Ask SD Tracy Harper #51

Ask SD Tracy Harper #51
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Q:  SD, I’ve heard you can learn much from observing everyday life. Is this true?

A:  Good question if ever there was one. The answer is yes, absolutely, and naturally. Yes it is true you can learn much from what you see. You can absolutely gain ideas and experience to write compelling stories about what you observe. And, it should go without saying (but I  must say that it’s true, it’s true-Blazing Saddles movie joke) that seeing, experiencing, and engaging in what occurs naturally around, though, and by us give the realism that is needed in how the characters interact with one another and by themselves. I hope this helps. SD

Q:  SD, What is the more important when writing Science fiction, innovations or environment?

A: Actually neither is important. This is something that uses to have me confused as well. I thought Science Fiction (Sci-Fi) meant spaceships and funky armaments and exotic creatures, and non-existent gadgets, but it doesn’t. You can write a Sci-Fi story about ordinary people having an unrealistic adventure with only their fears and everyday items to help them survive. Actually they don’t even have to be very smart, but if each character has something to bring to the whole that will help them survive then you might have something exciting.
     In other words, take a gamer, a photographer, a tall female basketball player, and a guy who has saved up all his pennies to put together his first battery operated transportable Personal Computer (PC) and buy some memory chips that were on sale dirt cheap. He now can somehow connect into every video camera on the planet, but don’t know how to focus, is short and likes the girl next door who is extremely tall and a star on their high school basketball team, and his best friends has won several electronic, card, and board games championships. Now there are people out to get back the memory chips and insure none of them can stop their plans of world domination and reveal their secret. Sci-Fi? Hell Yeah!!! Oh, and before you say that the chips are an innovation think again. If you don’t like memory chips change it to an everyday, off the shelf, and ordinary Solid State Drive or what is commonly known as an SSD. I hope this helps. SD

Q:  SD, Why is it important to have a happy ending?”

A: I hate to burst your bubble, but it’s not. What it is and always has been is what is most accepted, best-selling, and hopefully expected. People wish to see, read, and hear of positive outcomes where good overcome evil. However, having the champion or the person you are rooting for obtaining this triumph through sacrificing themselves is appreciated, but not what brings in the big sales numbers. This isn’t saying that there has never been books where the ending isn’t all rainbows and fuzzy little bunnies who fart colorful butterflies. On the contrary, there are several books that are classics, but have changed its ending to bring in the big money. Take for instance (said more than once) the Little Mermaid and Little Red Riding Hood. They both may have little in their titles, but have very big sales and longevity. Happy endings may be overrated, but it still rates high when it comes to acceptability. I hope this helps. SD

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