Listen bub.
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Listen bub. I went to Drama School so I know that most people stay engaged with stories because of likable (or at least interesting) characters who need things from other characters.
You can't just expect people to read about the orbital mechanics of your imaginary planet unless it matters to someone who needs something.
That's the "story part"
I think for SF writers keeping these woven together can be hard.
But, there is one weird trick.
Three Act Structure Fans HATE it.
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Listen bub. I went to Drama School so I know that most people stay engaged with stories because of likable (or at least interesting) characters who need things from other characters.
You can't just expect people to read about the orbital mechanics of your imaginary planet unless it matters to someone who needs something.
That's the "story part"
I think for SF writers keeping these woven together can be hard.
But, there is one weird trick.
Three Act Structure Fans HATE it.
If you can understand why *YOU* care so much about your strange obscure mechanics, all these imaginary worlds that you love to create and understand and "make work"
You might be closer to understanding why they might also matter to the characters in your story and thus the reader.
I could be as simple as "Boy people would be surprised if THIS MESS happened" ... so don't forget to have someone there to be surprised. Shocked. Who has to deal with it all.
Then you are good to go!
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If you can understand why *YOU* care so much about your strange obscure mechanics, all these imaginary worlds that you love to create and understand and "make work"
You might be closer to understanding why they might also matter to the characters in your story and thus the reader.
I could be as simple as "Boy people would be surprised if THIS MESS happened" ... so don't forget to have someone there to be surprised. Shocked. Who has to deal with it all.
Then you are good to go!
@futurebird “Space marines genetically engineered to lack personality are dispatched to investigate abandoned mining colony find that they had uncovered indecipherable ruins left by an ancient alien race and were eaten by some average everyday Earth arthropods but bigger”
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