How can I create more original Alien beings?

[Space_of_Writing]

Typical things of sci-fi often are Alien beings and Robots (or AI particularly).
However, the first one (which I enumerated) often is just the iconic Grey alien. But that’s boring and stale. Man! Your story is placed in the space (or even on another planet). Why can’t you be more creative?
I can understand this. Original ideas come into somebody’s head, not all at once.
So, how can I create better alien beings than the Grey alien?

 

[anno]

Avoid the humanoid...

 

[Harpo]

Build an unusual planet, find an unusual way for life to evolve there, create an interesting dominant species, give them the ability to leave the planet.
Don't make them little, or green, or men.
Make them Leafy Sea Dragons with attitude, or superintelligent shades of the Missisippi Blues, or amoebic pens.

 

[The Judge]

Since I'm lousy at creating other life forms (my aliens are humans for conveniently logical reasons), I'll leave this to the experts. But I will move the thread over to General Writing Discussion which is where you'll get most feedback on this question.

 

[Cathbad]

I have no problem with humanoid aliens. Any other type, we would probably have much difficulty communicating with.

Which, come to think of it, would prove a great storyline...

 

[Joshua Jones]

In my mind, it all depends on what you are trying to do with them. Naturally, you want them to contrast in some way with the race(s) they are competing against. One of the classic contrasts is numbers vs. individual ability/technological superiority. However, I think this has been overdone to the point of being another type of humaniod grey aliens.

What I find particularly interesting in an alien species is to either make them completely alien (as in, there is almost no point of similarly between Earth life and them, either in biology, sociology, mode of communication, etc.) or have a race that takes a trait of human society and amplifies it. This could either be something which we currently celebrate, that is taken too far, or something which we spurn, which is done well and works for them. Even better, to me anyway, is when this is not done as one dimensional, but as stronger and weaker in different, realistic ways. Capitslism, for example, tends to create stronger economies, but it also creates wealth inequalities, while Communism removes wealth inequalities, but tends to also remove incentive to work hard, leading to a weaker economy. I don't bring this up to start a political debate, but to illustrate that there can be advantages and disadvantages to just about everything. Exploring those can help create some compelling races.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Get ideas by reading what other authors have done. Then see what that sparks in side you. Take an idea you like, twist it and turn up the volume to 11.

Instead of putting out a personal list of books of strange aliens, I'd offer this: Alien Tropes - TV Tropes

There's loads of discussion of aliens in fiction of all sorts, including the humanoid ones, that have appeared in all sorts of different media. However more importantly it lists some books/films/comics and other sources that you can then go and find.

If you are more inclined to 'real' perhaps go and research astrobiology/exobiology and again see what that sparks. I personally haven't found a good hub for this topic, but there's lots lying about

 

[Penny]

The purpose of whatever alien you decide to create is paramount when inventing a creature. You need to know what it is for.

Creating creatures is much like evolution, figure out what the conditions on its homeworld might be. is there high gravity? etc. these will all affect your creatures appearance, technology, culture and history.

If you want something really exotic, come up with an interesting homeworld. for example.

World : ST1105
Classification: Uninhabitable (High Argon/Helium levels)
Gravity: 4G
Life Studies:
Life on this planet is hardy and tough, the dominant life form is a flat pancake-like limpet creature which eats algae and anything too slow to escape. Additionally, there are large lizard-like carnivores, creatures on this planet thanks to the high gravity, however, are mostly squat and tend to be wider than they are tall.
The intelligent life on this planet is a form of floating gas inflated jelly, their stinging neurotoxin infused tendrils drift down from above to stun and kill prey which they absorb, a number of researchers were killed and deaths on both sides occurred before communication was made possible. The creatures can both kill and communicate through their stinging tendrils, an act of faith on both sides brought an end to the conflict.
We are currently working on understanding how they construct their mysterious floating cities, they have learned a great deal from us as well. some have their doubts but this relationship should prove beneficial for both our species.

I mean that's one way of making up an alien species, a quick little description of a homeworld, some backstory and so on.

 

[Brian G Turner]

No offence, but I don't recall much use of Gray's in science fiction novels. You may find the problem is that you're not reading enough traditionally published science fiction - you may get all sorts of interesting ideas for aliens from that.

 

[Venusian Broon]

No offence, but I don't recall much use of Gray's in science fiction novels. You may find the problem is that you're not reading enough traditionally published science fiction - you may get all sorts of interesting ideas for aliens from that.

I concur. The best 'legitimate' use of greys, (and perhaps the only use I can really think of) was for a TV series, Stargate SG1.*

I honestly can't think off-hand of any works of "mainstream' literature** that used greys as an alien.


--------------

*although I'm biased 'cause I absolutely loved that show.

** I am aware there are a number of abduction tales.. although quite a few purport to be non-fiction.

 

[Vince W]

Read Iain Banks. He created some truly memorable aliens.

 

[paranoid marvin]

The advice I would give is not to lose sight of the fact that this is a story. Make the alien too...err...alien, and you potentially could put off the reader. Worry less about it being authentic; after all, no-one can prove you wrong and more about how the alien's make-up can benefit your story (eg Aliens, Predator, War of the Worlds etc).

 

[Phyrebrat]

Again, I think you're asking us to provide that spark that comes from the author's own desires and interests, rather than a technicality. Remember to tell the story you want to tell, and the alien and its characteristics will evolve from that. There is no by-numbers approach to this.

pH

 

[mosaix]

At the microscopic level there are some pretty weird alien like creatures right here on Earth that would be a good starting point. Read up on tardigrades as an example. There are some posts about them right here on Chrons.

 

[Cathbad]

tardigrades

Aren't those found only on the Tardis?

 

[StilLearning]

If it's important you come up with something both believabl and novel, why not riff off of reality? For example, cephalapods (octopi, squid, etc) are very smart: They have tool use, communication, build shelters, sabotage electronics, and have both broken out of their aquariums and boarded and broken into the holds of boats looking for easy food. If you imagine our cephalapods are in intelligence terms, what great apes are to us then you can design a 'squid-ish' alien (say ten arms, no suckers, and amphibious with adaptatons for short term land living) with loads of details, personality, and behavoir already done for you by nature. There's a lot out there:
Octopus - Wikipedia
Cephalopod intelligence - Wikipedia
Otto the octopus wreaks havoc So You Think You're Smarter Than a Cephalopod?

Corvids are another good example, capable of using tools, self awareness, communicating, and even learning a small amount of human speech (E. A. Poe's raven might really have said "nevermore"!)

Mirror-Induced Behavior in the Magpie (Pica pica): Evidence of Self-Recognition
BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Rooks reveal remarkable tool-use
Corvidae - Wikipedia