What makes someone a 'best smith of fiction'?

For me, it's her unique writing style. Her ability to create such diverse and believable characters. In 'White Teeth', she made me care about characters from different backgrounds as if they were real people in my own neighborhood.

One factor is having a large body of work that is widely read. For example, J.K. Rowling. Her 'Harry Potter' series has been translated into many languages and has a huge global fan base. Her ability to create a magical and detailed world makes her a strong contender.

Great storytelling. A person who can create engaging plots that keep readers hooked from start to finish.

A person with a unique experience can be 'the one with the best story'. For example, someone who has been to outer space. Their account of seeing the Earth from afar and the feeling of weightlessness is a story that few can tell. It's the extraordinariness of their experience that makes their story stand out.

I'm not that familiar with Eric D Smith's work, but perhaps his unique perspective on scientific concepts could make his science fiction stand out. Maybe he has a different way of approaching future technologies or alien species.

The musical arrangements in 'Stranger Than Fiction' contribute to its uniqueness. The use of acoustic instruments, like the guitar, in a very intimate and delicate way gives the song a certain charm. Also, Smith's voice, which has a soft and raspy quality, adds a layer of authenticity to the overall feel of the song.

One reason is his vivid descriptions. He can paint a picture of the settings, like the African landscapes in his books, so realistically that it draws readers in. His characters are also complex and engaging. They are not one - dimensional but have their own motives, desires, and flaws. Another factor is the exciting plots. There are always adventures, conflicts, and unexpected twists that keep the readers on the edge of their seats.

A great imagination. Just like Shakespeare had an extraordinary imagination to create unique plays, a 'the shakespear of science fiction' must be able to come up with amazing and original science - fictional concepts. For example, creating new worlds, alien species, or future technologies.

Someone can be considered the inventor of science fiction if they were among the first to write stories that combined scientific concepts with fictional elements. For example, if a writer was the first to imagine time travel in a fictional context, like H.G. Wells did with 'The Time Machine', they would be a strong candidate. They introduce new ideas that are based on science, even if it's speculative science at the time.

Imagination mainly. If a science fiction writer can come up with ideas that later turn out to have some basis in real - world technological or social developments, they can be seen as a prophet. For example, predicting the rise of the internet decades ago would be such a case.