Bend the rules: 5 tips for writing a science fiction novella with a strong plot

Science fiction is a genre that allows for a lot of creativity and imagination. And every writing tutorial will tell you the same things. We all know what makes a good story. But what would happen if you bent the rules a little? As a genre, science fiction is great for rule-breaking with reality, and I think that your storytelling technique can follow the same principle.

Writing a good science fiction novella is challenging especially if you decide to do original world building. Most writers will rely on existing cultural artefacts to help tell the story. But in my writing, I wanted to build a completely different timeline of historical events and fit the story within it.

The science fiction novella I will use as an example is my third novel. The title is How to be rich by Hurricane Nisto and it takes place thirteen years before the events of my (unpublished) second novel, Maitheland, and ten years before the first, The Quarter Percent. Most things you’re familiar with have a different name, and unlike my first novel, there is no explanation for anything. So, how did I write this science fiction novella with a strong plot while bending the rules?

The plot is strong. Trust me.

1. Started with a strong premise? In my novella, the central conflict of the story is subtle. It is not obvious even to the protagonist, Hurricane. She feels some friction in her daily life, and faces interpersonal conflict over the course of the story. Mostly, she is waiting for the clock to wind down until she can get off Skartøya. Of course, conventional wisdom says you should make your premise clear and intriguing, but your characters can overcome hurdles in the story without being self aware.
2. Developed well-rounded characters? For Hurricane, people in the world are cardboard cutouts that fit into her ideal vision of romance. She isn’t romantically interested in women (and has no women friends). And men are either talking heads (bosses or colleagues) or potential partners. She is toxic, and this is why we have a story. Having been exiled to a remote island in Antarctica, she has a chance to reflect on the incidents that make up her life story. She is reflective not because she’s sorry, but because she is bored. To make her believable and relatable, I made sure that her epiphanies were ironic and incidental. Six weeks were not nearly enough time for Hurricane to really “get it” about herself.
3. Created a believable world? Even though the story took place on an alternate timeline, the world was consistent with the rules of science fiction that I established in my first novel, The Quarter Percent. Events in the story unfold in Hurricane’s memory and the island, Skartøya, feels real and lived-in because of all the mundane tasks she has to complete every day.
4. Kept the pace moving? For a novella, the usual advice is to make sure that the plot doesn’t drag. But think about the location for the story. Living on a small, remote island with three other humans is a drag, and the reason this happened was relevant to Hurricane’s development as a character. To keep the action moving forward, I focused the twists and turns on her adjustment to her living space, with some unexpected challenges. Your story doesn’t need to be blockbuster Hollywood fare in order for readers to dig it.
5. Ended with a satisfying conclusion? The ending of the story ties up most of the loose ends, but leaves room for the imagination to continue. Hurricane has had six weeks to adjust and is finally ready to settle into her new job as the Antarctic autumn approaches. Is she a mature adult yet? Not at all. And what’s the rush? Ultimately, this is a progressive reflection on a life that needs purpose.

Outtakes

Most of my “science fiction” reading comes from academic journals in science and medicine. This means that I am more inclined to ground the science in theory. It was challenging to write a story that develops at a slower pace. But I really wanted readers to understand why Hurricane’s boredom as an office worker motivated her to move differently in the world. Having said this, writing realistic science fiction is tough. I think that it would have been easier to write a weird tentacle fiesta, but I’m sure that’s been done.

In other words, I tried a few things and bent the rules somewhat. After experimenting with different plot structures, character types, and worldbuilding elements, I organised the novel into different sections, with a different issue resolved at the end of each one.

Getting feedback from readers while I was still writing and editing was a fun part of the process. Quite a few writers disagreed with me, saying that it was not a good idea to put an unpolished fiction work out there in the wild. Even feedback from people who didn’t manage to get past the first section was helpful. Some readers will put down a book even if you put the best bits at the beginning. But what these readers found in the first stages stayed in their memory. This I took to mean that I wrote something they could really understand.

Good luck out there. I hope these tips help you write a science fiction novella with a strong plot.