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Monday, January 20, 2014

Writing Ideas - Writing Science Fiction, part 173 Extrapolating Military Technology, mixed Ground Effect Vehicles

20 January 2014, Writing Ideas - Writing Science Fiction, part 173 Extrapolating Military Technology, mixed Ground Effect Vehicles

Announcement: My novels Sister of Light and Sister of Darkness are about to be published. I write this blog about 2 months prior to its publication. I just heard that the proofs will be here soon--likely before the end of the week. My publisher also wants to put the entire set of novels based on Aegypt on contract--that's 5 more novels for 8 total. They also want to put my other novels on contract. The release schedule should be one novel every 2 months. I'll keep you updated.

Introduction: I wrote the novel Aksinya: Enchantment and the Daemon. This was my 21st novel and through this blog, I gave you the entire novel in installments that included commentary on the writing. In the commentary, in addition to other general information on writing, I explained, how the novel was constructed, the metaphors and symbols in it, the writing techniques and tricks I used, and the way I built the scenes. You can look back through this blog and read the entire novel beginning with http://www.pilotlion.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-novel-part-3-girl-and-demon.html.

I'm using this novel as an example of how I produce, market, and eventually (we hope) get a novel published. I'll keep you informed along the way.
Today's Blog: To see the steps in the publication process, visit my writing website http://www.ldalford.com/ and select "production schedule," you will be sent to http://www.sisteroflight.com/.

The four plus one basic rules I employ when writing:

1. Don't confuse your readers.
2. Entertain your readers.
3. Ground your readers in the writing.
4. Don't show (or tell) everything.
5. Immerse yourself in the world of your writing.

I am writing about the extrapolation of science and technology to be able to write science fiction.  I made the point that it is almost meaningless to try to fully extrapolate a universe (world) that is 10,000 years in the future (and maybe 1,000 years in the future) without applying some cultural and technological shaping.

By shaping the cultures of your science fiction universe, you can shape the science and technology that is extrapolated.  Here is how I culturally shaped the universe of The Chronicles of the Dragon and the Fox to make the 10,000 year extrapolation work.

The major areas in warfare technology are:
1.  Software
2.  Weapons
     Heavy Weapons
3.  Countermeasures
4.  Defense
5.  Communications
6.  Robots
7.  Vehicles
8.  Environments (personal equipment)
9.  Costs 

I thought of a great extrapolation for ground effect vehicles (GEVs).  One of the positive characteristics of GEVs is fuel efficiency.  They gain much greater lift compared to drag in ground effect.  This results in considerable fuel savings.  Couple that with low detectability, speed, and high potential weights and you have a very strong combination of features.  Something that would not be hard to add to GEVs is burst capability.  Burst capability could be speed and altitude based.  In other words, the GEV could be normally a GEV, but act like a regular aircraft when fuel savings wasn't important. 

Here's how a mission might work.  A fighter type GEV formation would infiltrate an area at 400 knots and acquire the targeted facility.  At 10 NM out, the GEV formation would climb to a regular weapon delivery altitude and drop guided bombs on the facility.  The enemy launches fighters against the GEVs and the GEVs go into supersonic mode to attack the fighters.  When the GEVs return to base (RTB) they again us GEV mode to save fuel and to exfiltrate.  How's that for a battle scenario.  The GEV is a very possible flying vehicle until the advent of anti-gravity.   

More tomorrow.

Also remember, I'm trying to show you and give you examples of how to write a science fiction theme statement and turn it into a plot.

For more information, you can visit my author site http://www.ldalford.com/, and my individual novel websites:
http://www.aegyptnovel.com/
http://www.centurionnovel.com
http://www.thesecondmission.com/
http://www.theendofhonor.com/
http://www.thefoxshonor.com
http://www.aseasonofhonor.com

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