Science Fiction Writing

 

Science Fiction

Couple of days ago, I was standing on the banks of a gushing river, that flowed at its own merry pace; and as its water lapped against the loose silty soil, a small insect that looked like the spice, Star Anise, swam desperately, as its cover, a small pebble was dislodged by the small waves. It somehow managed to hang on to a grass blade and using it as support, it climbed up and rested almost near my right and bare foot. Then it stood still and I, in my inward thoughtfulness, wondered what it was looking at or what it was planning next. For me there was no way to fathom the simplicity of the insect’s thoughts, and for the poor insect there was no way to comprehend the complexity of my thoughts. So, to me it was a creature from science fiction, and perhaps for the insect, I was a giant from its version of science fiction.

From this interaction with a very tiny insect, I realised it is the mystery and appeal of unknown possibilities that can evolve any idea with potential to translate into reality when judged based on all scientific parameters; into a science fiction that is worth reading. Because the wonder of science fiction is not one way, it is a two way effect. Where the insect is in the state of complete awe and I, who is unable to understand the complexities of an insect's simple mind, shares a higher degree of awe. And for a writer, this simple and very rudimentary confrontation with a small insect, is inspiring enough to mature into the plot of a best selling science fiction novel.

Now it is a different story that the insect may not get its due credit, because even after completing the science fiction novel, inspired by this basic and day to day confrontation, the writer will still be trapped in the thought of the insect standing still and motionless next to his/her bare foot, and trying to understand what the insect was thinking.

And for the writer, understanding the reader base, is a similar confrontation but with a larger dimension of wonder. Because compared to insect’s tiny and very simple brain, the human brain is the most complex biological wonder that exists. And trying to establish its entire gamut of billions of “micro thinking nodes'' processed based on inputs received from five senses, and based on the personality of the person, which is a construction founded on the person’s exposure to his/her external means of interaction, which evolve into his/her emotions or feelings. It is these emotions and feelings that become the direct trigger points of a reaction or an action. 

And for a writer understanding this phenomenon with an approach that can be equated at a general level to determine the common thought process of the readers who prefer to read science fiction, is a systematic science within itself, and not all writers can master this technique. 

If you are thinking why? Here is why!

Because for the majority of writers the reader is always an insect and it is their belief that there is no means to understand the thought processes of an entity as tiny as an insect’s brain. But there are writers who do spend a lot of time dealing with this “insect writer paradox,” if I may be allowed to call it so. 

So, how do you think these writers deal with this interaction, where a complex thinking machine, like the human mind, attempts to first establish the fundamental facts:

• River

• Water lapping against the banks

• A stone that gets dislodged

• An insect like star anise appears and begins to climb a blade of grass

• Then it rests near the foot

In this scenario a mature writer would use his/her logical intuitions and arrive at the following conclusions:

• The insect is scared

• The insect is now outside its safe territory

• It is tired 

• On reaching the bank it is met by strange scent signatures, which its little brain is unable to decode based on its library of scent signatures, that relate to insects or animals or plants etc. But the human bare foot carries a strange scent and heat signature that is too complex for the insect to understand. When that happens, its brain enters into a state of numbness, and the insect appears stunned, because its small library of scent and heat based signatures, is overpowered by this excessive interaction, thus triggering a stunned mode in the insect. Where the insect appears frozen in front of the bare foot.

It is similar with computers, for that matter even computers with superior processing abilities. When a computer receives a query where the data input is too large for its RAM to handle, the software meant to process the output, hangs, or forces the computer to enter into temporary sleep mode. It is an attempt by the computer to save the data and files and prevent total system crash.

What is RAM? ( Random Access Memory )

Similarly, the insect’s brain places the body of the insect in stunned mode because it is preventing the insect from complete collapse. 

An experienced writer understands these micro level details and accordingly formulates a storyline that addresses the five senses based, and generalised mindset of the science fiction readers. When a writer achieves this level of emotional and mental cohesion with the readers, he/she becomes the default author of the best selling science fiction novel.

If you are still thinking, what did I do with the insect, when it stood there in stunned state? 

Let me arbitrate in my defence with truth and only truth. “I picked the insect and placed it over damp soil, where the flow of water was less fierce and there were few pebbles, where the insect could seek refuge later, once it had recovered from this shock.” So, I plead not guilty of being caught in the entrapment called guilty conscience. Because I too enjoy writing, reading, painting and lot of other things, which need not be mentioned in this blog post. But I must confess that I enjoy them the best when I indulge in them with a clear and feather light conscience.

Anyway, when a science fiction writer learns to achieve this level of dexterity and ease of expressing his/her thoughts. He/she writes science fiction novels, which do not only sell very well, but they become sci-fi bestsellers, that appeal to all generations with equal wonder and astonishment. Because no matter which year it is, even if it were 2075, the interaction and reaction between the writer and reader will never change. It will always depend on the way the writer deduces the causes of the insect's stunned reaction.

Have you ever been to a crowded market where you are walking among thousands of other people? Imagine Time Square or the morning rush at Tokyo Metro station or walking in the bazaars of Delhi, India. As an individual in the middle of this crowd, you exist as somebody and at the same time your existence is that of nobody as well, and it is applicable to everyone in the crowd. But when the crowd is in motion, moving in the same direction, you feel like a part of the flow. Try to stop and you take a while to realise your exact location and if the place is too crowded, you will be either pushed around or forced to walk in the direction of the crowd’s flow. 

And with science fiction writers, the situation is very similar. However, in this case, the readers are the crowd and the writer is this individual, who is trying to locate his/her individuality in the midst of the crowd. But the principle of crowd’s flow that determines the movement of the individual, is not applicable in this case.

I know what you are thinking!

It is a fact. In this scenario, a writer who knows the preferences and likings of his target reader base, determines the flow and movement of the crowd. His strong thought and exceptional writing style is able to influence the thinking patterns of his/her readers with such accuracy, that they follow the writer’s thought without any protest. But there are moments when the writer offers the reader well timed pauses to convince him/her that they are still the masters of their free will and their thoughts. It is at these moments the writer presents the reader with a thought that he/she can entertain in the thinking chamber of his/her mind. 

And a highly experienced writer, manages this without letting the reader realise that he she is being managed by the will of the writer. It is not the reader’s proneness to this literary invasion of his mind that he/she allows this invasion. It is the writer’s writing style that regales the reader in a way that he/she almost voluntarily disowns his/her pugnacious indulgences, and surrenders before the writer’s will , and exactly at this juncture the surreptitious companionship of the writer’s thoughts, shadowing reader’s every thought, manifest their presence to the reader, who now without assigning them any incendiary qualification, lets them superimpose their presence over his/her own thoughts.

It is during this transition, that many readers realise it as a total invasion of their mental landscape, and consider it to be an ignoble act on part of the writer, where the main casualty is suffered by the science fiction book, because the reader quits reading the sci-fi book exactly at this point. And it is one of the main causes that a science fiction book is not able to become the best selling science fiction.

Let us examine a few opening lines from chapter III of the science fiction novel,Time Machine.

The Time Traveller Returns

“I think that at that time none of us quite believed in the Time Machine. The fact is, the Time Traveller was one of those men who are too clever to be believed: you never felt that you saw all round him; you always suspected some subtle reserve, some ingenuity in ambush, behind his lucid frankness.”

Examine the use of words and the flow of the language. In these lines, Mr. H. G. Wells ( the writer ) does not give the reader any impression that the writer is interacting with the reader’s mind. Instead the use of words and the overall language make a very sincere attempt to present themselves as part of readers' thoughts. The writer casts doubts on the Time Traveller with such mastery of words, that the reader feels the writer’s frankness and the much needed and timely pledge, that he will not mislead the reader into believing anything that is not logically conducive.

And in this science fiction novel, the lines quoted above also denote the transition point I referred to above. In case of Mr. H. G. Wells, the transition is always successful. And it is these secrets of the craft that budding writers, including me, should learn from the grand masters of science fiction writing.

In my science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075, I have considered these facts, and ensured that I do not forego these important details. Whether I have succeeded in this endeavour or not, I shall let you decide, after you have read the science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075.

This science fiction novel has an amazing storyline that raises a few important questions: How will humans experience love in 2075? This science fiction novel navigates through the possibility of men and women falling in love with machines, without knowing they are robots imitating human emotions. Will you still dare to fall in love in 2075 or will you strive to tell the difference between a human lover and a robotic lover?

This Sci-fi novel tells the story of a man who falls in love with a real woman in 2075. And how he struggles to feel human and keep his emotional composition intact.

This Sci-fi story also aims at revealing why the man chose to love a real woman and not a never ageing and always beautiful woman with synthetic feelings. In 2075, this might be a choice we all will have to make. Especially our children!

Although this science fiction novel is based on a strong social message. As  readers we must never forget, “invention is the talent of youth, as judgment is of age.” and if we misjudge issues like non regulation of AI, Global warming, we indeed are being callous and lack the wisdom to make timely investments in taking preventive measures to protect the environment, because we cannot survive without it.” Because when we are not around on this planet anymore, it is through our future generations that we shall continue to live, but if we leave them a planet where everything is in complete disorder and chaos, we shall be directly responsible for their endless struggles, where it is very likely they will become direct victims of our negligence and complete inaction. So, by reading the science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075, we are actually taking a corrective step to ensure the survival of our species.