Writing is sourced from a variety of places, each unique to
the writer in question. For me, I think research is the starting point.
I write because I love telling stories. But that, in and of
itself, is not enough. No good story is founded upon writing for its own sake.
That is where my other great love comes in—my love of science. I am happiest, I
think, when discovering new things about the universe we live in.
It is only natural that I should tell stories about it, too.
All good writing has some basis in research; it’s about
realism. Not the “literary” kind. It is about creating something that is
believable. It is about applicability.
When Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein
in 1818, it was in part inspired by experiments in galvanism and the idea that
life could be bestowed by electricity. This made the novel highly relevant at
the time of publication, and it has not lost any since. In the field of
cloning, a small electric current is used to combine new DNA with an empty cell
body. Indeed, the first synthetic life form was created as recently as 2010.
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| A collection of science books I am reading for research purposes. |
Having a basis in science gives a text relevance to our
understanding of the universe. If an idea is important to our understanding
today then it will be in the future, even hundreds of years from now.
If I have become a writer, then it is through contemplating
scientific issues within a creative framework. And if a writer can become
important, it is by being applicable, both now and in the future.
And now I leave you with a proof of the fundamental speed
limit. Bonus points shall be awarded to anyone who spots the assumption and
creates a story around it.
Hey Sam. This is good, you make some really good points about how science can become reality and it has helped me understand why specifically you write sci-fi. In this ever fast paced world, many things initially deemed sci-fi have become reality, such as bionic limbs used in Star Wars. I also agree that all work requires research before it can be written, otherwise a writer will be going nowhere with their works. J.K. Rowling used plenty of political and social research in Harry Potter e.g. Muggles being a racial offence. J.R.R. Tolkien used battle formations of factions from the second world war in order to tell the battle scenes in Lord of the Rings. These are believable aspects which are essential to a writer's works.
ReplyDeleteSam, I enjoyed reading this and like the fact you've done it from a research angle, as this is really relevant to your work (like the piece you wrote about SIM). I particularly liked the reference to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as this definitely highlights how research relevant to the current time can really make a piece of writing.
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