Is it acceptable to write a book that has no human characters?

Question

Basically, I'm writing a book that's set on a world where no humans exist. So I'm wondering, it is ok to write a book where the main character is not human, but is humanoid?

Edit;
Someone has pointed out in their answer that people are getting marked down in ratings. I hadn't noticed before, as after reading the answers I went straight to continue writing, but I assure everyone who answered, that I have not marked any of you down.

Answer 1

I robot is such a story

Answer 2

I agree with a lot of the other posts in saying, yes of course it's ok. I also agree that as an author you shouldn't have to worry about whether it's ok to include something in your work, if you think it fits or that that's what you want to write, you shouldn't have to ask other people if it's ok.
My other advice would be to go out a read a lot if you want to be an author, the fact that you're asking this question implies you haven't read a lot of the genre you're writing in. All authors will tell you that you have to read a lot too, check out some of the books others have mentioned.
Anyway, good luck, hope the book is great, it's gonna be so rewarding when you've finished it, enjoy.

Answer 3

Yes. E.g. Watership Down. You might have to work a little bit harder to make your audience more easily relate to these characters but i don't think that would be a major problem. Just focus on making the world they live in, and their actions/ways of thinking understandable to a reader - it's not that different (if at all) from writing with human characters. Hope it goes well!

Answer 4

Yes, absolutely. As the other posters have said, there are lots of books out there without any human characters at all, and that have been very successful. A lot of readers prefer things that take them away from the familiar and the ordinary; that's why the genre of Science Fiction/Fantasy exists.

Answer 5

Of COURSE!!!!!!! Many non- human books are great. It all comes down to what the characters are all about, and what they look like. In fact some find books without humans more exiting. I think the hard part comes when you try to invent, or copy an animal(or whatever creature you are going to have in this book!). I'm sure it will be fantastic, and posting this question will help to make it even better. Best Of Luck. C.

Answer 6

Who is to say what is acceptable or not? Richard Adams wrote a bestseller about rabbits, Watership Down and Philip K Dick wrote about humanoids amongst many other SF writers. Go for it and cast yourself into the cosmos. Great that you are writing.

Answer 7

Of course!

And a tip: if you want to be a writer, the last thing you want to do is ask other people if it's "ok" to write in a certain way. You cannot get anywhere without originality, and that comes from having a totally open mind.

Answer 8

Of course it is. Think of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull or Watership Down - two books set on THIS planet without any human characters!

Answer 9

yes, it is perfectly fine. There are many books in which the main charachter is not human. infact having your main charachter as a humaniod instead of a human shows great courage in writing. a person knows exactly what a human is like, but giving them a new world full of a different people stretches thei imagination. And don't forget that there are books whose main charachters are animals...and their classics. so hey maybe later on in life your book would be placed under suhc a category. just don't forget to describe the world well...it is up to you if you decide to go in depth. If I knew nothing about humaniods and your world, how would you explain it. find your audience and stick to it...
but yes, lol many of my books/shortstories hae differnt creatures as main charachters. perfectly fine.
May the pen be with you.

Answer 10

Have you ever come across the works of Beatrix Potter? They were mainly peopled by animals. Then there was "The Wind in the Willows" and "Toad of Toad Hall" by Kenneth Graham, where the characters were animals. JRR Tolien wrote a book called "The Hobbit" which was about humanoid creatures called hobbits, who had dealings with gnomes and elves. http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:iDLbIxMGhcgJ:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit+the+hobbit&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1

Not only is it OK to write the sort of book you have in mind, but it has been wildly successful in the past!

Answer 11

I don't understand why you ask this question. Are you insecure that narrow-minded people might judge you for something? If we are allowed in a free state to express any real or abstract notions then of course it's okay to write a book that's set on a world where no humans exist. Interesting, if you ask me !!!