Writing Intriguing Sci-fi Premises (part 4)

Start writing your setting with based on something basic, and then ask yourself, “What if this instead?” Even a seemingly small change in a detail can have huge rippling effects upon the story, so if you remember that your setting can be the antagonist that drives everyone, all you have left to do is consider the array of character reactions. One easy thing to remember is the old, “fight or flight” response. This encompasses most of the possible reactions, when things are distilled down to the simplest elements. Consider personalities and how even two brothers who grew up in the same environment might have entirely different responses to a situation. Add agenda and motivation on top of the basic fight or flight response, and you'll have an even deeper layer to work with when developing your characters. Also consider whether the character is more emotionally driven or logically driven. Apply either of these to the fight or flight, fuel it all with personal motivation, and you have the ingredients for an exciting story recipe.