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Fantasy Fan, v. 1, issue 3, November 1933
Page 45
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November, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN 45 HOW TO WRITE A STF STORY by Hoy Ping Pong The first thing to remember in writing a science story is originality. You must have that, so the first things to select for your brain-child is a hero, heroine, and villain. No plot is needed. Or, if you desire one, that can be thot up after the story is finished. Have your hero a tall, slim, cold, grey-eyed chap, with an iron jaw, and a sturdy body. He also must know all there is to know about everything. Now for the heroine; she must be a small slim blond, blue-eyed, and be a scientist's daughter. That's the big point in originality. Nobody has ever thought of her being a scientist's daughter before. Now comes the villain. He must be tall, dark, with snapping black eyes, and a brush across his upper lip. He must have an impossible name that no one can pronounce, including yourself. I would suggest someone who desires to have world domination. That, also, is original. The big surprise of your story is this: Your villain must desire the heroine for himself. That is something that is new to STF readers. And, of course, I would politely suggest that the hero also want the girl. That would make a triangle out of it. The hero must chase the villain all over the universe, because the villain has the heroine in his vile clutches. Don't forget the word vile. Nobody has ever used that. Of course, the invaders from Mars arrive on the scene about this time, also desiring world conquest. It would be a nice point of originality here to have the villain throw in with the Martians. It wouldn't do to have the whole army overthrow the enemy. The hero must do it himself, singlehanded. And, a few death rays can be used in the story. Select a fitting color, (some authors prefer pink). I would suggest lavendar, which would just match the heroine's pocketbook, and have it wipe out millions by merely a few puffs. However, if you could do it all in a puff and a half, that would merit you another point. Then you must have the hero invent a ray that stops the lavendar death rays. Yellow would be best for this. It makes such an excellent color scheme. Throw in a few space ships, a coupla fights, a shot in the dark, four or five corpses, a high official who turns traitor, a last flight for help, and end it up with a lone man battling hundreds. Mix thoroughly, and type out on paper, forgetting to doublespace your lines, as all editors request you doublespace, thereby showing them that you are really original. No plot is needed, as mentioned in paragraph one, but if you want one, read one of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and borrow a plot. It makes no difference what kind, as they are all fairy tales, anyway. As a final bit of advice, fold the manuscript several times, and send it to the editor with no enclosed postage for its return. by doing this the editor will not have to go to the trouble of returning it to you, and, so long as the Chief Waste Paper Basket Monitor doesn't get snoopy and start reading the refuse, there will be no ill effects on anyone -- (providing the editor hadn't read it in the first place--and in the (continued on page 46)
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November, 1933 THE FANTASY FAN 45 HOW TO WRITE A STF STORY by Hoy Ping Pong The first thing to remember in writing a science story is originality. You must have that, so the first things to select for your brain-child is a hero, heroine, and villain. No plot is needed. Or, if you desire one, that can be thot up after the story is finished. Have your hero a tall, slim, cold, grey-eyed chap, with an iron jaw, and a sturdy body. He also must know all there is to know about everything. Now for the heroine; she must be a small slim blond, blue-eyed, and be a scientist's daughter. That's the big point in originality. Nobody has ever thought of her being a scientist's daughter before. Now comes the villain. He must be tall, dark, with snapping black eyes, and a brush across his upper lip. He must have an impossible name that no one can pronounce, including yourself. I would suggest someone who desires to have world domination. That, also, is original. The big surprise of your story is this: Your villain must desire the heroine for himself. That is something that is new to STF readers. And, of course, I would politely suggest that the hero also want the girl. That would make a triangle out of it. The hero must chase the villain all over the universe, because the villain has the heroine in his vile clutches. Don't forget the word vile. Nobody has ever used that. Of course, the invaders from Mars arrive on the scene about this time, also desiring world conquest. It would be a nice point of originality here to have the villain throw in with the Martians. It wouldn't do to have the whole army overthrow the enemy. The hero must do it himself, singlehanded. And, a few death rays can be used in the story. Select a fitting color, (some authors prefer pink). I would suggest lavendar, which would just match the heroine's pocketbook, and have it wipe out millions by merely a few puffs. However, if you could do it all in a puff and a half, that would merit you another point. Then you must have the hero invent a ray that stops the lavendar death rays. Yellow would be best for this. It makes such an excellent color scheme. Throw in a few space ships, a coupla fights, a shot in the dark, four or five corpses, a high official who turns traitor, a last flight for help, and end it up with a lone man battling hundreds. Mix thoroughly, and type out on paper, forgetting to doublespace your lines, as all editors request you doublespace, thereby showing them that you are really original. No plot is needed, as mentioned in paragraph one, but if you want one, read one of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and borrow a plot. It makes no difference what kind, as they are all fairy tales, anyway. As a final bit of advice, fold the manuscript several times, and send it to the editor with no enclosed postage for its return. by doing this the editor will not have to go to the trouble of returning it to you, and, so long as the Chief Waste Paper Basket Monitor doesn't get snoopy and start reading the refuse, there will be no ill effects on anyone -- (providing the editor hadn't read it in the first place--and in the (continued on page 46)
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