Building a Book Plot with One Idea: A Guide for STEM Professionals
If you’re stepping into the realm of fiction writing with a background in STEM, transforming an idea into a book might seem like venturing into uncharted territory. Whether your inspiration springs from a breakthrough in your field, a desire to make your niche more accessible, or simply the urge to explore the bounds of your imagination, the path from a concept to a full-length manuscript is a thrilling adventure waiting to unfold.
This guide is for individuals who possess a seemingly small idea and are eager to transform it into a compelling book. To provide practical insight, I will share examples from the process of writing my first book at each step.
Explore and Expand Your Idea
The genesis of any writing endeavor is the idea itself—a spark that ignites the creative process. For those immersed in the sciences, this spark often stems from your area of expertise or the latest advancements that captivate your imagination. Once you’ve identified your core idea—your premise—try to pinpoint the essence of your story. Every writer has a different intention when they start a book. What’s the driving force behind yours? Are you aiming to highlight a political issue, share a personal observation, explore a character unlike yourself, enlighten readers about your specialty, or simply entertain? What do you want the reader to experience as they read the last page of the book? Understanding your objectives from the outset not only aids in fleshing out your idea but also shapes your narrative’s direction.
Growing up as a misfit, I was drawn to write about someone on a quest for a perfect world—a world where they truly belong. But what defines a perfect world? Can a world perfect for one person be just as perfect for another? This curiosity spurred me to delve into the concept of ‘personal’ utopia, or an idyllic place, leading to the creation of Unearthing Idyll. To develop and expand ideas, I often turn to Mind Mapping. At times, the simplicity of a whiteboard suffices too. This approach helps us align closely with the core purpose of our project.
Choose Your Genre and Theme
The landscape of literary genres and sub-genres is astonishing. Did you know there are books shelved under cozy mysteries and Cli-fi (climate Sci-fi)? Your genre should resonate with your idea. For STEM professionals, hard science fiction might seem like a natural fit, allowing you to weave complex scientific concepts into the fabric of your story, but don’t be afraid to venture into other genres. Whether it’s a horror novel about a scientist’s dangerous invention or a romance about their quest for love, select a genre that complements your interest and goals.
The premise for my first book came to me as a down-to-earth observation. A contemporary novel that takes place in Mumbai. But I wanted to write a futuristic science fiction, so I modified the story accordingly. The train station became a spaceport. A mountain safe house became an aerial flying house. A utopian suburb became a hollowed out asteroid colony. Mumbai turned into a fictional dystopic metropolitan.
Themes, on the other hand, reflect the underlying message or moral of your story. While Jurassic Park was a sci-fi piece about dinosaurs, its theme was Man vs. Nature. It’ll be helpful to ask yourself those same questions. What’s this book about? It’s very much like cooking a dish and thinking what you want it to taste like.
Create your Protagonist
At the heart of any great story lies a well-crafted protagonist. Who is the hero of your story? What do they desire? What challenges block their path? Dig deeper into the protagonist’s background, motivations, and flaws to ensure they are relatable and multidimensional. These characteristics should influence their decisions, propel the story forward, and facilitate personal growth throughout the book. Additionally, the protagonist’s interactions with other characters can unveil more of their personality and spur plot developments. Although, detailing other characters can come at a later stage in the process. Establishing a detailed protagonist early on, however, is crucial, as it lays the groundwork for a compelling and engaging narrative.
The conception of my protagonist was partly developed in the premise itself—the archetype of the misfit. However, narratives about characters struggling in flawed societies are widespread. Thus, I found it intriguing to invert this trope: what if my character feels out of place not in a dystopia, but in a world that is nearly utopian? The quest to find a sense of belonging, or an idyll, within an ostensibly perfect society introduced a compelling conflict and deepened the story’s theme. Here is a great guide to develop your character.
Design Your Setting
This involves simply deciding where your story takes place. It’s a key step that shapes your novel’s backdrop. The genre typically guides this decision—fantasy and science fiction stories often unfold in imaginative worlds, while contemporary narratives are set in environments mirroring our own reality. Employ a world-building chart to meticulously plan and organize the details of your setting, ensuring consistency and depth that enrich your story’s atmosphere.
Since my book is set in a futuristic sci-fi world 100 years from now, I crafted the settings of both Earth and the asteroid colony to reflect this timeline. The utopian asteroid embodies a system of prosperity for all its inhabitants. In stark contrast, Earth is depicted as a dystopia, characterized by advanced technology, pervasive surveillance, and an authoritarian government. The detailed construction of these two contrasting worlds not only set the stage for my narrative but also formed the thematic backbone of my book.
Craft Your Outline
There are two kinds of writers—ones who prefer detailed plotting (Plotter) and ones who write with the flow (Pantser). Although, I’ve discovered my writing style falls in the middle (Plantser), where I outline the book’s major elements and direction but leave room for creativity and unexpected developments. This approach helps prevent writer’s block and keeps the prose fluid.
If you are actively looking to build a book plot before writing your first draft, start by condensing everything you know about your story so far into bullet points. Identify the conflict in your premise. Then arrange all of it into a storyline. It should have a satisfying arc. By the time I was prepared to write my book, I had amassed pages of notes brimming with scenes, dialogues, character descriptions, and ideas for settings. I organized this material into a structure that resembles the classic three-act model: the beginning, the middle, and the end.
Outlining is very much like conducting an experiment—it requires planning, foresight, structure, and a bit of flexibility. You can also try different structuring methods—like the snowflake, bookend, or skeletal—but don’t hesitate to customize.
Conduct Your Research
Though it may seem ironic for a writer to teach scientists about research, fiction writing extends far beyond the confines of your expertise. Whether you’re crafting a science fiction universe set centuries ahead or exploring historical fiction, thorough research underpins the authenticity of your world. It’s not just about the technicalities; understanding the societal norms, technology, and day-to-day life of your setting can provide important story elements and depth.
Engage in targeted research to avoid falling into time-consuming rabbit holes, focusing on information that enhances your plot, characters, or setting. Utilize an organized system to keep track of your findings, such as a digital document with links and citations. This approach ensures your story resonates with realism and credibility, regardless of the genre. When starting, look up the big elements and leave the itty-bitty details for later.
Once I established the asteroid as an orbiting colony, I delved into the specifics of how its inhabitants would obtain oxygen, gravity, water, and food, creating a comprehensive ecosystem. This independent utopian world also necessitated its own currency, time zone, culture, society, and norms, which I developed by studying various flourishing civilizations. Sometimes, it’s during the research process that you discover crucial hooks for your story. For instance, during my research, I discovered the asteroid’s unique chemical composition, revealing why my Earth-bound antagonist must deceive my asteroid-native protagonist: only with her ID, crafted from the asteroid’s exclusive metals, could he access what he sought.
Do the Homework
Engaging with works of other people fuels your creativity. The best thing about being a writer is our homework: watching films, listening to music, absorbing art, and most significantly, reading more books. If your aim is to publish your story someday, it is important to learn which ideas have worked and which haven’t and why. It’s vital you understand how a book plot is structured. And for that, going through the work of other writers is extremely fundamental.
Have Fun!
Finally, the act of writing itself. Translating your meticulously planned outline into prose presents its own set of challenges, but it’s also where the magic happens. You’ll be amazed at where your little idea will lead you. With a plot, main character, and setting in place, the task ahead will seem less daunting, even if not all elements are fully defined yet. Approach the process one sentence, one paragraph, and then one page at a time. Start with an inciting incident.
Writing is not just a means to an end but a journey to be savored. Embrace the challenges and celebrate the milestones along the way. Whether you’re crafting intricate scientific theories into your narrative or exploring the depths of your characters’ emotions, the act of writing allows you to express, explore, and experience worlds beyond your own. It even allows you to live vicariously through your characters. For instance, having always aspired to be a chef, I channeled this ambition into making my protagonist a chef!
Keep the joy of storytelling at the heart of your endeavor and let your passion for your subject matter shine through. The path from idea to book is a unique adventure, especially for those with a STEM background. It’s an opportunity to blend the rigor of scientific inquiry with the boundless possibilities of fiction. With each step, you’re not just creating a narrative; you’re inviting readers into a world shaped by your insights, imagination, and experiences. So, dive into the process with enthusiasm and curiosity, and let the journey transform not just your idea, but you as a writer.
Author-
Dhara Parekh, a business professional with an unwavering passion for science and astronomy, found her true calling as a science fiction author. She melds her diverse experiences from living like a nomad into writing novels. When her fingers aren’t prancing on the keyboard, she’s either learning about the next fresh interest she has stumbled upon or reading fiction in a painful position, or finding hacks to understand humans. An alien on the pale blue dot converting her bizarre thoughts into Times New Roman.
