The LL&L Rumpus Room

Right, a strand of the current stuff I'm working on is sci-fi. But I realised that I haven't written sci-fi for years, and I'm kinda scared I sound like an amateur. Obviously, this is unavoidable, but anyone got any tips to stop me sounding like a complete idiot?

Like, I'm talking sci-fi speak. Any articles or websites where they'll give you tips on how to sound like your characters know what they're talking about?

What do YOU prefer when you read sci-fi? Do you mind if the names and gadgets and components of things are completely made up or must you be able to look up the word and find it in the Oxford Dictionary of... whatever.

How far can I take made-up parts of a machine and made-up names for functions? I'm not much of a researcher, and I wouldn't know where to start. Damnit! Why couldn't one of my flatmates be a chemist? Grrrrr. Lol.

Anyway, HELP ME!!!!!

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