So here I am. I finally have the time and the opportunity to write some fiction. My whiteboard is nearly full of one-liners and bullet points, and now it’s just time to pick one and finish the first draft.
And so, of course, I don’t want to make a choice. I don’t want to commit to one because WHAT IF IT’S TERRIBLE AND ALL OF THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME screams my stupid idiot brain.
But I will. Maybe it’ll be the zombie thing that’s been around for a long time, even though I’m super done with zombies, because the zombies aren’t what the story is about. Or maybe it’ll be the thing that’s kind of a Twilight Zone thing. Or the thing that I started in January, stalled out on, and lost interest in finishing because of reasons.
Yeah, it’ll probably be that one because there’s a lot of work in it already, and even though I don’t like where it is, I can get it to where it needs to be. That’s the key and the real secret to this whole thing: even when you want to stop and give up and do something else, you keep on going because nobody sits down and does ten thousand words at one go that can be published exactly as they are.
So there’s a little pep talk that I needed to give myself. Maybe it’ll help someone else who is struggling with something similar.
Keep reading, if you want to experience some flash fiction I wrote to keep myself engaged and in some kind of shape while I was working on Tabletop.
I was really tired when I wrote this. I was just going to reblog the photo, and then I thought, “it’s interesting to me that the structures here look like they’re biological, but not just biological. They’re biological in an effort to replicate what human biology looks like.” So even though I wanted to go to sleep, I stayed up past my bedtime to write it:
ComSAT G21 OPEN
BEGIN TRANSMISSION
FROM: Dr. Sinta Obian
TO: Director H. Sadar
ENCRYPTION PROTOCOL ENGAGED
—NISTFIPS—
iEYEARECAAYFAjdYCQoACgkQJ9S6ULt1dqz6 IwCfQ7wP6i/i8HhbcOSKF4ELyQB1pRqEzr4kOk QqHRLE/b8/Rw2kbcOSKF4ELyoCoAoOu/i8Hhb ---SFNDCYB--- DECODED MESSAGE BEGINS
We never found out what they called themselves, and after we left, giving them a name beyond their EG designation felt wrong to all of us, so they remain xiSIG688.
When we left, we didn’t know if xiSIG688 were a species, a colony, or a single living organism that was too far advanced for us to comprehend. What we knew was that they covered nearly all of their small planet, which was designated σ688 in the EDP. We knew that they constructed cities similar to others we saw in every system, including our own. We still believe that this indicates the existence of a seeding species, though that is only supported by ontological arguments, and remains but conjecture.
From orbit, all imaging indicated that this … species or colony or whatever it was posed no threat, so I volunteered to land.
We broadcast intention and information as required by protocol, waited the standard time, and having received no response, I made a controlled descent and landing. It was uneventful, like dozens of others I’d done before. My instruments recorded and reported the chemical and elemental composition of the atmosphere at all levels, and it is filed in the appropriate report.
My landing was within nominal parameters, 2000 meters from the edge of what we determined to be a medium-sized city. Coordinates are filed and confirmed.
I exited the ILV and took samples from beyond the landing area, which were immediately secured in SEM and returned to orbit by automation, per protocol.
I remained inside my EVS for the duration of my visit. I was unable to record any smells, but my audio sensors captured the familiar sounds of running water, the quiet whistle of a light wind, and a hum that was inaudible to me, but has since been confirmed, graphed, and is currently under review.
I saw no apparently indigenous creatures during my brief EV on σ688 but –
That is not entirely accurate.
What we all thought were buildings, what we all thought were the remnants of a possibly dead civilization, were alive. xiSIG688 either construct their entire cities from living creatures, or σ688 itself is a single living organism, or perhaps a colony, presenting itself into the shapes of cities that we have seen in other systems along this arc, including our own world.
I believe that σ688 has much to teach us, and may in fact be a direct link to the seeing species, if not a living member of the seeding species itself.
We request permission to return and remain at xiSIG688 until such a time as minimum level contact per protocol has been achieved.
s/
—NISTFIPS—
iEYEARECAAYFAjdYCQoACgkQJ9S6ULt1dqz6 IwCfQ7wP6i/i8HhbcOSKF4ELyQB1pRqEzr4kOk QqHRLE/b8/Rw2kbcOSKF4ELyoCoAoOu/i8Hhb ---SFNDCYB---
DECODED MESSAGE ENDS
ComSAT G21 CLOSED
#####
This was a dumb idea that spring fully-formed into my brain, and it amused me:
Shilo told himself and the scientists that he signed on for the experiment because he believed in the project.
He was thirty meters out of the habitat when the acid kicked in, and he realized that he’d actually signed on for the experiment because he was a god, trapped in a human body, and it was the only way he could release himself, and emerge into his true form.
###
Another one right before bed. I saw this and thought, “Where did the monoliths come from, anyway?”
The star was not particularly warm, and the planets it had captured and nurtured were very small. It was unlikely that intelligence of any kind would arise in the system.
And yet, the beacons must be planted. One on each rocky planet, one one the third planet’s moon, and a final beacon by the largest gas planet, the guardian of this system.
Yes, it was unlikely that intelligence would arise in this particular system, but they had been wrong before. The beacons were activated and they moved on, leaving seeds behind them.
So … there’s some stuff that I did where there wasn’t stuff before. Now I can get to work.
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Two minor typos, but great stories! “seeing species” in the first story problem should be “seeding.” And in the third, next-to-last paragraph, “one one” s/b “on one.”
Big fan. Keep writing!
Ted, if you’ll look again i think you will agree that the typo of “one one” should be corrected to say “one on” because he was listing where the five monoliths were placed (see the beginning of that same sentence).
I like the idea of a world of living cities. Imagine a species that designs and builds living cities, with their own intelligence (so necessary to manage the complex interactions of a living city-scape). The power and water, organs. The infrastructure, bones. Some even designed after the creator species (out of hubris or familiarity, who can say?).
Imagine that the city-shaping species leaves or dies out. Now imagine the experience of the cities upon the arrival of the astronauts. Imagine how lonely cities without people would be, and how happy they would be to see us, to have purpose again.
If the story needs a darker turn, imagine how unwilling they would be to return to loneliness by letting us leave again.
Practice makes better
I hope your brain won’t get in the way of your inspiration. Good luck!
I recently bought a small SciFi illustration by an artist I had found on Twitter (@thisnorthernboy). There was no information on the piece, only that it was an “one man flyer”. I suddenly remembered the pieces above and your instruction to “get inspired and make something” and despite not really being a writer of fiction, I decided to have a go at a tiny piece.
As I don’t want to clog up your comments with a graphic, you can see the illustration here.
Thank you for the much needed motivational break to my writing of never ending cover letters and academic writing samples!
I may print out that pep talk and put it in my eyeline at my desk. I need to remember that when I get discouraged when writing a paper for class or when I start getting in work on my thesis. No one else is going to write about these things the way I am. No one else is making the connections that I am. That is why I am doing this. Sometimes you have to remind yourself of that. Thank you for reminding me!
Maybe it’ll help someone else who is struggling with something similar.
No ‘maybe’ about it 🙂 Just sent a thing off to my beta reader and was contemplating the next thing. Experienced the “it’s all dreck, why bother” resistance. So your pep talk is very timely, thank you. Stupid idiot brain will not win tonight.
I’ll read this book.
But only if you call it “The Smell Lords of σ688.”
And then make it scratch-and-sniff.
Sponsored by Air Wick.
Or John Wick.
Either one.
The nice thing about you being an actor as well as a writer is when I read these pieces, I heard them in your voice. That was cool.
Also, I’m pretty sure I’m a god trapped in a human body, and now I have a better idea of how to release myself.
Thank you, Wil, this did help me. I am forever crumpling up little stories like this and tossing them, because the Little Fear keeps saying “There’s nothing there. You can’t write.” So, I’ll keep writing, and I’ll keep my little nothings for inspiration. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing these. I really enjoyed them and I hope there is more to come.
Loving reading the starts of bits and pieces from your mind….now to wait and be able to read the finished products; they will be worth the wait I think!
Nice work. I like where this is going…
I always wished there was more than the prologue in 3001 to expound on the monolith creators:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3001:_The_Final_Odyssey
That would be a lot cooler than Hal. What are they made of? Who came up with them and how? Why did they decide to leave them there? Where else are they? Can they talk to each other?
I’d read that twice.
Sorry but as the Eagle from the Rama series would say, that is Level III information.
Those were pretty awesome. Great short format. Has my imagination spinning.
Really good stuff. Keep posting!
Those are wonderful snippets. I’ve also wondered about the monoliths and came to the conclusion that if something like that existed, it might be a guardian device placed near a civilization with potential for advancement; to quell dangerous phenomena that could destroy the civilization before it advanced enough to protect itself.
By the way – you are everywhere… Lol…
I was watching Dark Matter the other night and… who should show up but Dr. Noonian… um… I mean… you! It was a great episode. That series started out rough, but then again, even STNG started out with space jellyfish transmitting their “Great Joy, and Gratitude” to a Troi with a bouffant hairdo. Every great journey begins with a humble step. Within about 3 or 4 episodes, Dark Matter started to gel and by the end of the season I was hooked. Neat project. I hope suits don’t ruin it or cancel it.
So also, I just now turned on “Enter the Battlefield” on Netflix, and thought, “Huh, this looks interesting. Netflix doesn’t have many game oriented programs – I wonder WW has seen this.” and just then, up on the screen comes: “Narrated by…”
You. Are. Everywhere.
That’s a good thing though.
My wife and I still use the “Great Joy & Gratitude” line. One of our little catch phrases when something goes particularly well.
I always wonder what I could possibly say to my hero’s that would be interesting or unique. Actually, publish WWiE as a kindle book?