if you wrote a Sci-Fi or Fantasy novel what would it be about?

[slimjim]

if where to write a Sci-Fi novel it would about a giant space cargo ship being thrown back in time 59 million years and a race of sapient dog creatures evolving in it's hold from a group of puppies being smuggled by a member of the crew all of whom are in stasis pods taking the slow path home well the dogs take over the ship.
what would your be about?

[Gatefan1976]

I would hope that Rob Grant / Doug Naylor NEVER hear of it...............

[Snowman37]

I'm working on several stories, a few of which are being outlined. I've one finished outline which is on it's way to a first draft. I can't divulge my stories publicly nor to people on the internet whom I'm haven't met in real life. I plan to get my stories copyrighted and published. However, I can say this... my prime story revolves around a time machine. Though there is some time-travel, the driving force behind the story is a great mystery that ties together an ancient ship wreck, a government conspiracy, and the apocalypse.

If you want to be creative, just throw together some basic ingredients which others have used in successful stories. Time-travel, space ships, ancient ruins, government conspiracies, and the apocalypse. These have all been featured in great novels and movies. Mix them together, get something new, and voila; a story worth reading! The question is, what are you going to ADD to your story to make it stand out as distinctly different? Originality is overrated. You need some originality, but you can't make the whole story original, simply because it's all been done before. Just focus on being different, or perhaps focusing on something others have only briefly touched upon.

Slimjim, take your story for example... You had me at giant, space ship hauling cargo. I like it. It's been done, but that's irrelevant, it's still interesting. The ship is hurled back in time. It's been done, but again, it's interesting. Why was it thrown back in time? Is there a time-traveler on board, or was this a freak cosmic accident? Why 59-million years ago? How far into our future is the ship from? Could the crew survive in stasis for millions of years? Wouldn't the computer systems short out by then? Smuggled puppies evolve into sapient dog creatures? What do they do for food and water? Where has the ship been for the past several million years? Is there an ecosystem in the form of a hydroponics bay gone out of control?

You have very good ideas here, seriously. However, I think you need a friend to brainstorm with you, someone to say this doesn't work or that doesn't work. I have a writing partner myself, and he comes in handy a lot. For some stories, we're equal partners. On others, he's just a brainstorming buddy, someone to point out what doesn't work, ya know?

If I were to edit your story, I'd make the following changes...

1. Determine why the ship is hurled back in time.
2. Change several million years ago to the present day or a relatable time in history. For example, what if the ship crash landed in the Middle East? It remains hidden until the war on terror. Who finds it? Soldiers, insurgents, or perhaps innocents trying to survive the war? Perhaps the ship crash landed in the 1780's just after the USA was formed? What would George Washington have to say about all of this? Have fun!!!
3. Puppies evolving into sapient dog creatures... this doesn't work without an ecosystem to support the species, and it won't work for people who don't believe in Darwin's theory of evolution. Who's your target audience? If you want to run with evolution, alright... What if this ship is from several million years into the future where dogs have evolved into people and coexist with humanity? What if they are the crew? OoOoOo!!!!

Really, these three changes could take your story from a few sentences to something that could be both a novel and a big screen movie. Think about it. Run with my ideas, ignore them, point is, you have a good premise. Dog people from the future, crashed on Earth in an old cargo ship. Haha, I like this!

[knowles2]

I am working on three stories.

One that is scifi, I finish a very rough outline of it. It turning more into a world building excercise than a novel writing one at the moment.

Another one I am working on, had an idea for, is base in the modern world, who themes are, terrorists, a lottery win, changing the world, Nieves . Written in a biographical style, written from the point of a terrorist who think he a hero an he just may be an hero.

An other idea is basically a remake of Space 1999, which is done in the style of BSG but less melodrama. It will be pretty different to Space 1999, for example it base one of Mars moons, involve more than a few Alien species, a very Earth bound conspiracy.

I got a few more ideas that I sometime tinker about with, a scifi alien invasion film script in the work but it will be taking a different angle to any story I seen done on screen, more focus on diplomats and politics, it would also be very expensive to film, destroying London does not come cheap. The dozen plus aliens could also be a problem as well.
Whether I finish any of them I am not sure. The script is one I would love to finish but given all the rules on what a script should look like I doubt it will go anywhere.

[Snowman37]

Another one I am working on, had an idea for, is base in the modern world, who themes are, terrorists, a lottery win, changing the world, Nieves . Written in a biographical style, written from the point of a terrorist who think he a hero an he just may be an hero.

This makes me think of Major Kira from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Really, her character could work in a real-world setting. The idea of a nation being occupied by foreigners under the guise of help when all they really want to do is strip the land of resources. The idea of the locals resorting to terrorism to gain freedom is interesting. A lot of people say this is what is happening in the Middle East, but that's not rightly so.

An other idea is basically a remake of Space 1999, which is done in the style of BSG but less melodrama. It will be pretty different to Space 1999, for example it base one of Mars moons, involve more than a few Alien species, a very Earth bound conspiracy.

What is Space 1999 about?

I got a few more ideas that I sometime tinker about with, a scifi alien invasion film script in the work but it will be taking a different angle to any story I seen done on screen, more focus on diplomats and politics, it would also be very expensive to film, destroying London does not come cheap. The dozen plus aliens could also be a problem as well.
Whether I finish any of them I am not sure. The script is one I would love to finish but given all the rules on what a script should look like I doubt it will go anywhere.

Alien invasions have been done to death. If you think you've got a good spin, run with it. Just be sure to ask yourself, "Why are these aliens invading Earth? What do they expect to gain from conquering the planet?" This is what your readers of viewers will be asking.

[SF_and_Coffee]

I have at least four current scifi novels in the works at present, in various states of progress...

[The Urban Spaceman]

if where to write a Sci-Fi novel it would about a giant space cargo ship being thrown back in time 59 million years and a race of sapient dog creatures evolving in it's hold from a group of puppies being smuggled by a member of the crew all of whom are in stasis pods taking the slow path home well the dogs take over the ship.
what would your be about?

I don't do enough mind-altering drugs to be able to top your time-travelling evil dogs idea.

[LT. COL. John Sheppard]

2002: a universe odyssey

[Ukko]

I would hope that Rob Grant / Doug Naylor NEVER hear of it...............

As well as Clifford D Simak.
Sounds like Red Dwarf lands in Clifford's City.

Spoiler:

OK, he'll need to come back from the dead to be angry, but still.

[Gatefan1976]

As well as Clifford D Simak.
Sounds like Red Dwarf lands in Clifford's City.

Spoiler:

OK, he'll need to come back from the dead to be angry, but still.

Arnold Judas Rimmer perhaps?

[knowles2]

Thanks for the comment

This makes me think of Major Kira from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Really, her character could work in a real-world setting. The idea of a nation being occupied by foreigners under the guise of help when all they really want to do is strip the land of resources. The idea of the locals resorting to terrorism to gain freedom is interesting. A lot of people say this is what is happening in the Middle East, but that's not rightly so.

Not what I am planning at all. The character will be more like a eco terrorists, but not the hippy type than a freedom fighter but their aims an goals are far wider than just protecting the environment. It also contains a lot of what does it take to create a better world, and is sacrificing tens of millions of lives worth it. Plus a lot of commentary and his point of view on the world.

The audience will follow the person from when he's a teenager to old age , it starts of like an episode of Skins an ends with the old guy getting off a bus at his new retirement home.

What is Space 1999 about?

Premise
The premise of Space: 1999 centres on the plight of the inhabitants of Moonbase Alpha, Earth's Space Research Centre on the Moon, following a scientific cataclysm. Humanity had been storing its nuclear waste in vast disposal sites on the far side of the Moon. Prefaced by wild emissions of an unknown form of magnetic radiation, the accumulated waste reaches critical mass and, on 13 September 1999, detonates in a massive thermonuclear explosion. The force of the blast propels the Moon like an enormous booster rocket, hurling it out of Earth orbit and into deep space at colossal speed, thus stranding the 311 personnel stationed on Alpha.[2] The runaway Moon, in effect, becomes the "spacecraft" on which the protagonists travel, searching for a new home. During their interstellar journey, the Alphans encounter an array of alien civilizations, dystopian societies, and mind-bending phenomena previously unseen by humanity.
The concept of traveling through space to encounter aliens and strange worlds is similar to Lost In Space and Star Trek, although the programme's visual aesthetic was heavily influenced by 2001: A Space Odyssey. In another nod to Kubrick's film, the first series of Space: 1999 explored mystical and metaphysical themes, and offered little explanation of plot points. The inhabitants of Alpha were unwilling travelers, and represented present-day Earthmen cast adrift in a vast, unexplainable universe where Earth-bound logic and laws of nature no longer operated. Several episodes hinted that the Moon's journey was influenced (and perhaps initiated) by a "mysterious unknown force", which was guiding the Alphans toward an ultimate destiny.
The second series used more simplified "action-oriented" plots (à la Star Trek), with a deliberate aim at the American audience, and there was no further mention of the "mysterious unknown force".

Not entirely original but I think my remake ideas could make it far more interesting. Just a bit of fun.

Alien invasions have been done to death. If you think you've got a good spin, run with it. Just be sure to ask yourself, "Why are these aliens invading Earth? What do they expect to gain from conquering the planet?" This is what your readers of viewers will be asking.

The battle has nothing to do with us puny humans or Earth, apart from the fact we happen to live on the planet and are advance enough to be annoying. Earth was the closes planet that had a breathable atmosphere for most of the crew on-board the ship that crash, that how London is partially destroyed. I am planning on bringing in other elements to the story as well.

[slimjim]

I would hope that Rob Grant / Doug Naylor NEVER hear of it...............

that was cats TOTALLY different

[The Urban Spaceman]

Thanks for the comment



Not what I am planning at all. The story I am writing will be more like eco terrorists, but not the hippy type than freedom fighters but there aims an goals are far wider than just protecting the environment. With a bit of what does it take to create a better world, and if sacrificing tens of millions of lives worth it. Plus a lot of commentary and his point of view of the world.

Plus we follow the leader from when he teenager to old age , it starts of like an episode of Skins an ends with the old guy getting off a bus at his new retirement home.

What is Space 1999 about?
Not entirely original but I think my remake idea could be interesting. Just a bit of fun.



The battle actually has nothing to do with us puny humans or Earth, apart from we happen to live on the planet and are advance enough to be annoying and earth was just the closes planet that had a breathable atmosphere for most of the crew of a crash ship, that how London is partially destroyed. There a lot of other elements planning on bringing in as well.

What language are you writing your stories in?

[knowles2]

What language are you writing your stories in?

One that I will create myself.

or more likely, I will spend time correcting my English as I go along, which I do not have time to do on forums, I already know an editor that does other work for me, mainly checking client websites and documents, but she also works on editing a magazine and does a lot of work for the council editing documents, she a form legal secretary and very good, she also writing a couple of novel, so my **** spelling and grammar is no problem that cant be solve, it the story that counts. I have also been using speech to text software, so much less grammar and spelling errors and it also speed up my work flow substantially.

[slimjim]

I'm working on several stories, a few of which are being outlined. I've one finished outline which is on it's way to a first draft. I can't divulge my stories publicly nor to people on the internet whom I'm haven't met in real life. I plan to get my stories copyrighted and published. However, I can say this... my prime story revolves around a time machine. Though there is some time-travel, the driving force behind the story is a great mystery that ties together an ancient ship wreck, a government conspiracy, and the apocalypse.

If you want to be creative, just throw together some basic ingredients which others have used in successful stories. Time-travel, space ships, ancient ruins, government conspiracies, and the apocalypse. These have all been featured in great novels and movies. Mix them together, get something new, and voila; a story worth reading! The question is, what are you going to ADD to your story to make it stand out as distinctly different? Originality is overrated. You need some originality, but you can't make the whole story original, simply because it's all been done before. Just focus on being different, or perhaps focusing on something others have only briefly touched upon.

Slimjim, take your story for example... You had me at giant, space ship hauling cargo. I like it. It's been done, but that's irrelevant, it's still interesting. The ship is hurled back in time. It's been done, but again, it's interesting. Why was it thrown back in time? Is there a time-traveler on board, or was this a freak cosmic accident? Why 59-million years ago? How far into our future is the ship from? Could the crew survive in stasis for millions of years? Wouldn't the computer systems short out by then? Smuggled puppies evolve into sapient dog creatures? What do they do for food and water? Where has the ship been for the past several million years? Is there an ecosystem in the form of a hydroponics bay gone out of control?

You have very good ideas here, seriously. However, I think you need a friend to brainstorm with you, someone to say this doesn't work or that doesn't work. I have a writing partner myself, and he comes in handy a lot. For some stories, we're equal partners. On others, he's just a brainstorming buddy, someone to point out what doesn't work, ya know?

If I were to edit your story, I'd make the following changes...

1. Determine why the ship is hurled back in time.
2. Change several million years ago to the present day or a relatable time in history. For example, what if the ship crash landed in the Middle East? It remains hidden until the war on terror. Who finds it? Soldiers, insurgents, or perhaps innocents trying to survive the war? Perhaps the ship crash landed in the 1780's just after the USA was formed? What would George Washington have to say about all of this? Have fun!!!
3. Puppies evolving into sapient dog creatures... this doesn't work without an ecosystem to support the species, and it won't work for people who don't believe in Darwin's theory of evolution. Who's your target audience? If you want to run with evolution, alright... What if this ship is from several million years into the future where dogs have evolved into people and coexist with humanity? What if they are the crew? OoOoOo!!!!

Really, these three changes could take your story from a few sentences to something that could be both a novel and a big screen movie. Think about it. Run with my ideas, ignore them, point is, you have a good premise. Dog people from the future, crashed on Earth in an old cargo ship. Haha, I like this!

Basically it's hundreds of years in the future and a gigantic cargo ship is travailing though space when suddenly some sort of accident throws the ship back in time 59 million years. The crew of this ship decide that their only way of getting back home is to go into the stasis chambers (that they use for criminals..... a bit like in Red Dwarf) and just wait 59 million years until there back to their own time.
so they go into the stasis chambers and start waiting, but then only a few days into thier wait something goes wrong with the ship's sprinkler system (for fires) and they go off and run until the tanks are empty, then the ship's systems refill the tanks and it goes of again when there full.... and then get refilled again and go off again. This cycle continues repeating every 40 hours, as it repeats the water starts to rot the wood on some of the Crates in the cargo section until the things inside start falling out, this makes no particular difference to the crew (they weren't expecting the cargo to survive 59 million years any way) until the wood rots away on one particular crate. It's at this point in the story we find out one of crew was a smuggler of exotic pets, in this instance dogs (which are very exotic in deep space). it turns out that particular crate actually contains about a hundred dogs in animal stasis chambers.... which when hit by the water after their crate rots away, brake and release the dogs to roam the ship, in the immediate the dogs start feeding them selves on the sealed food packs from some of the rotted Crates, this lasts them for many hundreds of generations (I did say it was a really gigantic space ship) however eventually it does starts to run out, faced with this a select few of the dogs make an evolutionary jump. You see the wood from the rotting crates eventually formed a layer of top soil on deck which seeds (from the ship’s Arboretum) can take root in and grow, eventually when faced with starvation some of dogs make the jump to living of these plants like herbivores.... well the rest of the dogs start eating those dogs like predators. Eventually the two groups become two different species which in turn eventually become many different species
59 million years later the crew wake up and find the ship has turned into a jungle inhabited by thousands of different species all descended from the original hundred dogs..... Including one intelligent species