Archives for June 2024

I’ve just finished the first 6-part primer in my new blog called the Sci-fi Writer’s Guide to Reality. The blog aims to help science fiction writers with the fundamentals of science. The first primer focuses on remote sensing (the act of trying to determine what’s going on over there, i.e., at a distance, through means other than physical contact). This topic is rich and essential to many aspects of science fiction, from spaceship sensors to astronomical observations. Hopefully it helps anyone on the lookout for an overview of the topic.

The primer is split in 6 parts:

1. Introducing remote sensing
2. An overview of the science behind the topic
3. Common mistakes in science fiction
4. How to avoid common pitfalls
5. Further reading and references
6. A deep-dive into the science and maths of remote sensing

Experience of writing this first primer

Since introducing the blog earlier this year, I took a while longer to get the whole thing out there. I initially thought that I’d be able to cover the topic in a single large blog post. Hah! The naivety. I hadn’t appreciated the magnitude of the task—remote sensing was a terrible place to start, given that it lies at an intersection between several areas of science and mathematics.

I will likely have to modify the schedule significantly, now that I know just how long it takes to produce a post of decent quality. My initial hopes of releasing something once a month is blown to smithereens, so I’ll aim for a couple of things a year for now. If the blog attracts some attention, I might be able to step that up in future.

But we got there. The first of many, with any luck. I’m glad to have the beginnings of a real blog out there.