Inventing Reality: A Guide to Writing Science Fiction

Unfortunately, writing is hard work. Most who write find themselves filled with anxiety and self-reproachment as they pen their paragraphs and compare it to those authors who inspired them to write. And then there’s always the frustration that comes when the right word (or even no words) won’t come.

As Karl Iagnemma, an MIT roboticist who also happens to also be an acclaimed fiction writer, once said: "A lot of people, when they think about writers, probably imagine people wasting time in cafés, drinking a lot and smoking too many cigarettes, and working when the inspiration - whatever that is - seizes them. But writing is rigorous. Writing, for me at least, takes a lot of concentrated work and effort. It takes dedication and the willingness to do the work even when that feeling of inspiration isn't there at all."

Few of us like to do hard work. But in writing, the rewards are worth the effort. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you get motivated to write:

n Keep a project “bible” - Create a notebook of reference materials in a 3-ring binder of loose-leaf paper. Often “inspiration” will strike on one of those ideas. At least it gives you a collection of ideas you can back to when you don’t know what to write about.

n Keep a daily log - Track how many words you wrote and challenge yourself to top it the next day.

n Keep a journal - Often the kernels of stories later can be found in your journal.

n Keep in touch with fellow writers - They can offer encouragement and provide advice when you’re stuck.

n Start with free-writing - Sometimes when driving aimlessly you see a billboard that gives you an idea for a destination. The same can occur when writing - sometimes when writing aimlessly you develop an idea that gives you idea for a story.

n Begin your writing by editing and revising work already completed and continue onward - At the very least, you’ve polished your past day’s work and maybe have identified trouble spots that you need to mull over to solve.

n Stop at a good point - If you’ve had a productive writing session, put down the pen at a point where you know already what you want to do next. You will not be stymied when starting the next day.

n Ask outrageous questions - Science fiction writer Stephen Baxter once wrote, “If you want to generate new and original ideas, you have to ask yourself outrageous questions. Such as: Could humans survive on the equator of a fast-spinning neutron star?” Well, how would they? Why would they want to? How would such a residence change their outlook on life? Would it change how others viewed them?

n Keep plugging along - No matter the quality of your work or the number of rejections you receive, don’t stop writing, The biggest mistake those who want to be writers can make is to not write.