In an article for Writer’s Digest, A.G. Riddle shares tips for finding a great premise for your science fiction novel. “Ideas are what motivate a lot of sci-fi writers,” he says. “Here are three techniques that I use to find story ideas.”
- Popular Science Magazines. Borrow or subscribe to science-based magazines. If you want to identify a potential market, identify the articles that are most popular each month or year. Those are the topics readers are most interested in, Riddle says. From there, consider your own interests. Which topics intrigue you or prompt a story idea?
- The Future. Riddle suggests imagining the world 20 years from now. What will it look like? What new innovations will happen? How will society change? Next, imagine how your family or social circle would be affected by these changes. How would life be different? What would suck? What conflicts are created by this new world?
- Fear. Riddle suggests imagining your greatest fear, something that would change your life forever. This fear might be losing your family or friends, losing your health or freedom, or some other dramatic event that would change your way of life and living. These fears might be difficult to put into words, but doing so will help you create high stakes for a future character.
