BNU: Developing Story Ideas
This was the assignment...
As we have seen, there are a number of ways in which science fiction differs from "mainstream" fiction. Most significantly, a science fiction story depends on its science content, an idea without which the story doesn’t work. In completing this exercise, you’ll take your first step toward writing your own science fiction story.
1. Make a list of all the ideas you have for your own science fiction story.
2. Review each idea for science content.
3. Select one of these ideas, and explain it in a paragraph or less.
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This what I came up with but upon further reflection I wonder if my "science content" is eaily replaceable. Much like Star Wars is just a wester or soap opera in space, I wonder if this isn't just some noir movie with extra arms and cat-like vision. Anyway, here it is...
Point #1...The World: A future earth where advanced genetic engineering can add dramatic custom augmentation to the human body...multiple limbs, heightened senses, animal attributes, etc.... Science Content: Soft science only in the beginning. We see the world as it is with augmented humans in every walk of life. Not omnipresent, but not rare either. They're gawked at or jeered by some and accepted by others, but most people feel at least a little uncomfortable around them.
Point #2...The Protagonist: A down-on-his-luck gambler trying to make one big score to set his life back on track. He's just an average Joe and what is colloquially known as a Virgin, i.e. he's never had an augment and is not likely to ever have one because he doesn't have the status to be given one, the money to buy one, or the guts to risk finding one on the black market. Science Content: None really.
Point #3...The Setup: The gambler loses big and can't cover his losses. The casino boss decides to make him an offer—take a mod, do a special job for the boss, then get restored to normal or play the punching bag for the boss's multi-armed body guards. He takes the mod. Science Content: Here's where we see the augment process and watch it happen instead of being told about it in tiresome exposition. How did the process evolve? How does it work? How can it go wrong? How can it be fixed?
Point #4...The Job: The gambler uses his new augments (ya, the boss did a double or triple mod on the gambler...very risky and very painful, but the boss is calling the shots) to break into a competitor's casino and steal some incriminating documents. Science Content: We see the augments in action, see how they help or hinder him as he adapts or fails to adapt to his new body.
Point #5...The Double Cross: The gambler finishes the job, gets the papers, escapes under impossible odds, and returns to the boss. The gambler overhears a flunky tell the doctor to make sure the mod reversal is bungled to kill the gambler. In self preservation mode and with his confidence buoyed by his experiences in the other casino, the gambler battles his way through the doctor and the flunky and escapes into the night to make the best of his life with his new mods. Science Content: We'd learn something of the gene-wash process but it's more of an action escape sequence and his reflection on the gambler's future options.
As we have seen, there are a number of ways in which science fiction differs from "mainstream" fiction. Most significantly, a science fiction story depends on its science content, an idea without which the story doesn’t work. In completing this exercise, you’ll take your first step toward writing your own science fiction story.
1. Make a list of all the ideas you have for your own science fiction story.
2. Review each idea for science content.
3. Select one of these ideas, and explain it in a paragraph or less.
=======
This what I came up with but upon further reflection I wonder if my "science content" is eaily replaceable. Much like Star Wars is just a wester or soap opera in space, I wonder if this isn't just some noir movie with extra arms and cat-like vision. Anyway, here it is...
Point #1...The World: A future earth where advanced genetic engineering can add dramatic custom augmentation to the human body...multiple limbs, heightened senses, animal attributes, etc.... Science Content: Soft science only in the beginning. We see the world as it is with augmented humans in every walk of life. Not omnipresent, but not rare either. They're gawked at or jeered by some and accepted by others, but most people feel at least a little uncomfortable around them.
Point #2...The Protagonist: A down-on-his-luck gambler trying to make one big score to set his life back on track. He's just an average Joe and what is colloquially known as a Virgin, i.e. he's never had an augment and is not likely to ever have one because he doesn't have the status to be given one, the money to buy one, or the guts to risk finding one on the black market. Science Content: None really.
Point #3...The Setup: The gambler loses big and can't cover his losses. The casino boss decides to make him an offer—take a mod, do a special job for the boss, then get restored to normal or play the punching bag for the boss's multi-armed body guards. He takes the mod. Science Content: Here's where we see the augment process and watch it happen instead of being told about it in tiresome exposition. How did the process evolve? How does it work? How can it go wrong? How can it be fixed?
Point #4...The Job: The gambler uses his new augments (ya, the boss did a double or triple mod on the gambler...very risky and very painful, but the boss is calling the shots) to break into a competitor's casino and steal some incriminating documents. Science Content: We see the augments in action, see how they help or hinder him as he adapts or fails to adapt to his new body.
Point #5...The Double Cross: The gambler finishes the job, gets the papers, escapes under impossible odds, and returns to the boss. The gambler overhears a flunky tell the doctor to make sure the mod reversal is bungled to kill the gambler. In self preservation mode and with his confidence buoyed by his experiences in the other casino, the gambler battles his way through the doctor and the flunky and escapes into the night to make the best of his life with his new mods. Science Content: We'd learn something of the gene-wash process but it's more of an action escape sequence and his reflection on the gambler's future options.
posted by WDavid | 6/08/2006 06:06:00 AM
3 Comments:
As odd as this sounds, at the EXACT same time that I posted my story ideas, another student posted this...
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My idea is a murder mystery set in the far future.
One of the main science ideas is this: Exotic surgeries have become mundane and commonplace. You can have surgeries for anything from making yourself a mermaid or a centaur to giving yourself extra arms or tentacles. Wealthy people alter appendages the way they change their clothes. Even the middle classes have surgical alterations that help with their occupations or hobbies.
Someone who is in the habit of frequent surgery is murdered--their own ribcage was surgically altered so the sternum was removed and additional muscles were strapped across the ribs, which, when contracted, strangled him to death from the inside.
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What are the odds of two body-mod ideas being posted at EXACTLY the same time???
Anyway, that student, Erik, and I talked a little and I have decided to abandon my idea for now...maybe I'll come back to it at some point.
This is my new idea...
I also had an idea that sprang from the nacolepsy drug Modafinil. It can keep you awake and clear minded for 40 hours at a time...or even longer in some military tests. It actually helps focus the mind and aids in concentration too...it's one the "smart drugs" that get's talked about these days. So, what if everyone's popping this pill to stay on top of their game. People are competitive, so operating on all cylinders without sleep is a huge advantage in so many settings...school, business, sports. Then what if some unknown and dangerous long-term side effect starts to manifest and the FDA puts a serious lock down on the drug? All of a sudden people are dumber and sleeping and back to normal. What are the rammifications of that? Do people still take the drug to maintain their edge? Suddenly the druggies needing a fix are the straight laced over-achiever types, not the bums and street thugs.
The more I type about it the better I like the Modafinil world. I'm just not sure my writing skills are up to it. I'm more of an action adventure guy and not a weighty issues guy. :-)
The body mods thing reminds me too much of X-Men anyway.
I like this idea. And I think it's different enough from the other guys to merit writing them both.
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