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I'm trying to write a science fiction novel, but making the 'aliens' is proving to be the hardest part. I try to start off thinking as far away as humans as possible; but it just won't be written. I guess I'm much too human for my own good. ^_^ Can anyone help me?
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Before I (or anyone else) try to answer that question, I think it's important for us to know why you want aliens in your story.
If they are just there for set decoration, so to speak, you would take a different approach to creating them than you would if they are important parts of the story.
So, why do you want aliens? What purpose do they serve in your story?
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Also, OSC wrote a book about creation alien worlds (I think it was OSC) that might be helpful.
You might also consider their world, as that definately affects not only how they look, but how they communicate, their culture, etc. Perhaps you should also consider what purpose they serve in this book-- ie, are they set decoration like Kathleen said, or a cultural contrast (if so, build around why that would have come to be), etc. Also, are there "universal truths"? Not everything has to be different than human... this relates to both culture and appearance.
Good luck!
[This message has been edited by SiliGurl (edited May 15, 2001).]
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Ben Bova wrote one called Aliens and Alien Societies, and one called World Building. They are very high tech. They helped me and also Cards How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy.
Guess it still boils down to what Kathleen said--think Star Wars---are you thinking just background like the aliens in the cantina? Or do you want them to be like Chewy and have an important part in your story?
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Creating aliens is tough. When I tried the first time, I wanted them to be really unlike humans. But that meant I coulnd't write about them, because I am a human - contrary to popular belief. So I took a different route. I used a humanoid species of alien; that way they're quite easy to write about, alien enough that I can insult the human race without really pissing anyone off. Since the aliens were vital, their similarity to humans made the story writable too. Ben Bova's book, though, is excellent. I think I might be able to return to the original alien idea thanks to that. Read it, then put his advice into practice (I also recommend that you read the books he recommends, simply because they're good books!) JK
Posts: 503 | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
I think the aliens will play an important role in the story; the basis being that they are oppressed by humans and treated as slaves, but since the Earth's energy resources have been used up, they are needed to create energy for humans to survive. I know there are too many gaps, but I've been too busy to fix it properly. There will also be some background aliens, humans having met other sentient races, but I don't need to go in depth with them.
Posts: 2 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
Making your aliens somewhat human offers better chances that your reader will identify with them. Make them to strange and no one will care about them.
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In my opinion, the best way to go about it is to decide the one major physical difference between the alien race and the human race and build outward from there. It's also easy to work with basic stereotypes beyond that to make them fit their situation. For instance, if they are slaves to humans, they're probably less intelligent (big eyes on small head). They're also probably more often prey than predator, meaning they'll have eyes on the side of their head like herbivores, instead of both eyes in the front, like predators.
And, of course, if we can rule them, they're most likely small and scared, or big and slow.
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In my experience, there are three types of aliens:
"Serious" aliens - These are lifeforms (including artificial "life" forms) that may be explored completely by their creator or any other writer. Their biology, ecology, and society all make perfect sense to anyone who reads the story. These can stand up to true scientific scrutiny. OSC's Piggies and 2001's HAL 9000 are examples.
Allegorical aliens - These are aliens (mutants, robots, other supernatural creatures) that stand for something. They need not have plausible biology or society. Consider the Jedi Knights and their midichlorions(sp?) or the invading aliens from Independence Day. Many aspects of these creatures cannot stand up to scrutiny, but by they represent something serious in their stories.
Ridiculous aliens - These creatures go a step beyond alegory, usually to provide comic relief. Consider the aliens from Men in Black, "General" Jar-Jar Binks, or any character from The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy under this category.
Ridiculous aliens need no plausibility. Allegorical aliens require the writer to fabricate a background. Only the serious aliens require painstaking research combined with creativity.
I have a great tip for creating serious biological aliens. Drop by your local Natural History Museum. Carefully examine the exhibits that deal with human evolution. Also pay close attention to exhibits dedicated to various extinct species. Think about the cause and effect involved in the evolution of humans and the extinction of dinosaurs.
Your creative juices will flow like Margaritas from my blender!
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I have a TOTALLY original idea for an alien! He's green, with kind of an upside down tearshaped head, black eyes, and his fingers have suction cups on the ends. his head is WAAY too big for his body and he talks in a kind of high, monotonous voice.
Posts: 426 | Registered: Jan 2001
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OSC's Science Fiction and Fantasy book (mentioned above) is *very* good.... For real, in-depth aliens, you need to think about how they evolved that way, or how they were created. You need to think about culture, and language, too, but the evolution part just really sticks in my head cuz he has an AWESOME section on that...
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Incidentally, I think of OSC's character Jane (from the Ender universe) as an allegorical alien. From a fiction point of view, Jane serves multiple purposes in the stories and she has a wonderful personality all her own. But from a science point of view, the story of her origin, her motivations, and the very nature of her being are all fabrications. She might as well be a magical creature.
Another example of a carefully designed alien race is Niven/Pournell's Moties. Their biology, society, and technology are carefully planned and can stand up to great scrutiny.
[This message has been edited by Doc Brown (edited June 05, 2001).]
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I dunno, Doc. The problem with Jane is not really a scientific one. Since she is linked to the beginning of the universe, we can't actually know whether or not philotes exist, or wether auias (SP?) exist either. And since we don't really know whether it's possible for our serious aliens to exist, I think it's safe to class Jane as serious. Got nothing else to add to this one. JK
Posts: 503 | Registered: Sep 2000
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posted
JK, I think the details of Jane's nature, as reported by you, fit my description of "fabrications." There is nothing wrong with fabrications; they are simply impossible to verify scientifically. Jane's link to the origin of the Ender universe is not unlike The Force's link to the nature of the Star Wars universe.
Serious "aliens" have DNA, electronic neural networks, or other elements known to our science. They have an origin in evolution, genetic engineering, mechanical fabrication, or other means that we know. They bring with them all the limitation of these scientific principles.
Some stories will only work with serious aliens. Other stories will only work with Jane or Yoda or Superman.
-Protector, by Larry Niven. The "Pak" are, in fact, our ancestors. This book is the epitome of how to turn evolution on its head. (Also, my personal favorite book -- ever).
-Ringworld and sequels, Larry Niven. The Puppeteers are very divergent from humanity -- but their background (sapient herbivores) makes their personalities seem plausible. The Kzinti are a stereotype -- big cats -- but Speaker-to-Animals gives us a great taste of what makes them different.
-The Mote in God's Eye, Niven and Pournelle. The Moties are unusual in that they're asymmetrical. That alone isn't why Mote is such an astounding novel. It's the millions of years of evolution that never gets on the page, but Niven and Pournelle worked out, that makes the Moties the most believable aliens ever. See Niven's essay on "Building the Mote in God's Eye" in his book N-Space (I think).
[This message has been edited by chad_parish (edited June 18, 2001).]
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I have created quite a few aliens and some of them have turned out well. I think that good aliens have to be introduced well and then developed without directly telling the reader about them. Let little clues drop as the story developes. I agree that the puppeteers are a great example of this.
Posts: 15 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
Whilst creating aliens, one needs to think of the neccesitiy. I know this must have been said in a few different ways, but its true. Why are they important to your story? Why could the aliens not just be humans? What about the aliens do the humans NEED to make them slaves? Why are they slaves? Why not just hire them? Is there some history to them, were they SOLD into slavery? It all makes up for the reason the aliens are in the story to begin with.
If something doesnt need to be there, it shouldnt be there. Your story sounds interesting, and I really want to get to writing something myself soon, and I assume I will be faced with a similar dilemma.
So think of a few things before or during the "alien creation" process:
What actions must they do vital to the story? What sort of evolution or home world would make them have such traits vital to humans? Why can humans so easily enslave an entire race after hundreds of years of civil rights activits etc.? We need to be sure whose side we are on. If you want us to love the humans and try and keep the aliens down, use that, if you want to have the audience like the aliens and sympathize (sp?) for them, make sure you get that across.
Just work out why and what etc...write the story and let the race evolve out of the story to fit the needs OF the story. The story is what matters, who is in it comes later.
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