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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 6
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Although on here I have a supernatural thriller in Afterlife, and an urban fantasy in Swordslayer. I am above all a Science Fiction writer, that is my stable and always will be.
However, I was wondering what motivates people to write in this genre, is it to answer a sociological question? warnings about future events? or some other motivation.
I'd love to hear from you on this.
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 18
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Two things about writing I think are generally true: you should write what you know and you should write what you read. These don't always go together.
I write SF because it's what I have most liked to read ever since I was a child. I've always thought the greatest thing about SF is most of it is set in the future, which already concedes that there will be one. SF is important because it casts its gaze over the farthest horizons, to bring back tales of warning or encouragement, and because it may be the closest that writing can get to imagining something into reality.
Unfortunately, a love of science fiction didn't translate into a love of science for me. Instead, I've studied the English language, so while the science part is always challenging, the genre offers an enormous range of opportunities for exploring the human condition while still writing a rootin' tootin' rip-snorter of a story.
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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 25
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I want to write SF because I grew up reading it as a favorite. Also, it is most unfortunate, but "my mind works that way." I am very curious about science and technology. Today, there is so much going on, it's almost impossible to keep up, and today's science and technology is also truly in the realm of "science fiction." I can't begin to count the number of amazing things I learn about every time I seek out new information in sci/tech areas.
I'm sitting here doing something so science-fictional, that would have been impossible in the generation of the 1970's or 80's. I took a manual typewriter to the Clarion SF writers workshop in 1984 (yes, other students had "word processors"). When I think of some of the older SF writers I know, all of whom I grew up reading, I think of the work level they had to even speculate realistically on a few things.
A story I read back then that affected me a lot, which convinced me that maybe somewhere there was a giant computer that was going to take over the world and which hated people, was "I Have No Mouth But I Must Scream." I think the primal fear and aspects of human nature portrayed in the story are products of Harlan's rage, but they're also very real, and have been played out over and over throughout history.
But I don't think there will ever be a giant computer like AM (or IM? can't remember). I don't think that the hellish nightmare portrayed in the story will ever become real because of a computer or any type of AI. I don't really buy the "AI's will self-replicate and behave just like living creatures seeking survival, procreation and dominance." Now - could a person treat others like AM did? If he or she had the power and capacity to do so? Uh - yeah. What do you think Khadafi would do if he could turn his opponents into living jelly, or take some guy's arm off and stick it on the back of his head?
I swore off SF for a long time. Now it feels right to me to be writing it again. I think it's very relevant to today, and continues to be the source of countless great stories and ideas.
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 6
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Interesting, I fit in a similar vein to marilyn, I look a lot at the technology used in today's world and extrapolate that into the future, I also tend to use Science Fiction to help portray elements of the human condition, for example there may be radically advanced tech all around, but the characters remain human, they feel, love, think and wonder just like people of today do.
I also tend to watch more Science Fiction than any other genre, and read more Science Fiction than the other genre's too. As what Bill said, I write what I know. Although I do occasionally take forays into other genre's, a change is as good as a rest after all.
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Joined: 4/6/2011
Posts: 29
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When you get right down to the bottom of my reasons for reading and writing SF, it's because I think aliens and spaceships are cool.
Blame Star Wars. 
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Joined: 3/4/2011
Posts: 58
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I'm with Rebecca. Star Wars was the first piece of science fiction I viewed, then read, that got me started writing and reading it exclusively. Up until about four years ago, I actually wouldn't read anything outside the genre unless someone required me to for a course or something. Now I've expanded my reading horizons, but I still prefer science fiction to everything else.
I'm not much into science, and tend towards soft sci-fi and space opera for my writing. I love creating my own worlds and alien races. I don't much care how a spaceship works, so long as it gets my characters somewhere so that exciting things can happen to them.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 412
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I write SF because I'm a natural mental inventor, and its a way to see people using things I conceived of.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 51
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I find that whether I like it or not, science fiction tends to find its way into a lot of my writing. I think it's simply because I am so often dumbstruck by science, and the awe and respect I have for those at the forefront of technological evolution is considerable. One of the things I've always really respected about hard-SF writers is their mastery of (sometimes pseudo-)scientific explanations for the technology that appears in their novels, though it's not something I have the ability to do myself.
I've spent a significant portion of my life reading science fiction, and there's just something so incredibly deep about it that draws me in. I think it's because I find it easier to immerse myself in a world of fictional technology than elves and goblins, though I don't mind the odd bit of fantasy literature. Space opera is a fantastic example of the scale that this technology can grant you, especially when you consider the use of FTL tech and the expanse of the stage the story takes place on, as a direct result.
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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 77
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I write SF because it's fun. I love world-building, and in the next five hundred years, there is plenty of room for developments. I also love wordplay, and trying to come up with neologisms which are both tolerable and intelligible is a challenge.
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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 29
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So there are theories I pondered as I tried to understand the universe when I was growing up. I thought X, Y, and Z. But I lack the level of physics necessary to prove any of those things. So I write stories about them so that when they're proven true, people will go, "Oh my god, science fiction is science fact!" like we do every time some invention is similar to something from Star Trek.
Basically, I wrote sf as a way of calling dibs. 
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 412
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Joe, agreed. I invented a device when I was 12, used it in a story starting back in 99. the technology now exists to make it real. I've been trying to get some funding to do so, but if anyone beats me to the punch, I've got my story description out there, online, 10 years ago, to show as "prior art". I dun called dibs!
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Joined: 3/12/2011
Posts: 376
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I guess I'm the weird one here. I write SF because the stories that pop into my head are SF. Sometimes they're not SF, and then I write Not SF. Far too often they're neither SF nor Not-SF, which is why I drop into Weird Fiction and Slipstream a lot.
But I've never made a conscious choice to 'write SF', and I'm really not sure what motivates me to write it when I do. I do write a lot about what makes humans human, and subjects like transhumanism, AI, and genetic engineering let me explore that.
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Joined: 3/7/2011
Posts: 38
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I love asking the questions "Why?" and "What If?" Science, especially physics and astronomy, has always been an area of interest for me. If I hadn't went to the creative writer side as a career, I would probably have been a scientist or engineer.
Choices for stories I read or tv shows/movies I watch have tended toward sci/fi and fantasy, and that's the kinds of stories I also enjoy writing.
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Joined: 5/8/2011
Posts: 13
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I like SF because there are no limits. I can create worlds, history, cultures and societies -- whatever I need to meet my imagination. Other than the basic laws of physics and biology, I have few boundaries or constraints to worry about.
I think some of my greatest feelings of accomplishment in creating worlds and/or civilizations comes from developing cultures or sub-cultures with their rules and norms. With those, I have the constraints to guide my characters, or provide the penalties for breaking them; setting the furthest guides for the stories. As long as I stay in those boundaries, I know the story won't get out of hand and I can concentrate on the relationships.
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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 49
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I'm a lot like Robert. I write sci-fi when sci-fi stories pop into my head. Sometimes fantasy stories pop into my head, and so I write those. Sometimes stories that aren't speculative at all pop into my head, and I write those (though that seems to be happening less and less). The first novel I wrote was fantasy, the second was sci-fi, the third was fantasy, the fourth was sci-fi, and the fifth was women's fiction (as was the sixth). Now I'm back to mostly sci-fi and fantasy (steampunk, urban fantasy, and space opera at the moment).
I never consciously made the decision to write one genre over another. I just write whatever I'm feeling passionate about at the time.
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Joined: 5/12/2011
Posts: 240
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I feel like a bit of an interloper here, because unlike most of ya'll, Sci-Fi hasn't been something I've read avidly all my life. I have loved every piece of sci-fi HAVE read (okay, except Stranger in a Strange Land--HATE it. Sorry if it's your personal Bible.) But since I went to school for English as an undergrad and continued to pursue it in grad school (for twelve, flippin' years) I have not had time to read outside my "field" of study very often. That field was 19th century American literature, so when I started writing fiction, I started writing historical fiction in that period.
However, I have always loved a quick and dirty shot of sci-fi in film and t.v. Will go see almost any sci-fi movie however awful and will read the book on which it's based first if applicable. Love BSG, all incarnations of Star Trek, the original Star Wars (4,5 and 6--not so keen on 1, 2 and 3 in recent years), etc.
Somehow or other this space opera popped into my head not so long ago and I flexed my fingers and sat down to type.
What I have loved about it is how it allows me to put people into high-stakes situations (without the need for historical authenticity, though that's definitely fun, too) and see how they will react to that and to each other.
As I revisit the writing over and over (as I do--I'm a big reviser!), I am also seeing some recent concerns and themes of my life--worry for the future my children and inheriting, existential crisis as my father dies of cancer, religious shifts in my thinking--playing out in the story too. Those things are always in writing, but rarely does a good writer actually sit down to preach any particular thing. Sci-fi really seems to tease them out though.
I think I am hooked. My next novel-length project will be historical again, but I think I might have another dozen of these short stories set in the future lurking in my psyche!
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Joined: 5/25/2011
Posts: 121
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Hello All. Like many of you I've always loved SF. I still remember the first book I ever read - my aunt brought it from the library for me - "Johhny and the Two Hour Moon". Ever since then I was hooked. Loved Andre Norton, Asimov, Clarke, all the classics (also tells you how old I am). I guess initially it was the lure of the unknown and adventure. Unlike earlier generations there really weren't many places left on earth that were unexplored - the Darkest Africa of Burroughs and Haggard had morphed into a bunch of politically problematic former colonies, and southeast asia had become...well, Vietnam. But while I still love space opera I'm more interested in people and how they will react to changes in technology. New technology is also a great unknown - what happens when we face it? For instance, one of my favorite StarTrek TNG is "Measure of a Man" where Data is basically put on trial because a scientist wants to take him apart to see how he works. The Captain of course has to defend him - is he machine or being? At what point does the line get crossed? I respectfully disagree with those who don't think AI is possible because what are our brains other than organic computers?
Well be that as it may, I like to explore characters - what will they do in a new situation, especially if they are not black and white situations. People are flawed, and will continue to be. People give it their best shots and sometimes they make the right decision and sometimes they don't. And then again, what do they see as the "right" decision. Well, I guess it depends....
Hope to see you around Book Country. Great discussion. Love it.
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Forgive me, but I'm another of the annoying people introduced to SF through Star Wars. I started reading classic SF when I was 16, with the Foundation series. I started writing a novel when I was 14 and short stories at 16. I write SF because of the setting, honestly. I love the idea of humans in outer space, exploring new worlds, and species.
Science fascinates me, though math isn't a subject that comes easily to me. I like learning about new technologies and applications.
There have been many times I've stopped writing, but science fiction keeps pulling me back. It's just a part of me now.
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Joined: 5/25/2011
Posts: 121
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Mahesh, Why are people introduced to SF through Star Wars annoying? It's a classic Space Opera. I think all SF folks share a sense of wonder and beauty of outer space and all its possibilities. Doesn't matter if you prefer Hard SF or Space Opera, it's all good stuff!
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 6
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Thanks guys, i've found this thread really illuminating.
My SF series, while not on here, is a sweeping saga of a particularly troubled era of the future, the MC's are both part of what is called the E.D.F (Earth Defence Force) and together they struggle against hostile alien attacks, form alliances with new species, and just try to keep Earth, its citizens and its outer colonies safe.
While there are always huge epic battles in my works, they are always there for a reason, Its not just two cultures going at it for the sake of it. And there is always elements of the human condition contained within the books, people grieve for their losses, love and laugh just as ordinary people do. I've tried hard to keep the characters as ordinary as possible, they are not cyber enhanced super humans and above all from the outset I wanted E.D.F to be its own creation, not simply star trek or star wars wrapped up in different clothing if you understand my meaning.
I've just finished the first edit on E.D.F book 2, and i've just had the proof copy delivered. So i'm going to give that a read-through and an edit, then hopefully it will be ready to hit the shops later in the year. Then on to book 3.
For me anyway one of the reasons I write is the wonder of the stars, when you look up at the night sky and see all those little twinkling lights, and wonder what is out there.
One night a few years ago now, when the village I live in suffered a total blackout, I looked up at the clear night sky and saw the milky way galaxy for the very first time as a faint fringe of light across the sky, as I picked up a pair of binoculars (the only thing I had close to hand) and peered through them I was rewarded with one of the most awe inspiring sights in my life. And that is one of the reasons I write SF.
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Hi Tom ... I dunno, I just thought I'd apologize off the bat,  There's always seemed to be a love/hate thing with Star Wars in the literary community, but I'm with ya.
I like your description, Ian, about the wonder of the stars. That night in the village must have been amazing!
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Joined: 6/20/2011
Posts: 5
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What Marilyn Peake said.
Out of respect for the genre, I do my homework and research so the technologies in my book are only a slight stretch of an extrapolation of what people are working on now.
I've been into science and scifi since I can remember. The physics teacher at my secondary school gave me a 'B' for physics with the comment 'works largely on his own.' Fact was I never did physics and wasn't in his class. I'd just grab him whenever I could and talk science stuff with him. It took a long time for my intelligence to catch up with my imagination.
So, oh yes. I love to mash up current developments in science, nanotechnology, genetics, computing and bricolage up innovative inventions for my books. Then sit back and read in the New Scientist and online science news about developments that are bringing my stuff closer to reality. I post these up on my blogs (there's a link to it somewhere on my profile.
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Joined: 8/10/2011
Posts: 6
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I grew up around Star Trek and developed an interest for it, which eventually extended to all science fiction. I loved the cool starships and aliens and space battles. When I was 8-9, I started to collect Star Trek Micro Machines and develop my own Star Trek stories. A few years later, I started to write out these stories.
Now, I continue to write science fiction because I can do things here that I could not do in any other genre. Like meeting an alien. Where else could I pit dragon against spaceship? Or mount laser cannons on dragons?
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Joined: 8/30/2011
Posts: 1
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I am a new SF writer and new to Book Country. Hello everyone. I always think about what could be and wonder why we aren't building the technology today. I love science fiction movies. I find writing as a way of getting my visions of the future out on paper.
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 26
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I think people have a tendency to explain things even if it doesn't seem logical. Science Fiction was the place for me to do that. Besides, Sci-Fi has been a wonderful place to make crazy crossovers that still make sense.
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Joined: 8/13/2011
Posts: 272
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I'd be lying if I didn't admit that part of the reason that I write SciFi and Fantasy is because it lets me exponentially scale up the level of action I can get away with. Once you start introducing psychics, power armour and magic, you've got the excuse to do just about anything.
The other reason I love writing SciFi and Fantasy is that it's a very good excuse to turn around and look at the nature of reality. Many books start with a single tweak to the way the world works and then starts to unweave the implications. I'm currently thrashing out several ideas along these lines for future projects and it's endlessly fascinating to think about how one change to our world can end up changing everything. What would happen if we had infinite energy? FTL? telepathy? The answers can fill entire libraries, not just one book.
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Like RK Alan, I prefer science fiction grounded in real science. As Tim Maguire suggests, 1% fiction can change 99% of the world. Heh, Tim nailed it for me: I enjoy mentally tweaking the way something is and then imagining what changes that could bring to reality. Never cared much for reality, I'm just stuck in it. So, sci-fi is an escape. I mean, maybe I'd only have to change one damn thing to shatter the world to bits and then remold it closer to my heart's desire? (sorry, Mssrs. Khayyam & FitzGerald
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 6
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Hi guys, i've been away for a while, but i'm most definately back now, and with a brand new novel to show you my Science fiction credentials, E.D.F Chronicles : Eye of the Dracos. I would love to hear your views on this.
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Joined: 12/18/2011
Posts: 25
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When I was very young, only 3 or 4 years old, I had a dream in which I was the lone pilot of a spaceship. I don't know, maybe I watched The Jetsons too much; it looked like their ship, except is was steel grey. I travelled to the end of the Universe and found a wall there consisting of steel plates riveted together with huge hot rivets. (Google hot rivets, and you'll find they were the customary way to attach beams and girders one to another during large-scale construction in the 50s and 60s). Anyway, I went to the end of the Universe in my dream, then I got out with a prybar and started trying ot open up a crack between the plates. This is a true story.
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