How to Write a Science Fiction Story

What makes a good science fiction story? I love science fiction because it’s a beautiful way to hold up a mirror to the reader, dealing with futuristic concepts, ideas, speculations, space travel, time travel, and more. Especially now. Sometimes reality already seems to be like science fiction!

All these concepts can be used to touch upon a specific issue, whether that’s something in society, future developments, human nature, etc. Looking at this enumeration of sci-fi elements, it becomes ever more clear that sci-fi is considered the literature of ideas.

What do you like about science fiction? What are your favorite science fiction stories?

War of the Worlds, The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Asimov’s Foundation Series, 1984, Brave New World, Dune, Ready Player One, Black Mirror, Star Wars. These are some of my favorites, although people disagree on the latter being pure science fiction. People make distinctions between hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi.

Star Wars might even lean a bit towards fantasy. Which begs another question: what’s the difference between science fiction and fantasy?

Most of my short stories belong to either genre.

“Fiction about science” actually covers a lot because sci-fi stories deal with science and technology, often set in the future. The relationship with science – in any form – is important, it should be somewhat believable. As arbitrary as that sounds. It’s imperative that the ideas presented can be explained scientifically. If not, the story might be considered fantasy, where ideas are explained by the supernatural or magic.

Every genre has different needs, approaches, ideas, and tropes. So what mix can help you write a good science fiction story?

Sci-fi story tropes
A trope describes certain common recurring language, tactics, images, motives, or even clichés of a particular genre.

Finding out what tropes are common for the genre you like to write in can be very handy. It helps you form a story readers recognize and love. However, I would urge you to be careful and provide your own unique take on them and avoid a string of clichés.

The following are typical examples of science fiction tropes:

Space exploration (hello Star Trek and Star Wars)

Advanced tech shows a glimpse of a future (Black Mirror, Minority Report)

The fate of the world is in the balance (The Day After Tomorrow)

Aliens invade Earth (Men in Black, Mars Attacks)

Evil empires battle it out in the galaxy (Dune, Star Wars)

I could go on and on and I bet you know a couple more too.

These tropes can be found in dozens of sci-fi stories. It is your job to come up with some inventive new tale. A different take on what’s already written. Or you can combine tropes to create something new and inventive.
In order to write your science fiction story, it makes sense to study the genre. Take in some sci-fi tropes and create ‘what would happen if’ scenarios.

Root your story in history and science, but let your imagination lead with new ideas to present to your readers. Invite them to think about their place in the world and the direction we’re heading together.