Since Quora likes to collapse my answers in an effort to keep me quiet, I’m copying and pasting some of the Quora Q and A’s in which I’ve participated. Here’s a question from Quora.
This is another instance where the question seems like it has nothing to do with reading, writing, or editing, but hold on to your speeder!
Question: Is Star Wars considered American science fiction or British science fiction?
Answer: Well it’s the abortion created by Spielberg and Lucas, so it’s American.
Now, allow me to dive headlong into the Rancor’s pit.
Star Wars is hardly science fiction. What constitutes science fiction? High tech? Aliens? Space battles? Sure, but don’t those things usually require some explanation? How do the aliens’ bodies work? What kind of engineering is involved in a death star? Don’t different planets with different atmospheres have differing gravity? Doesn’t anyone require a space suit? Even while piloting their ships in the far reaches of space, no one wears a helmet with breathing apparatus, do they? I just don’t think Star Wars qualifies as science fiction.
Star Wars is about a guy who uses a sword and casts magic spells with his mind. If it’s anything, it’s sci fantasy, kind of like the Final Fantasy video games. There’s nothing wrong with the concept or genre, but I’m not done bitching yet.
If Luke could, theoretically, use the force to lift a ship “only different in your mind” then why not use the force to knock Vader into that duct in cloud city?
Why not use the force to blow the emperor into that other duct?
The whole franchise is rife with poor writing, poor, poor writing. It’s so totally uninspired, and filled with plot holes, and I don’t understand why people like Boba Fett.
He did nothing. Han was already frozen in carbonite when Boba Fett took him aboard the ship, and then blind Han hit him in the butt, and it killed him.
Boba Fett was utterly useless.
All of this ties into the principles of story telling, whether we’re discussing a movie, a show, or a book; what’s important is that whatever happens throughout the story is both logical and consistent.
Does it make sense that storm trooper armor can be destroyed by primitive, teddy bear arrows?
Is it logical that when Luke is chasing the scout troopers on the speeder, he doesn’t use the force to hold the speeder in place, or fling the scout trooper off the speeder?
“Different only in your mind, Luke”
The force is wielded so inconsistently, it is a severe problem, a detriment to story’s reliability.
It’s extremely important for both writers and editors to be able to recognize these kinds of instances, because if a story has these issues, readers will find them, and they will be very, very upset to have spent their money on dreck.
Now, I know, everyone’s going to get their panties in a wad because I’m badmouthing Star Wars. Everyone’s going to point out that if I’m right, why then was the trilogy such a success?
Well, people like what they like. The movies do look amazing. The first three had a terrific cast, great music, and the whole concept behind Star Wars is the eternal struggle of good against evil, the underdog against the immovable empire, so, okay, Star Wars isn’t the worst trilogy out there, but all the points I made stand on their own.
YOU are not writing Star Wars. YOU are not Spielberg and Lucas. YOU most likely don’t have an entire corporation backing you, helping to market whatever it is that you’re writing, so YOU need to be certain that your story has no issues of inconsistency, suspension of disbelief, or plot holes.
This is especially important for new writers, because they don’t have a solid fan base yet, and there’s no more direct road to failure than starting out by selling a crappy product.
Always consider editing. Always consider hiring an editor. Visit my editing services tab.