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In reply to the discussion: UFOs explained [View all]

PoindexterOglethorpe

(25,746 posts)
90. I've been pondering this novel for several years.
Sun Jun 19, 2022, 10:08 PM
Jun 2022

I do write science fiction, I've had a handful of stories published, even recently edited an anthology. Alas, I do not seem to have what it takes to write an entire novel. Several years back I attended the Taos Toolbox, a truly wonderful workshop run by the fabulous Walter Jon Williams, co-taught by Nancy Kress. The portions of the novel I was then working on had every single attendee, plus Walter and Nancy say, "This is not a novel. Maybe a novella, but not a novel." Alas, I don't seem to be adept at putting in the complexity that a novel needs to be a novel.

I'm at my best at flash fiction length. I think my longest published story is 3,000 words. Mostly I'm 500 words or less. Sadly, the market for flash fiction is limited.

As for the science in my dinosaur novel, meaning the time travel thing, it can be finessed. I can have a narrator that only knows time travel has been invented. But there are so many moving parts, that I get lost.

Plus, I think about a lot of world-building kinds of things, such as: what kind of pets would they have had? We humans mostly have cats or dogs (I'll simply ignore all the other kinds of pets for this discussion) which are four-legged furry mammals, and among the things we love about them is that four-legged furriness. So if you're a kind of lizard, what sort of pet would you have?

Also, did they have professional sports? That's a huge part of our culture, even if you personally don't give a flying fuck about any sport. How about schooling for the young? It goes on and on, and I get stuck sometimes thinking about these things.

Oh, and here's something else. In our present, all humans are the same species but we have a number of vastly different cultures, not to mention different languages, food, religions. It's easier to present my dinosaurs as all being the same culture and language, but . . . . It's part of the problem of s-f presenting alien species, or even as is part of this thread, aliens who might be visiting this planet. On this planet we have more than one culture, more than one language. Why assume it would be any different with aliens?

I am an avid reader of science fiction. I love time travel stories, even though time travel is probably impossible. I love stories in which humans have populated the galaxy with faster than light travel, even though that's probably impossible. I make a strong distinction between fiction and reality.

Thank you for your kind words.

UFOs explained [View all] Cyrano Jun 2022 OP
I know, right? dchill Jun 2022 #1
They're ensuring that we 'stay in our lane' EYESORE 9001 Jun 2022 #2
You are talking about the movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still. fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #3
That was just a movie. I'm talking reality here. Cyrano Jun 2022 #7
Have you talked to an alien? fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #8
Lol! nt ecstatic Jun 2022 #94
Exactly what I was going to say. TeamProg Jun 2022 #43
Ah yes. The Day The Earth Stood Still AndyS Jun 2022 #4
This message was self-deleted by its author fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #5
Watch it. You're about to throw the Rethugs into another pandemic tizzy. KY_EnviroGuy Jun 2022 #6
You're on the right track. brush Jun 2022 #60
We need Klaatu and Gort down here to mete out some well-deserved justice. sop Jun 2022 #9
The plot of Plan 9 From Outer Space. Binkie The Clown Jun 2022 #10
Seems dangerous to assume that all other intelligent life is benign in their bearing toward us. milestogo Jun 2022 #11
The biggest danger to us is us Cyrano Jun 2022 #12
Perhaps they're just in the mood for some take-out? Buns_of_Fire Jun 2022 #20
You owe me a keyboard! KS Toronado Jun 2022 #28
....and I gasped in horror... ewagner Jun 2022 #39
Milestogo only said "Seems dangerous to assume that all other intelligent life is benign in their TeamProg Jun 2022 #47
There could be something of value to them on this planet. Irish_Dem Jun 2022 #56
It's unlikely krispos42 Jun 2022 #92
We might have something idiosyncratic to this planet. Irish_Dem Jun 2022 #112
We do have a plethora of morons Cyrano Jun 2022 #113
Yes. Much of the universe is civilized and they are astounded by primitive, ignorant Irish_Dem Jun 2022 #114
Exactly. krispos42 Jun 2022 #95
Won't matter if we do or don't. They will be advanced enough to either leave us alone, Ferrets are Cool Jun 2022 #29
+1 TeamProg Jun 2022 #48
I've never understood grumpyduck Jun 2022 #13
People who believe aliens are visiting earth, do not believe in physics. fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #14
+1000 USALiberal Jun 2022 #17
Which begs the question. Is the physics in OUR galaxy the same as in another? Ferrets are Cool Jun 2022 #30
Yes edhopper Jun 2022 #46
But not in a parallel universe Polybius Jun 2022 #100
What parallel Universe? edhopper Jun 2022 #101
I mean if they exist Polybius Jun 2022 #102
Not really edhopper Jun 2022 #103
Well they better Polybius Jun 2022 #104
Really? edhopper Jun 2022 #110
Oh, dear lord yes. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #85
I recall seeing something about evidence of wormholes ecstatic Jun 2022 #97
Wormholes don't matter. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #105
I'm a Sci-Fi fan and I find the topic really interesting ecstatic Jun 2022 #107
For what it's worth PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #108
One of the things I learned as a Physics major is... discntnt_irny_srcsm Jun 2022 #111
Hmm, then why would Stephen Hawking suggest that it might no be such a great idea for TeamProg Jun 2022 #52
Photons do not experience time according to physics. Swede Jun 2022 #58
But they will believe just about anything else wnylib Jun 2022 #99
Our solar system is about 4 1/2 billion years old Cyrano Jun 2022 #15
You assume edhopper Jun 2022 #25
+1 TeamProg Jun 2022 #49
See post 57. brush Jun 2022 #76
The earliest stars (population III stars) were comprised of hydrogen and helium only. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #106
"shortage of popcorn." KS Toronado Jun 2022 #31
Funny you should mention that. louis-t Jun 2022 #36
Too bad you're not in D.C. Higherarky Jun 2022 #65
There are lots of turkeys at the U.S. Open. louis-t Jun 2022 #115
Lounge! USALiberal Jun 2022 #16
Creative Speculation - nt Ohio Joe Jun 2022 #82
If they are out there and are quarantining us, that's a smart move on their part. roamer65 Jun 2022 #18
They're just fencing us in lunatica Jun 2022 #19
The best (unnamed) authority, eh? cloudbase Jun 2022 #21
And you know this how? PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #22
Traveling years through outer space is not like traveling down a country road on a sunny day. fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #38
Google Einstein/Rosen bridge. Cyrano Jun 2022 #50
Theorized edhopper Jun 2022 #51
Oh, I forgot all about wormholes. fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #59
Not only are wormholes theoretical, going into one will almost certainly kill you. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #69
99% of Astrophysics is Theoretical. ruet Jun 2022 #116
Exactly. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #68
+1000 USALiberal Jun 2022 #83
I believe it was Carl Sagan who noted... William Seger Jun 2022 #42
I believe you, but there is us and who imagined that? Joinfortmill Jun 2022 #45
Interesting. Seems this post's scope is about our galaxy. brush Jun 2022 #57
Actually, it is well away from the center of a galaxy that PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #70
There are millions of galaxies. brush Jun 2022 #72
True. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #79
You're making my case for me. In my post I mentioned... brush Jun 2022 #81
Right. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #84
Thanks for this info. I've always been fascinated by astronomy and space. brush Jun 2022 #86
Good for you. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #87
Whoa, what an imagination you have. "Jurrasic Park" meets... brush Jun 2022 #88
I've been pondering this novel for several years. PoindexterOglethorpe Jun 2022 #90
It's hard, I know. I was once a member of a writers' workshop... brush Jun 2022 #98
I like the way your mind works, brush Cyrano Jun 2022 #71
Thank you, and likewise. brush Jun 2022 #74
We simply don't know edhopper Jun 2022 #89
Exactly. Those who say there's only one planet with technologically, developed life... brush Jun 2022 #93
That is ludicrous. Ptah Jun 2022 #23
If we get out of line edhopper Jun 2022 #24
I like your take. I would add that some of us stand against... brush Jun 2022 #26
Marsh Gas! Lil Liberal Laura Jun 2022 #27
Welcome to DU Laura! KS Toronado Jun 2022 #37
KS.....Kansas? Lil Liberal Laura Jun 2022 #73
Look forward to seeing one on the road every time I go out. KS Toronado Jun 2022 #75
Hope you enjoy DU. Sly skepticism is always welcome here. brush Jun 2022 #78
One could argue that BlueSky3 Jun 2022 #32
I prefer the explanation in the "Cancelled" episode of South Park. Towlie Jun 2022 #33
If they managed to get here... rubbersole Jun 2022 #34
I imagine aliens will treat us the same way we treat ants Ferrets are Cool Jun 2022 #35
Makes a lot of sense. Lol Joinfortmill Jun 2022 #40
Who is this "best authority." KS Toronado Jun 2022 #41
There is a joke here edhopper Jun 2022 #44
Reminds me of when my older bother teased me that family with a traveling show had left me behind. alphafemale Jun 2022 #53
Yes, Earth is cordoned off with yellow crime scene barricade tape. Irish_Dem Jun 2022 #54
If the were kind and compassionate beings they would have euthanized us a long time ago Buckeyeblue Jun 2022 #55
I bet you are big Star Trek fan. fightforfreedom Jun 2022 #61
UFO's, a humanistic 'god', Bigfoot, Nellie, a sane TFG'er... Tommymac Jun 2022 #62
How dare they try to dictate to us Earthians! DavidDvorkin Jun 2022 #63
Speaking of UAP Edim Jun 2022 #64
Sounds like the plot of Higherarky Jun 2022 #66
IF there is Galactic Civilization out there observing us from time to time... electric_blue68 Jun 2022 #67
And here I thought the aliens keep showing up Xavier Breath Jun 2022 #77
This seems to be an appropriate contribution to the discussion: werdna Jun 2022 #80
This message was self-deleted by its author Chin music Jun 2022 #109
Lol. That would be a cool movie. nt ecstatic Jun 2022 #91
NSS niyad Jun 2022 #96
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