National Novel Writing Month, also known as November, is approaching fast. To celebrate the upcoming publication of Putting the Science in Fiction (On Sale October 16, 2018 from Writer’s Digest), ten of the contributors are providing story prompts based on their field of expertise. (Find other essays here.) For the book, I wrote two essays drawing from my profession, engineering. What follows is an introduction to structural engineering as a profession and the story prompts. Keep reading to the end and enter a giveaway for 1 of 10 copies of Putting the Science in Fiction.

Failure as a Profession

Structural engineers as a profession worry most about failure. Because when our designs fail, buildings break, airplanes crack, and bridges fall down. Way back in the 1930s, engineers decided to build a bridge across the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound. For structural engineers, this is a famous bridge because of how spectacularly it failed. To the surprise of everyone, it oscillated (See the video below). In less than a year, it collapsed. Thankfully, no one was harmed. I think about this bridge whenever I’m asked what my job is. Because I design a product that carries people from one place to another. Sitting down to start the day, a picture of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge reminds me that people’s safety relies on me being my best.

For structural engineering, the fundamentals aren’t glamorous. We focus on the dimensions of the part, how it’s joined together, and what material it’s made from. Structural engineers focus on the bones of the product instead of the skin. We don’t shape the wing of the aircraft, but we do make sure it doesn’t fall off the plane. We’re not responsible for the lovely skylight that makes your living room beautiful; we make sure it doesn’t fall out of the frame during the first big rain. Basically, we spend our time keeping things and people from falling. The structural engineer sees no functional difference between the floor of a bridge, a building, or a train. People walk on it. The structural elements are the same, but the applied forces, construction requirements, and standards of the customer and governing organizations differ. For most of us, a beam is a beam is a beam. We just change thicknesses, heights, and whether it’s steel, aluminum, or wood. We determine whether it’s a bolt, screw, or nail needed. While our work is largely ignored, it is also integral to the conveniences of modern life. We deal with the mundane, literal nuts and bolts of civilization. Structural engineers are burdened with responsibility and invisibility.

No one ever looks at a building and claps for the engineer who ensures that it stands upright. If we do our jobs correctly, the everyday person will never know. If we don’t, catastrophe happens, and it’s likely to make the news, such as the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. Because of this, we have developed processes to ensure the safest product possible. The government has building codes to ensure safe homes are built; the Federal Aviation Administration has requirements for aircraft to be certified for use; and the military has requirements for the safety of the vehicles its uses. In addition, private companies have in-house methods and processes to ensure the safest product possible. Quality checks are built into the process of approving a structural engineer’s work. Because our work is essentially invisible but vital, writers can insert drama – ethical lapses, sabotage, industrial spying – as a skeleton plot. There exists a long chain where human foibles can create problems.

Engineers don’t have the flashiest job in the world, and structural engineers doubly so. It’s math; it’s sorting through requirements; it’s making sure parts comply with regulations; it’s verifying manufacturers made the part as designed. None of this is exactly the stuff of riveting fiction. Engineers create, design, and manage projects worth millions of dollars. Lives, futures, and corporate bottom lines depend on engineers to do their jobs. Balancing safety versus corporate profits offers an opportunity for writers to create drama. Unfortunately, many times throughout history, the effort to save money has resulted in the loss of life. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge changed designs to save on building materials, and the result will be remembered for as long as there are structural engineers. Take this real life example, add in elements of the thriller – corrupt government officials, ruthless corporate executives, and an engineer with a conscience – and there’s a story.

Writing Prompts

1. 100 years into the spaceship Horizon’s journey to settle a habitable planet around a star, parts of the ship begin to depressurize, some even explode out into space. Is the ship under attack? Or is it falling apart at the seams?
2. In Cold War Russia, Soviet scientists have developed stealth technology. A spy struggles to get the blueprints and process specifications out of Moscow while a team of engineers contracted by the Pentagon attempt to determine how to detect the new aircraft as rumors swirl that the Soviet Union may use this new technology to bomb Washington D.C. in retaliation for its lies about the U-2. Will the spy escape Moscow before the bombing? Will the engineers devise a method of detection?
3. A government engineer learns that a metal manufacturer has been selling, unsafe steel and falsifying documentation. The manufacturer hunts the engineer as she tries to figure out which buildings need to be evacuated and who in the government is in on the scam. Can she warn the public before a building collapses or she’s silenced? Think Pelican Brief but with collapsing buildings.

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Putting the Science in Fiction

Science and technology have starring roles in a wide range of genres–science fiction, fantasy, thriller, mystery, and more. Unfortunately, many depictions of technical subjects in literature, film, and television are pure fiction. A basic understanding of biology, physics, engineering, and medicine will help you create more realistic stories that satisfy discerning readers.

This book brings together scientists, physicians, engineers, and other experts to help you:

• Understand the basic principles of science, technology, and medicine that are frequently featured in fiction.
• Avoid common pitfalls and misconceptions to ensure technical accuracy.
• Write realistic and compelling scientific elements that will captivate readers.
• Brainstorm and develop new science- and technology-based story ideas.
• Whether writing about mutant monsters, rogue viruses, giant spaceships, or even murders and espionage, Putting the Science in Fiction will have something to help every writer craft better fiction.

Putting the Science in Fiction collects articles from “Science in Sci-fi, Fact in Fantasy” Dan Koboldt’s popular blog series for authors and fans of speculative fiction. Each article discusses an element of sci-fi or fantasy with an expert in that field. Scientists, engineers, medical professionals, and others share their insights in order to debunk the myths, correct the misconceptions, and offer advice on getting the details right.