day’s end, they will always care about the characters.
4. Uncover Your Main Character
One of the most important things you can do to create a pleasant reading experience for sci-fi fans is to tell them all about the characters they are about to connect with. What are the motivations, flaws, strengths, and weaknesses of your characters? If you cannot find the answer to this question, you should not start writing yet.
Learning about these basic factors yourself can give you the power to make significant decisions while writing a brilliant science fiction masterpiece. It can not only help you write your characters better but also create an indulging reading experience for your audience.
If you are not sure about describing your character’s motivations, fears, and concerns in long paragraphs, you can do it through strong dialogue and action. These elements are often used in sci-fi fiction to tell the readers all they need to know about the characters.
5. Introduce the Conflict
You do not have to wait for your story to develop fully before you make a decision about introducing conflict. You may think that it is okay for you to take time to develop your story, but your reader may have a different point of view.
Remember, if your main character is having a good time in your fictional world, your reader is likely bored. You can change that by introducing conflict early on in the story. It can be challenging for authors to introduce conflict early on, but it is crucial.
You may not want to see your characters suffer early on, but it is a sacrifice you must make to win over your audience and engage them right from the beginning. Instead of taking these challenges at face value, you can consider them as an opportunity for your characters to grow and change.
6. Make Believable Characters
When you are writing a sci-fi novel, you must already know that there is no limit to imagination. You can let cyborgs start wars in the sky or take your readers into the future world. With such room for freedom, authors often overlook making their characters believable. Such mistakes can lead to the downfall of your sci-fi novel.
If your characters are not believable, the readers cannot relate to them. Some writing resources suggest that a main character does not have to be likable as long as they are relatable. However, for a beginner, it is important to create likable characters and avoid taking any risks.
Of course, everyone can agree that a reader must feel connected to a story in order to keep reading. There is no way for your readers to feel connected if the characters are not believable. If you can make your characters relatable in some way, you are well on your way to writing a compelling science fiction novel.
7. Excel the Climax
Whether you are writing a short story or a lengthy novel, every word you write leads to one destination –the climax. It is the most thrilling aspect of a sci-fi novel. If your readers stay for it, you have succeeded as a sci-fi author.
The climax is crucial for any novel, preventing the story from feeling flat. This is especially important for science fiction as it requires reaching greater heights due to the established big ideas and unique worlds. Having a high point where all the action culminates is your opportunity to meet the reader’s expectations and make your tale unforgettable.
