I’ve learned more about writing in the last six months than I have in twenty years as a writer. I accomplished this with the help of two invaluable books and a plethora of informative YouTube videos. Unfortunately, this new knowledge has made me want to rewrite everything I’ve ever written.

September marks the seventh month of my obsession with science fiction. But rather than waning, I’m even more enthusiastic about the genre. There is a steep learning curve and I don’t feel confident with the intricacies, but that hasn’t stopped me from writing.

Short Stories

Given all the information I’ve learned recently, I’ve revolutionized the way I outline and write. It involves a lot more brainpower and a fair amount of experimentation, but I think I’m getting the hang of it.

The first story I wrote with this method was called “The Man from Beyond.” Set on the planet Atha, I focused on two of my favorite themes: oppressive religion and AI. Ultimately, the story didn’t work out, but I learned so much in the process.

I spent the beginning of this month editing a story called “Matricide Protocol” (also set on Atha). I wrote this back in March and decided to revisit it. There are parts that I love, but it feels too (unintentionally) preachy. I’ve set it aside for now.

Finding my next project was difficult. I have a growing list of ideas, but nothing grabbed me. I realized that my lack of motivation came from the absence of a deadline. I checked for submission calls and found an SF anthology right up my alley.

This new story has invigorated me, and the deadline has kept me focused. Last week, I outlined it, profiled the characters, and did a fair amount of research. As a horror author, I never did much of the latter (I usually stuck with what I knew). With SF, however, I am remarkably ignorant, especially when it comes to the hard sciences. Still, I found the process quite rewarding.

Reading

My favorite part of my science fiction odyssey has been reading. There are so many good SF novels and collections out there. Each discovery only furthers my passion. That’s not to say that I haven’t read a few duds, but I’ve been more than impressed with what the genre has to offer. New favorite authors include Ben Bova, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Timothy Zahn.

My current reading pattern alternates between novels and collections. Since I’m writing exclusively short fiction these days, I’m studying the masters of the form, learning a lot from authors like Arthur C. Clarke and Charles Stross, as well as those Year’s Best Science Fiction anthologies.

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Eventually, I’ll have to branch out. After all, I want to write horror and fantasy as well as science fiction. But for now, I’m having a blast with SF and I don’t mind putting the other two genres on hold.

Tchau,

Zé