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Originally Posted by davveruk  Is it a case of just writing and making things up, or is it more a case of using what information is available and melding it into my own imagination? |
Definitely the latter. Read widely and scavenge little bits and pieces that interest you, and then build upon them. I strictly write fantasy, so I'm no help in advising on the SF side of things, but I tend to do this from fiction and non-fiction both. If you're stealing, er, appropriating something from a novel, though, just make sure you give it your own twist...