# Sci fi story idea? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 10, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418 "2011-05-10T17:58:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/21 "2011-05-11T03:03:41Z")
Are Farmer and RealityChuck of any relation? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/22 "2011-05-11T03:17:39Z")
> [@](#): > > ok so my mind is just blowing up with ideas for what i think could be an epic/original sci fi novel/series… however i suck at grammar,spelling usage etc.. and also type kinda slow.. would anyone be willing to collaborate and if we got somewhere with it split the $$$ 50/50 ??? pm me or reply here The solution to this is to learn good grammar, spelling, and usage, and then write the story yourself for 100% of the profit. Good grammar isn’t actually difficult; it’s just a matter of getting into the habit of using it. All the rules that are actually of any importance, you’ve known since before kindergarten. As for the typing, you can either just spend a lot of time on it (perfectly acceptable, and with practice you’ll get faster anyway), or you can spring for dictation software and just speak it into the computer (yes, you’ll have to pay for decent-quality software, but it’d be a heck of a lot cheaper than a human co-author). Oh, and if you do decide to go it on your own, and try to get your stories published, remember one key fact: The money is supposed to flow _to_ the author. If anyone wants you to pay them to publish anything, they’re ripping you off. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/23 "2011-05-11T03:19:37Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Are Farmer and RealityChuck of any relation? :dubious: No, Chuck’s sons are named Roast and Wagon. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/24 "2011-05-17T02:27:04Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [Here is my latest.](http://dailysciencefiction.com/story/chuck-rothman/her-old-man) > > [And here’s an oldie.](http://www.strangehorizons.com/2000/20001009/arroyo_de_buho.shtml) > > You can also purchase them from [Fictionwise](http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/a423/Chuck-Rothman/?si=0) Very, very cool. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/25 "2011-05-19T02:50:14Z")
I have an idea for a pill that you just drop into a tank of water and it turns it into gasoline. Anyone want to develop this product, if so, I’ll split the profits 50/50 with you! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/26 "2011-05-19T05:46:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I have an idea for a pill that you just drop into a tank of water and it turns it into gasoline. Anyone want to develop this product, if so, I’ll split the profits 50/50 with you! I’m certain I’ve seen someone propose that in all seriousness on this board… Does anyone remember the link? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/27 "2011-05-19T06:15:24Z")
Guys, what we’re going to do here is get a bunch of those newfangled solar cells. You know, the ones they put on the roof to generate electricity. Then we’re gonna hook up all the solar cells to desk lamps. Now here’s the million-dollar idea: we point the desk lamps at the solar cells! I’ll be holding a conference call for potential investors. In my time machine. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/28 "2011-05-19T06:21:29Z")
This thread gave me the idea for a story. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/29 "2011-05-19T06:25:47Z")
So I’ve got a great title for a film. **Pig-men versus Dog-men**. Somebody write, produce, direct, and star in this, and I’ll split it 60/40. ---
**Author:** ![blue\_infinity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blue_infinity/32/2817_2.png) [@blue\_infinity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blue_infinity)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/30 "2011-05-19T06:28:05Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > But now I’m curious whether there has ever been a successful writing partnership (in SF or elsewhere) in which one person was primarily the “ideas generator” and the other handled all the technical details of writing. I suppose some books written by a celebrity with an “as told to” cowriter or ghost writer might count. I believe Alexandre Dumas did the bulk of the writing, while a collaborator provided the idea/plot. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/31 "2011-05-19T06:39:53Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > I have an idea for a pill that you just drop into a tank of water and it turns it into gasoline. Anyone want to develop this product, if so, I’ll split the profits 50/50 with you! That idea would make millions! I’ll go partners with you, but I since I’m doing all the hard work and covering the big expenses, you’ll have to put up some good faith money. Not much, a couple of hundred should do. Not that I don’t trust you, but there has to be come consideration to form a valid contract, and the courts don’t buy the old $1 consideration value valid anymore, but $200 would seem credible. Send me a PM and I’ll send you an address to send a certified check or money order to. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/32 "2011-05-19T06:52:14Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > That idea would make millions! I’ll go partners with you, but I since I’m doing all the hard work and covering the big expenses, you’ll have to put up some good faith money. Not much, a couple of hundred should do. Not that I don’t trust you, but there has to be come consideration to form a valid contract, and the courts don’t buy the old $1 consideration value valid anymore, but $200 would seem credible. Send me a PM and I’ll send you an address to send a certified check or money order to. PM sent! hahaaaa. To all the rest of you - I’m outta here loosers. **Tripo**'n me gonna be rich, bitches! When I come back I’m gonna by this place. ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/33 "2011-05-19T07:42:17Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Now here’s the million-dollar idea: we point the desk lamps at the solar cells! OMG!!! That idea will make zillions of dollars! We’ll take the money and hire 500 hundred authors to write FarmerChuck’s book. FarmerChuck will explain his idea to the authors and we’ll assign one page to each author. Then we’ll collect the pages from the authors, put them in a big pile, and we’ll have an instant literary masterpiece! ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/34 "2011-05-19T11:48:04Z")
Well, I finally know what hte Steorn Orbo secret was, I suppose… ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/35 "2011-05-19T12:03:30Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > So I’ve got a great title for a film. **Pig-men versus Dog-men**. Somebody write, produce, direct, and star in this, and I’ll split it 60/40. > [@blue\_infinity](#): > > I believe Alexandre Dumas did the bulk of the writing, while a collaborator provided the idea/plot. Alexander Dumas already wrote _Pig-men versus Dog-men_? That was quick. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/36 "2011-05-19T12:09:47Z")
He did the 18th Century version with the musketeer swordfights. My version has aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/37 "2011-05-19T13:30:48Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > PM sent! > > hahaaaa. To all the rest of you - I’m outta here loosers. **Tripo**'n me gonna be rich, bitches! When I come back I’m gonna by this place. You could have done that with the $200. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/38 "2011-05-19T15:23:12Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > But now I’m curious whether there has ever been a successful writing partnership (in SF or elsewhere) in which one person was primarily the “ideas generator” and the other handled all the technical details of writing. I suppose some books written by a celebrity with an “as told to” cowriter or ghost writer might count. Happens all the time with formula fiction. The [Stratemeyer Syndicate](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratemeyer_Syndicate) is probably the most famous and longest lasting. There are variations on it today, in which packagers dream up ideas for series, create the “bible” of characters and stories, and farm them out to writers. The James Patterson Fiction Factory (my name) works the same way. He comes up with a basic plot, or outline, or idea, and hires someone to write it and adds his name. That’s how he had seven #1 bestsellers last year. Other authors, like Tom Clancy, have done similar “collaborations”. There are zillions of examples in genre fiction. In some cases the name author does nothing at all, though. The name for it in the field is “sharecropping”. (You do all the hard work, get a pittance, and the name author reaps the bulk of the benefits.) You’ll never know who does what unless you can get behind the scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/39 "2011-05-21T07:41:16Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/c9fc-crEFDw/hqdefault.jpg "So You Want to Write a Novel") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9fc-crEFDw) ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2011, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418/40 "2011-05-21T18:43:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m certain I’ve seen someone propose that in all seriousness on this board… Does anyone remember the link? [Here ya go](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=607980)… Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sci-fi-story-idea/581418.md?page=3)