A science fiction story is usually written from the viewpoint of a main character. This is the character with whom the reader identifies and who the reader wants to 'win'.

I, Robot is a series of short stories based on the Three Laws of Robotics. Many feature Dr. Susan Calvin, chief robopsychologist at U.S. Robots and Mechanical Men, Inc. She is faced with the dilemmas which come from the three laws leading to unpredicted disasters.

Star Wars - the first movie produced in the series, tells of the adventures of Luke Skywalker whose fictional life, far in the future, begins as a simple farm boy. He is human but not earth based. The entire universe and all the strange creatures within it, provide the vast setting and cast.

Star Trek also travels the universe, and takes different viewpoint characters in different episodes, but the focus of the original series was very often on Captain James T. Kirk, an earth born man who ventures forth 'to boldly go where no man has gone before'.

Jurassic Park is entirely based on Earth. Paleontologist, Dr. Alan Grant, and his associate, Dr. Ellie Sattler, enter into the theme park of entrepreneur John Hammond, where they find themselves in the company of real, living dinosaurs.

Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy tells of the weird and wonderful adventures of Arthur Dent, as ordinary a man as you could get, thrust into a world in which almost nothing is familiar (or makes much sense) and all is normal for his companion, Ford Prefect, who comes from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. Ford travels the universe, so the setting and cast is weird, wonderful and limitless.

Ford Prefect (left) and Arthur Dent, in the TV series.
1. Look through your Science Fiction List. Who is the viewpoint character in each one? How ordinary are they, and how do they get to the fictional version of the Earth or Universe?

There is a great deal of logic in starting from somewhere in the Known World with an ordinary person. This means you are starting from a place the reader knows and hence doesn't need any explanation. With a human as your viewpoint character, the reader can learn of the alien world as your main character does. That means the information can be delivered at a comprehensible rate.

If your character is not human, in a World which is not Known, you have to get all that information across from the start.That may mean a lot has to be explained before anything can happen. This can sometimes lead to what is known as an 'infodump' where the reader has to absorb a great deal of information just to understand the plot. Most won't stay around for the payoff.

But this is your story ... so these are only guidelines!

You need to create your viewpoint character. This character needs to be so real to you that you can write their story convincingly. This is one way to try and get into that character.

Find somewhere you can relax, where it is quiet. Maybe your bedroom. Lie down and totally relax. Try to see a grey mist around you and nothing else. As the mist disperses, you are faced with a character, someone who has the strength to do something extraordinary, but still exhibits human vulnerabilities. If your viewpoint character is infallible, then there is no challenge and there is no story worth reading.

Where are you? An ordinary home from which to start the adventure? Maybe a space station or science laboratory. Relax and talk to your character. Find out about where they live and what they do. Find out what it is about them which means they are the one who is likely to experience extraordinary adventures.
What makes your character stand out? An insatiable curiosity? An intense sense of right and wrong? A need to right an injustice? Whatever their driving emotion is, you must make it so strong that it dominates their life. They are more human than a real human.
Do they have any idiosyncratic traits? A phrase they repeat constantly or a signet ring they would never be without? How do they dress? What do they eat? What mannerisms tell you about their personality?

The omniscient viewpoint, where you can jump into the head of every character, is considered by some as the most natural one for storytelling. It was the most common viewpoint in older fiction. Jumping around between different characters' perspectives can make the reader feel distanced from both the story and the characters. Focusing on a single character leads the reader to identify with them. You then reveal the thoughts and feelings of minor characters through their actions or dialogue. Inexperienced writers using omniscient viewpoint sometimes change viewpoint in the middle of a paragraph, or even the middle of a sentence. For this reason you are being encouraged to write from what is known as a 'limited viewpoint' - that of a single character.

Most modern fiction is written in limited viewpoint. But always remember - this task is only a guideline. This is your story and your writing so it is also your choice of viewpoint.

2. Create a character to drive your story. Draw him or her. Or write their description. Document what he or she thinks.

Do anything you can in whatever way suits you best to get to know this character thoroughly.