This week, we finally managed to install our new (not new ) item of furniture - a mid-18th Century grandfather clock. It's not bright and shiny like more modern ones, but a dark oak with a warm patina which the beeswax polish is drawing out. In order to set it up, we had to do a certain amount of research - how to hang the pendulum, where the weight went on the endless chain - and it got me thinking... where and when did certain divisions of time come from? The time periods which I have written either had household clocks or didn't, I have not written novels from the time of their invention. Clocks have been around for a long time, and the obsession with measuring time in an ordered fashion dates back to at least the ancient Sumerians. It was they who established a circular reading of time and, I imagine, the sixty seconds/minutes came about as much because it was an easy way to divide a circle as anything else. But it wasn't until much later that the precision of seconds ...
Happy Monday and welcome back to our Middle Grade Monday series: genres! Today, I'll be sharing a couple of hints and tips for writing science fiction for children. I'm not a sci-fi author, so I'll be addressing this mostly in terms of being a primary teacher.
When teaching about genres to children, it is often a struggle to explain the difference between fantasy and science fiction and, in fact, these two genres often get muddled together in awards and libraries etc.
The explanation I landed on was to say that fantasy was things that cannot happen. Science fiction, on the other hand, is things that cannot happen... yet! That all important word at the end leads to my first tip.
1) Science fiction needs to be believable.
You need to convince your middle grade reader that it could actually happen, perhaps to them! You do this by explaining anything that may seem magical or far fetched. This, in turn, leads onto the next tip...
2) A knowledge of science really helps!
When doing your research, make sure you understand the science behind your story. Yes, most science fiction stories include science that hasn't been discovered yet, such as how to travel between galaxies in a human lifetime. However, a good knowledge of the history of space travel will enable you to develop your own ideas on how this can be managed. Sticking with the space theme, you need to consider things like gravity and, if you are to visit distant planets, how the Earth manages to support life. You'll need a good understanding of all of this if your story is to pass through its editing stage! However...
3) Science fiction isn't all about space.
Many great science fiction stories take place on Earth and never even consider the stars. Journey to the Centre of the Earth, for example, goes in completely the opposite direction. The Lost World looks at the possibility of isolated places where undiscovered creatures still live. Personally, I think the trend in space stories in the science fiction genre is because we humans have explored the Earth too much. There aren't as many mysteries as there used to be. And a mystery is a great place to start your plan. If you'd like to set your book on Earth, consider the places which are still shrouded in mystery. The deep crevices of the ocean, perhaps?
4) Consider your characters.
Your characters' arcs need to follow a trajectory, same as any book. So, when planning your science fiction book, make sure you don't spend all your time on scientific research and neglect your characters. They are still of vital importance! Are all your characters used to the world in your book? If you include time travel, consider how this may impact on your characters' experience.
What genres work well with Science Fiction?
- Historical fiction has been done well, and is great for exploring time travel.
- Mystery, absolutely!
- Adventure - this works very well!
- Comedy
- Horror
What genres don't work with Science Fiction?
- Fantasy. Something can either happen, or it can't!
- Paranormal - I would be very careful about this one with scifi, although I'm not saying it's absolutely banned.
These lists are not exhaustive, but a rough guide.
Well, there's my thoughts for the week. Crowvus is publishing a Science Fiction anthology this month, not directed at middle grade, but if you like the genre, then please check out the Crowvus website. The book will be live by the 31st March.
What's New With Crowvus?
I now have a book cover for my upcoming novel, Doorway to the Sunset, a middle grade fantasy adventure! Showing here... drumroll please...!
I absolutely love this cover. It matches Book 1 perfectly, with the same font but different colours. And we have a new bird!!
Keep checking back here for updates. In the meantime, you can preorder the ebook on Amazon here.
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