Growing a Sci-Fi Novel

Peas, planets and plots...

Well, good morning friends. And it’s a windy wet one here in the northwest of the green and pleasant isle that is Albion, aka Blighty, aka Britain.

Today, it’s all about preservation. Not the sort you use on your fine wooden sideboard. I was hankering to spin a yarn that's out of this world and down to earth all at the same time. Listen up!

Just like tending to a garden, writing a sci-fi novel calls for a delicate touch, and a whole lotta elbow grease. First, I came up with a world that's as vibrant and unruly as a jungle; with characters as rich and complex as the soil you plant your tomatoes in. Then, I threw in some fantastical contraptions and mind-boggling ideas that'll make your noggins spin like a ceiling fan on high. But then I remembered — don't get so caught up in the glitz and glamour of it all that you forget about the heart of the story. Just like a garden needs sunshine, a novel needs emotional truth and human connection to truly flourish.

Picture this: our beloved blue marble is on the brink of environmental catastrophe. The sky's a hazy soup, the oceans boil like a pot of gumbo, and the polar ice caps are melting faster than a glacier on a hot plate. But fear not, there’s a cast of intrepid scientists, renegade engineers, and a lovable old coot with a knack for fixing just about anything. Together, they embark on a perilous mission to save the day. Armed with advanced gadgets, and a sprinkle of stubborn human spirit. Whoa, there a minute. Isn’t this like most tropes in Earth-based sci-fi disaster movies? Hasn’t this been written and filmed to death? So, like any good gardener – I mulched it.

I got my hands dirty. I tended to the plot, and let the words grow wild and free. It took a whole lotta rewriting and hacking back that beautiful jungle to expose a city, a continent - a world. Like investigating soil pH levels appropriate for different plants, and practising and failing to grow exotic vegetables because our climate isn’t right, research was the key. I came to realise that my hero wasn’t going to be super-duper-power-trooper-all-singing-all-dancing-Mr. Capable. I’m not a fan of protagonists who can do anything and everything. Most folk, like you and me, are pretty average. There’s nothing wrong with average, you should revel in it like a pair of worn and comfortable slippers. I want my protagonists to be flawed, lacking, unsure, afraid even.

And I uncovered the secrets of a universe. Along the way, pondering the fragility of nature, and the indomitable spirit that drives a person to preserve their planet.

So this plot went from ‘out there’, to a little more…domestic, let’s say. Sort of. I think I did a fine job. It’s not a sci-fi masterpiece — I am nowhere near the skill level of say, Philip K Dick, or Ray Bradbury. But just because my carrots aren’t huge like the bought ones, or my broccoli is a bit on the slender side, or my peapods are wonky doesn’t mean they aren’t going to taste good!

 I believe I have cooked a tale that's both out of this world and down-home delicious!

The wily amongst you will have quickly cottoned on to the fact that this is a heads-up for my forthcoming novel.

In this modern world of relentless competition and ceaseless noise, it's more important than ever to toot your own horn. Self-promotion is not about bragging or being pompous. It's about sharing your unique gifts and contributions with the world, like a master craftsman displaying his finely honed tools. Whether it's through social media, public speaking, or simply sharing your knowledge and/or creations with those around you. Remember, modesty is a fickle friend that will keep you hidden in the shadows!

Thank you kindly for reading my sub post, it warms my heart like a sip of Southern Comfort on an unseasonably chilly spring evening. May your own garden be filled with abundance and colour, fecund with creativity - whether by nature’s hand or yours.