Writing Non-Human Characters: How Other Should Other Be?

During Stellar Fest, I was fortunate enough to be on two panels on characterization, both of which addressed the idea specifically within the realm of science fiction, and with a focus on non-human characters. But, sci-fi doesn't have a monopoly on non-human characters, so I realized immediately that I wanted to take this discussion to the blog. (And here we are.)

When writing characters who are not human, what is your starting point? The race, the species, the human characteristic to use as an entry point, what?

E. Robert Dunn: Typically, it starts with a race/species that I'd like to develop ... which may or may not include 'human characteristics.'

Danielle Procter Piper: First, I must realize that the story requires a non-human entity, after which I then decide what sort of being it should be. My background in biology helps me create realistic creatures, as does my artistic ability. When I wrote Quasar 169, it was based on a dream I had where a news anchor described a murder, and an image of the victim slowly morphed into an image of the killer. That's what inspired me to create a species of humanoid sexual shapeshifters. 

Bobby Nash: I start with the character. Most non-human characters can still have a human-ish trait that I can start with like how family works, or something about their personality. Then, I build from there.

Sean Taylor: I have to start with the character, plain and simple. That's always true for me whether I'm writing a straight white dude, a poly black woman, a purple Glorp from Vendellia 45, a Loup Garou from the Bayou, or a gaseous floating cloud above the top of Kilimanjaro. For me, that means something human in terms of characters, some need, some drive, something that man, woman, Glorp, Lou Garou, or cloud wants and must overcome some hardship to achieve. If I don't have that skeleton to put a coat on, then I can't start moving on the story. 

E. Robert Dunn: From Bullied to Books

I met E Robert Dunn just a few days ago at Stellar Fest. My first thought was, "I bet that dude takes a really nice author photo." (To be fair, I was correct. Just look to the right.) But, then I got to talk with him and share the floor on a few panels, and I learned that he had a lot to say about the art and craft of writing. 

E Robert Dunn is an American author born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Born Eston Robert Dunn, he began his career writing spec for The original 1970s Battlestar Galactica television series. As a teen, he also wrote for the British television series Space 1999.  

Tell us a bit about your most recent work. 

My most recent work is a play book entitled: Monologues From The Like Minded. It is a play consisting of a series of monologues that explore life experiences, body image, and several other topics through the eyes of psychiatric patients with various ages, races, sexualities, and other differences.

What are the themes and subjects you tend to revisit in your work? 

Morality themes/subjects. Hoping that whoever reads any of my (play) books 'walks away' thinking and/or learning something about themselves and/or others. 

What happened in your life that prompted you to become a writer? 

Bullying led to journaling which led to my craft in writing to become proficient and catching the eye of an English teacher who made a telephone call to a friend in NYC who knew a literary agent. 

What inspires you to write? 

There's so much more humanity needs to do to reach its fullest potential.

What of your works has meant the most to you? 

Well, my first novel: Echelon's End, Book 1: Last Generation.