Best Selling Science Fiction!
Spectacular plot, magnificent imagination, brave and unheard of ideas, which cause the reader’s mind to follow the course of thought, laid out by the writer in his/her science fiction novel. Is what defines a best selling sci fi novel. But most important of all, the writer needs to understand the exact vocabulary along with necessary jargon used by the target audience. If you can do this, you have penned your first science fiction novel with high potential to impress the readers.
Very simple and quite straight forward!
My God! I wish it were this simple.
My opening paragraph made it look so simple, to the extent that even I for a while started believing that it is only about:
Plot
Imagination
Idea and
Language
But is it really so?
No doubt, these points are very important. Without a plot that is able to retain the reader's attention for long, while offering comfortable accommodation to his/her imagination to lie within the clusters of imagination being manufactured in the factory of writer’s thought- Presented before the reader in written form. Writing the best selling science fiction is impossible.
The science fiction book should be able to initiate the process of coupling writer’s imagination with that of the reader’s imagination, it is then, the reader begins to believe that he/she is reading a science fiction that he/she has co-authored; and at this stage the reader’s mind breeds an idea around these imaginations formed by means of interpolation of writer's imagination into reader's imagination. This common breeding of continuous streak of ideas around the plot is achieved via a medium that both, the reader and the writer appreciate.
Language.
When it comes to language, both reader and writer may share the same language as their native language. However, they originate from two different minds, where the linguistic variance can be immense. This is due to several factors, and vocabulary does not play a primary role. It is more about the writer’s ability to fashion his/her use of words in such a way that the reader faces no difficulty whatsoever, while reading these words, and then comprehending their meaning as a sentence. This means the writer who has a plot, with the right ingredient of imagination woven around it as a reality endorsed idea; needs the language to contain these three components of writing into a singular formation via a thought that can be easily expressed via the writer's language. But it takes skills to express a thought in a language that becomes the native language of all readers no matter where they are from, what their cultural backgrounds might be, what their beliefs may be. In the end it is all about, how well they are able to express the thought using the vocabulary that gets spread out in that flawless sequence of words, followed by sentences, that further get compounded as paragraphs, that the writer ultimately associates with his/her own awareness about that language, and uses it with smartly chosen words to express the idea proposed in the science fiction novel.
If a scifi writer is able to achieve this level of maturity in terms of sequencing the words in an order, where they appear as miniature thought forms, in a conscious attempt to morph with the thought that is breeding in the mind of the reader based on his/her interaction with the science fiction novel. Then the science fiction writer possesses the art of writing with style.
It seems, I again made it appear very simple. I have this habit of simplifying thoughts, when it comes to expressing them to others. So, bearing complete allegiance to this purpose and my addiction towards expressing thoughts in their simple form, I am not refraining from trying to explain it further. And this time with an example or two.
However, you will have to allow me some liberty when I do so. I will be referring to example/s that are not from the science fiction genre.
Example 1
Theodore Roosevelt : President of the USA : Speech at Chicago 3 Apr 1903
“A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have.”
I am speechless. Yet here I am attempting to explain the beauty of this extract from the speech delivered by one of the most famous presidents of the USA.
Here it is important to know that Mr. Roosevelt delivered this speech in 1903, when the USA was going through the phase of Great Depression, and it was evolving as a country that would be a powerhouse of innovations and growth, to finally emerge as a superpower. And Americans needed something and someone to believe in. And Mr. Roosevelt had all the qualities to fulfil this need.
His genius as a politician who could motivate people is best reflected in the choice of his words:
ENOUGH
SQUARE
DEAL
AFTERWARDS
MORE
NO
ENTITLED
LESS
HAVE
Word, “Enough” is used as a power-word in this paragraph and it clearly sends the message across, without raising any room for doubts. It is truly American, because it is straightforward and to the point, yet it manages to express a faint, hint of mellowness. But this faint hint, is very negligible, but it serves its purpose with well measured sufficiency. And stays true to the American style of writing that according to me is very candid and crisp. If you have read Tom Sawyer, I am sure you would agree with me.
Examine this line without the words “Enough” and in the second example I will also replace the word afterwards.
A man who sheds his blood for the country will be given a square deal afterwards.
It is like a business deal, with no emotions and it proves the ruthlessness of the intention. Which is more self centered with no public interest at all.
And now the rephrased version where I have replaced a few words and the word afterwards with afterall.
A man who is good enough to give up his life for the country would be worthy of a square deal afterall.
Give up his life translates as a direct death sentence. It means you will die on this mission and I assure you of this. So after this speech a family man would hesitate to believe in the thought and promise of growing economy. Where every American dream will come true.
And it does not invoke any feeling of nationalism or patriotism. Without expressing these feelings in the speech, a politician can never motivate his/her citizens. Never. It is nationalism and patriotism that add fuel to the fire. And sometimes the dying fire needs to be kindled and at times it needs to be fanned ferociously. And the words “ Shed” and “Blood” do this with political brilliance and psychological mastery, and then these words coming from someone who was as brilliant an orator as Mr. Roosevelt, the listener, will be left with only one choice, Go and actively participate in the economic and social growth of the country, and believe in the promise of brighter tomorrow!
And it becomes a literary tragedy, when in the sentence without the words “shed” and “blood” ends with an inappropriate word like “afterall.”
Why is it inappropriate? Certainly it is inappropriate.
First you are asking me to die and you are offering surety that there is no other option. And on top of that by using the word after all, you are making me feel like a beggar. Really!
I want to play my role in growing the national economy and do everything possible within my capacity. But at what expense!
A politician has to sound authoritative, but without being sensitive, he/she cannot sound like a human being, and when that happens, the speech is received by the audience and then forgotten as soon as the false and thunderous applause or clapping is over.
I call it a political tragedy and I have seen many politicians suffer largely due to this inappropriate use of words.
A man who is good enough to shed his blood for the country is good enough to be given a square deal afterall.
What about this one?
It has the words “shed” and “blood” as well but I have replaced the word afterwards with afterall.
Read both sentences aloud please. Original version with the word Afterwards and the second version with the word Afterall. Did you find any change in rhyming and its effect on you, as it leaves your auditory senses and interacts with the brain of the citizen of the country trying to decide his next move based on this speech.
With the word after all, you have made me feel like a commodity and not a citizen. I am not a commodity, I am a human being with feelings and a complex mind with billions of neurons. And the word afterall, made me feel so disposable, as if I were being motivated to go and kill myself for the sake of some cause that I do not associate with, because whether I die or live, it does not matter. Afterall we will pay something to your family once you have toiled day and night to boost the economy of the country.
This is a political fatality that many politicians suffer at the expense of poorly written and even poorly phrased speeches.
And when it comes to this, Mr Roosevelt, was a man with feelings and heart, American in every sense. And his speech , is authoritative, yet it carries a clear feeling of request- A president who is imploring and feels the pain of the citizens, and with humbleness, without diluting true American spirit, he chooses words with such care, that they reflect a President of America, who was more like a true well wisher of Americans. Somebody who wanted to awaken true American spirit that was feeling suffocated due to the economic depression that the USA was going through during Mr Roosevelt's tenure. And only a statesman like Mr. Roosevelt could offer believable hope to the Americans and resurrect their dying spirit. We all know he did it with exceptional perfection, both as a statesman and as a politician with heart.
But it is this line that creates that masterstroke, with the right persuasion, to oblige your beloved president and follow his request which is an order as well.
“More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have.”
By now you might be thinking I am a Mr. Roosevelt fan, that is why I am showering so much praise on him and not talking about science fiction. Not really, understanding the linguistic maturity in this paragraph should offer you a deeper insight into understanding your own writing style.
So, coming back to the last line of the paragraph. Why is it so special?
It is very special, because the use of words like :
- no
- entitled
are very strong words when spoken by someone whose stature is as prolific as the president of the USA. And using a negative word like "No" while ascribing it the attribute like "Entitlement" is where the actual linguistic vividness is expressed with a superior mastery over words, that are incomparable. Why? Because talking about what the citizens of the USA are entitled to, and at the same time expressing with such clarity and diplomatically correct simplicity, the limitations imposed on these entitlements. Is what stands out in this sentence which adds to the overall appeal of the paragraph. The use of words : No and Entitled, is counterbalancing with a straightforwardness that is not confusing at all. It has a directness, with a balanced subtleness that can only be expected from a statesman like Mr. Roosevelt. The choice of words and then using them in the sentence is brilliant; because Mr. Roosevelt was the president of the USA when the country was going through deep depression.
Then concluding the sentence with an assertiveness, that is only expected from a seasoned and intellectually refined politician like Mr. Roosevelt, is fully justified, when he says, “no man shall have.” He replaces the word "Promise" with "no man shall have." Considering the choice of words and the entire flow of the paragraph, it is more reassuring than the word promise. It offers a guarantee that you shall receive more than you desire if you invest yourself in the service of the country and make your contribution to help it come out from the deep depression. Which it finally did!
In the beginning the paragraph explains what the citizens should expect in return for their service, but immediately he also admits that there is a limit to this reward and nobody should assume he/she will get feoffs in return. Once again, it is emphatic, it is powerful, but it is very American, and at the same time it is linguistic brilliance at its finest; because Mr. Roosevelt uses what I call “well tamed authority” and it is very rare to come across such examples of fine writing, where every word is so well balanced. It is so mesmerisingly motivating and perfectly balanced, that I feel I am there and Mr. Roosevelt wants me to act now.
Simply beautiful and deeply impactful at every level.
And a science fiction writer, is in many ways like a politician as well, because a science fiction always tackles a scientific thought that does not exist in reality, and creates a galaxy of imaginary thoughts , strewn with well placed words, that lead to a supernova explosion of imagination, where you are forced to create in your mind, the reality imagined by the science fiction writer. And at this stage, the writer assumes the status of science fiction God, because he/she can now facilitate genesis of thoughts and ideas in your mind, where each thought carries his/her signature of imagination, interpreted by your mind via the science fiction novel.
Example 2
“This little affair,” said the Time Traveller, resting his elbows upon the table and pressing his hands together above the apparatus, “is only a model. It is my plan for a machine to travel through time. You will notice that it looks singularly askew, and that there is an odd twinkling appearance about this bar, as though it was in some way unreal.” He pointed to the part with his finger. “Also, here is one little white lever, and here is another.”
Do You think there was any need for Mr. Wells to explain how the Time Traveller placed his hands?
Most of us would think that is unnecessary. Especially in 2023, when people seem to have everything, but time. And when most of us are busy texting and sending short messages like:
Hey HELLA! ( Meaning : Hi Hello!)
Wl C Ya ( Meaning : See you and have a good day/evening )
C U 2moro ( Meaning : I will see you tomorrow )
But when Mr. Wells says, “resting his elbows upon the table and pressing his hands together above the apparatus” he manages like a master in command of words and spontaneous flow of thoughts, to lead you to a point where your mind begins to imagine the Time Traveller and you create a visual avatar of this traveler, rendered in its optically perceptible form by the words crafted by a master of writing like Mr. Wells. When you close the novel, the avatar appears in your dreams, and next morning, it flashes itself in the mirror, and finally the Time Traveller leaves you no choice, but to continue reading.
The appeal of words and the flow of language does not abandon you there, it now hijacks your imagination into a dimension of thought, where mentally you will now reside cocooned within the strings of words weaving their magnificence all around your imagination, until you feel like a character from the science fiction novel growing upon you as a shadow.
And this cannot be accomplished without using phrases like:
Looks singularly askew
There is an odd twinkiling appearance about this bar
As though it was in some way unreal
Quoting the exact lines from the paragraph:
“It is my plan for a machine to travel through time. You will notice that it looks singularly askew, and that there is an odd twinkling appearance about this bar, as though it was in some way unreal.”
Askew meaning : Not straight or level or distorted or not uniform
Mr Wells could have used any other word, but why did he choose “askew?”
Wondering why! I am also refining my thoughts around it to present a simple and straightforward explanation.
Ok, let me get to the point.
Read these versions of the same sentence please :
You will notice that it looks singularly distorted
You will notice that it looks singularly less uniform
You will notice that it looks singularly out of shape
You will notice that it looks singularly clumsy
Now please read this:
You will notice that it looks singularly askew
The word “askew” acts like a charm that pierces deeper in your imagination, and with this word, Mr. Wells, gravitates your language based consciousness, to land on the highway of Mr. Wells' thoughts, where his imagination and thoughts assume the shape of the road, and language is the steering that he uses to move you in the direction he pleases. And it would not have been possible for him without the word like: askew.
If you look at all words in this paragraph, though very common, word askew has a melody that rhymes with the linguistic awareness of the reader, and forces him/her to pause, and immerses his/her mind in the appreciation of this paragraph as whole. Where Mr. Wells wants you to remember certain characteristics of this Time Traveler.
The word “askew” is the word that Mr. Wells uses to cast his charm over you, and captivates your mind with its purity of thought that is exalted further when you pay profound attention to every word that follows to describe this Time Traveller. Who also seems a pure work of imagination, because Mr. Wells uses the word, unreal.
Very artfully this word persuades you to know more about this mysterious looking object that the Time Traveller defines with such keenness.
Nowadays this command over words and language is missing, in all genres alike. Maybe languages also evolve with time and as languages evolve, they become direct causes of evolution at social and cultural levels as well.
So it will not be incorrect to say that Mr. Wells’ writing style too must have been influenced by the society he lived in and the time he lived in. But what has always amazed me, his imagination and his thoughts always lived outside these social and cultural confinements. His imagination was a compulsive wanderlust that belonged to the society of new and experimental thinking, where limitless imagination is the only pillar of the society, I call the society of thinking minds.
And in my science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075, I have tried to achieve a linguistic appeal, that is not meant to emulate Mr. Wells’ or Mr. Roosevelt's, style, but it is written with a flair and stylised in a way, that it blends well with the reader's vocabulary, to thereby get transported into his/her imagination, where it evolves as a scientific thought, that you feel as a physical entity enveloping you inside out.
I have done this with just one purpose in mind, that of letting all science fiction lovers fall in love with the pleasure of reading scifi novels, and believe in the important role you shall play in addressing the problems of today, that can be the crisis, humanity will be facing in 2075.
If via my science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075, I can relay this message to just a few enthusiastic readers, who just like me appreciate the use of word askew, then I will feel the scifi novel, They Loved in 2075 has served its purpose.
As for this blog post, the main goal of helping the reader understand the essential aspects of writing with a feeling that the reader can sense, would not be defeated as long as some, passionate science fiction reader, reads it and finds some value in it. Right now that reader is you!
As for me, I will continue to write, because there is a treasure of words like: askew waiting to be discovered and then used in my own style. And it is needless to say that my style when compared with that of Mr. Wells would tend to be a lot askew, but I am not reticent, when it comes to being a dogged pursuant of literary fineness that rises from the mind of the writer like a Phoenix, as long as the writer understands the soul of words like askew, in context to paragraphs where these pearl like words are encapsulated within the essence of the paragraph. And if you remove this word with absolute charm, the paragraph will cease to be the paragraph from Mr. Well’s thought or his matchless genius.
On that note let me conclude, and hope the science fiction novel, They Loved in 2075, will offer you many words similar to “askew” and a scientific idea as fresh and adventurous as The Time Machine, where bearing audience to Mr. Roosevelt's speech, will be a delight far exceeding than anything and anyone of us has known. And it applies to us all, whether we are from the great nation like the USA or from some other country, because a true politician is a statesman, whose charm captivates us all; and I am as sure as tomorrow, that it will be so in 2075 too, when, I hope there will still be humans left who would dare to love in 2075!
On that dare, let me pledge, They Loved in 2075, is going to be an exciting science fiction to entertain your mental outflows with.
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