Yes and No's of Sci-Fi (Guide The Sci-Fi Writers to the LOVES AND HATES of readers)

Mine's...

YES- Unique technologies and cool stuff...

NO- Dystopian Subjected, (Though I'm gonna change Steel Dolls into after DYSTOPIA with the 'Steel Dolls' of course) Zombies...

HOW 'BOUT YOURS?

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@Miss_Claridad

Yes-Most Sci-Fi, epic new tech, space and ship explortation, a plot that revolves around Science, or anything really as long as its possible by Science. Epic adventure, epic future cities, new extra terrestrial speices, and AI's. Really i like any thin in Sci-Fi. I like Dystopia, but it depends on how its done and not a hunger games rip-off.

No-Mis-catgorising Sci-Fi, alot of people think that elemental controling is Sci-Fi, where as really its fantasy, Cliche Alien invasion stories, or that terrible film with Keaun Reves, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still', i hated that film so much and it took £7 from me to see it in the cinema, If i haddn't paid i'd have walked out. Oh and of course the classic cliche grey aliens with giant heads and lanky bodies, just not creative enough. Oh and flying saucers, to me they just look stupid.

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I'm really fine with MOST sci-fi's unless:

*(1)WAY to much explaining on tech (more then necessary). *(2)Man makes robot, robot kills man/rebels. (I mean really robots are awesome but this plot is just so) *(3)Weak story awesome sci-fi elements (A story driven only by the science)

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Creative use of sci-fi concepts and technologies, yes; human-centered, yes; space opera, no; magic/extremely unlikely technology, to fill plot holes, no; robots, cyborgs, only if handled well and not cliched; psionic abilities, telepathy, pre-cog etc.. yes, but no, if used to fill plot holes

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Yes: Using anything you can think of to craft an original, enjoyable story.

No: Following Yes/No guides, and ending up limiting you creativity.

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@Parogar Best response

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@Jilleigh True, true.

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yes: inane positive advice

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no: thoughtful comments that take time to write

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@Jilleigh Worst response

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@LetoAtreides ((((not going to argue))))

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@Jilleigh learn to present your own views

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@LetoAtreides I just clearly agreed to someones response. No offense to anyone else's. There, that's all I'm saying.

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@Jilleigh You gave no grounds for agreement and you didnt agree with it, you said it was best response, as if all other responses were a waste of time. Its a forum board for discussing a subject as far as I knew, not for undermining the basis of the subject with a piece of generic trash advice

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@LetoAtreides I'm just wondering why you haven't attacked me yet... O_o

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@Random_Creativity your comment was derivative of the one by Jilleigh. I didn't realise this was a battle on two fronts. Hold on, I didnt realise it was a battle at all, I thought it was a chance to present our views on a subject. That seems to have got lost somewhere...

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@LetoAtreides Okay here is my response:

I also think that a yes/no guide is limiting a writers creativity when it comes to branching out in the sci-fi genre. To those who may be new to this genre and wish to write in it...DO not limit yourself. Write what you want to write, not what your readers want. You come first and foremost. If you write to try and impress rather than trying to tell a story, most likely your story wont be successful.

yes: anything sci-fi as long as I can tell the writer enjoyed writing it and did a darn good job doing it. :)

This is in response to guiding a writer to write certain aspects of sci-fi that appeals to readers.

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I think the purpose of a yes/no guide is not to constrain creativity or to impress readers, but to help a potential writer avoid certain concepts in sci-fi that have been over-used and have become clichéd. That was certainly my thought in suggesting avoiding certain things.

We all may have different opinions on what is cliché and what is not. But learning and being aware of these things, and aware of what other writers have already explored is one part of being a good original writer yourself I would have thought. @Jilleigh

Maybe we are arguing over different things here. I am thinking from the perspective of someone already within the sci-fi genre looking to explore further, rather than from the perspective of someone branching out to sci-fi looking to add something different

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@LetoAtreides Okay, I will agree on the cliche part. However, there are ways of taking cliche and making it original. If that makes sense? Your right, we all may view that differently.

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I guess there are examples of that. Use of humour in the hitchhikers guide to the galaxy took clichéd concepts and made it innovative. I think because my background is very much literature, and having read alot and only recently started writing things I tend to see it more from the readers perspective. I am just in the learning process myself when it comes to writing, which is one of the reasons I post on these pages to try and learn a bit from other writers.

@Jilleigh

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@LetoAtreides Writing is always going to be a learning process I think, lol. You have valid points. I think we can now see and respect one anothers arguement. Nice chatting. Good luck with writing!

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interesting technologies/concepts - yes; solid world - yes; dystopia - no; religious themes - no; human-centered - yes and no; magic - no.

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