Sci-fi Writers Guild Forum

Hi All,

I have just been accepted to the guild.

I am currently working on a hard sci-fi piece (not sure how long it will be currently) but my basic limitations are as follows: -

1) It will be hard sci-fi, space opera.
2) It will involve sub-light-speed travel with travel durations in the decades.
3) It will involve realistic time dilation.
4) It must use achievable technology.

With regard to the last item I am settling upon sun-powered lasers accelerating/ decelerating sail craft. I am also allowing for a reasonable increase in human lifespans. Oh, and induced hibernation.

I am currently working my plot around these criteria but effectively it will involve Tau Ceti and Epsilon Indi and two discovered intelligent races. I will be heavily relying upon convergent evolution to allow them to be humanoid and have human-ish responses (just to make it easier to write with out constant references to the 'right hand third flange canopy appendage rising to denote embarrassment')

Effectively travel times will be circa 25 years planet time and 15 years ship time to either system. Both systems will be older and more advanced than earth. One will prove to be aggressive and the other will provide assistance. My plot is more involved than that, but still a work in progress. I intend it to be character driven rather than a thesis on future technology.

Let me know if you have any thoughts on the above, otherwise no doubt I will have a variety of questions and extracts as they arise.

Cheers

Chinspinner