Pet Peeve #54 - All Too Human Races
It’s all too easy.
You create this alien race with alien beliefs, weapons, food, and, of course, bodies. Their history progressed differently to humanity, the way they harness energy is different, and even the way they mate (if they mate) is different. They’re just plain alien.
You eagerly send your human explorers to meet them.
Then your so-called aliens speak English that sounds so much like your cousin from Idaho. Or a three year old alien has the same range of vocabulary as your three year old niece.
If you are creating alien races, then make them alien. Even KA Applegate’s young adult fiction aliens the Hork-Bajir have the contradiction of deadly blades on their bodies and a peaceful lifestyle. That’s different. Orson Scott Card has created some excellent alien races over time.
A big monster with three heads isn’t all that scary or even alien if it talks like a typical twenty year old man from just down the street and has a liking for beef burgers.
You don’t have to create an entirely new language with each race (though you can feel free to do so), but do you think a race of military driven aliens will speak eloquently with a lot of flourish and useless words. Nor will a race focused on science and art speak harshly. (Overall, there are exceptions.)
Pay attention to your aliens and work at making them truly foreign to what we as humans know. It’ll get you a long way in the writing world.
March 6th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
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