In the third and final part of our African sci-fi series, Tosin Coker offers seven tips on writing in the genre and takes no prisoners with her advice, from making characters of colour reflect their cultural heritage to doing your research or risk alienating your readers.
Define the term sci-fi for yourself, then build on it
Firstly, you need to analyse what sci-fi means to you. I have had many readers of my work initially dismiss it, saying they are “not into stories about space and aliens”, only for them later to return in awe and declare themselves converts. The reason is that many people have a preconception of what sci-fi is. Some believe it to be futuristic; all about space and extra-terrestrials, or complicated equations. For those who are rooted in this belief, I’d invite you to read Kindred by Octavia Butler. This book is sci-fi, in that it involves time travel and displacement, and yet it is also a historic drama where the protagonist encounters those where the wrong kind of fraternising could lead to her being deleted from existence. While she is renowned for her talent as a sci-fi author, Butler’s works are heavily influenced by the subjects of race and oppression.
Take a sci-fi type concept and turn it into a story
Sci-fi is a theoretical exploration into scientifically influenced concepts such as futuristic technology. It is a speculation of that which exists beyond earth, time travel, parallel universes, multiple dimensions, speculative inquiry of consequence over implementation or the abuse of modern or anticipated technology and/or genetic experimentation. My description is (surprisingly) limited, but hopefully it gives you an insight to the common areas catered for by the genre. While some may find this all a bit daunting, it’s the writer who is responsible for integrating all of the above into an easily digestible script which the majority will not only find interesting, but can even relate to. This is where you must relate your concept to the human condition, even if your story isn’t about humans. After all, those reading your work will be humans… or so we believe. Maybe there is something which annoys you about society that you want to see changed. This is your chance to explore it through your alien characters, coming from a planet where your preferred solution is a way of life. Why does your way work? What are the flaws? Who disagrees, and why? What issues can such a disagreement create?
What makes good sci-fi?
It may sound a little silly, but good sci-fi has you considering plausibility and wondering how you might respond in the shoes of the characters you create, or how you might dream of incorporating such a concept into your present day life. While time travel may not be possible – yet, there was a time where speaking over wireless telephony, with the ability to connect to a global network, accessed by a handheld touch screen device wasn’t possible. But guess what, Gene Rodenberry imagined how such similar technologies (the first communicators used in the original Star Trek), would be pretty awesome. Today, one might wonder if his vision was the basis of mobile phone, which went quickly from being a luxury to a necessity. No explanation was given for how the communicators worked, they were just a prop we came to accept, admire and desire. While a lack of explanation is acceptable in most instances, what makes great sci-fi is when you are able to present a theory that reinforces plausibility.
What makes bad Sci-fi?
There is nothing worse than having a regular drama being called sci-fi because what should really be human characters have simply been replaced with aliens. I call upon Babylon 5 and Alien Nation as examples. The beauty of incorporating aliens into a story is the exploration of a completely foreign culture and way of life that truly differs from that of humans. So why make them think and act like humans? Use other humans for that. The same can be said of any genre, but two dimensional stereotypical personalities are also tiresome. Another example of bad sci-fi, in my mind, is when a person of colour does the same exact thing with the only difference being that the protagonist is a person of colour. That is just downright lazy, and insulting. As a person of colour, we have opinions, beliefs and perspectives which are unique. Reveal, share and represent those characteristics. If you don’t recognise your character as sharing your struggle, hopes, aspirations and complications, the chances are very few other people (particularly of colour) will relate enough on a level that matters. Make a connection to your reader by defining the collective experiences of the race or species your character is affiliated with.
Make your story credible
Do your research. I cannot emphasise on this enough. It’s crushing as a reader to be taken on a journey that comes to the point of discussing the first alleged landing on the moon, and the author mentions the first step to have been taken by Buzz Aldrin. Er, no. History has clearly recorded that honour as being Neil Armstrong’s. So unless the story relates to a parallel universe where history is out of order, you risk the book being thrown down in disgust, unread. Know your subjects inside out. Intrigue the reader with your insight to the point where they want to quote you as an authority. The best tales are a delicate mix of truth and facts.
Before you learn to write, read
Do yourself a favour and read sci-fi first before you start writing. See how the experts do it. Writing is a skill that is honed. Yes you may have an innate talent, but there is always room for improvement, always. You won’t know how to do better until you read a sci-fi book that has you up all night because the story is just too good to miss. Keep reading until you find an author whose talent makes you green with envy; an author who makes you want to tear up your own manuscript after acknowledging your own limitations, then practice being able to express yourself as well as they do.
How to write sci-fi
I don’t believe in ‘writer’s block’. I believe that writing often takes on a life of its own. Stories write themselves. The problem (blockage) occurs when we try to force the story in a direction it doesn’t want or need to go in. Also, I find many newbie authors are rigid in their approach to writing. It reads like this, therefore it must be written so. I disagree. I don’t write chapters in sequence. I write them in ‘eager’; the order in which the chapters spill out of me. Then I go back and fill in the gaps. Listen to your characters. If one is screaming within your head for their story to be written, write it. Don’t edit them out because the story isn’t about that specific character. Maybe that personality can become the plot twist. Write first, edit later.
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