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To Answer The Question.

© David A Simpson.

The last article stimulated several questions and the main question that caused me to question my own writing style was, "has my writing been influenced?"

I have always tried to stay away from the obvious use of technical names, wonderful weapons and other used before science fiction lingo, but I have to be honest. I have been influenced both directly and subliminally and this influence is and does show in the content, writing style and message in my work.

People, life, current affairs, the media and the world today are my influence. I have traveled through life and around the world. I have been witness to many beliefs and cultures,religions and controls of mankind. From racial difference of opinion to governmental controls, from the simple inability for people of different colour to interact and accept each other as equal. I have seen it and experienced it all.

Now it influences me and I use that influence in my writing. I use the influence of life in what sometimes seems to be a vain attempt, but I use it anyway to try and highlight the stupidity that has become a control of the way people think. Wars have been and will continue to be fought over an inability to communicate. Look at any science fiction film, series or book. In one a culture or entity will oppose or want to destroy, control another, but they will not know each other (e.g. Enemy Mine). Then another feature will highlight the need for integration, acceptance and unity. Why?

It is not just entertainment for the reader to experience a new book; the reader is looking for answers, for subliminal reality to the world they live in today. Something they believe in and can relate to. A best seller in science fiction will emerge from the mind of the writer who can see reality and write it as science fiction because the message as abstract as it may be will contain enough reality to answer the questions.

Science must also be an influence, technology advances everyday and the advances today can stimulate the imagination. I try not to get to technical in my work. There are however a technical and scientific readership looking for new ideas so knowledge must also be incorporated and expanded into your writing. My knowledge of physics is basic but I know that two opposing magnets repel. If I had to invent an anti gravity energy unit as a starships means of propulsion I would start with this simple principle implanted into my subliminal as a schoolboy and expand it to; Two rings of electro magnets which fluctuate polarity causing opposites resulting in a spinning motion of opposite directions, this would result in the generation of an electrical energy capable of increasing and sustaining the motion indefinitely. The resulting energy field would be able to propel a spaceship and create an artificial gravity.

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