Why do I write almost exclusively science fiction (or, science/space fantasy?) and fantasy?
Short answer: more creative freedom.
I’ve heard it said that speculative fiction is supposed
to say something about society or human nature, that the point of it is to take modern problems and put them in a wildly different place so they can be looked at from the outside, with an objective eye. It’s supposed to have a moral and a point and push people to action. I say screw that.
I think science fiction and fantasy are the best genres for living out your wildest, well, fantasies. I choose to write those two genres because they aren’t limited by reality. I don’t have to worry about what really happened in history, what nature is really like, what is truly feasible. I can make up whatever I think makes for the most entertaining story. Whatever allows for the best escapism. If I want people to be able to travel between planets in minutes to hours instead of months to years, they will. If I want there to be giant fire breathing lizards, there will be. If I want there to be a mysterious element that fuses to DNA and technology that allows it to do miraculous things, then darnit, there will be that element. I can even get away with having people perform feats not quite plausible in reality. Or have a medieval army move around without having to worry about latrines and sanitation or having a train of people following it. I can let a guy have the same sword his whole life without worrying about it breaking. None of those things is realistic, but it makes for a cleaner story that can focus where I want it to focus.
That isn’t to say I ignore reality, however. If I venture too far from it, then even I start to get pulled out of the story and want to stop. It has to be realistic enough for it to be plausible, but with science fiction and fantasy I can push those boundaries and introduce elements totally unbelievable and the reader will go along with it. But reality is also the best place for inspiration. History is full of stories and little details that I add to my a fiction that make it infinitely more enjoyable. And sometimes science discovers or invents something that I couldn’t dream up in a million years. They say truth is stranger than fiction, and that makes it the perfect place for inspiration.
Science fiction and fantasy are unparalleled when it comes to creative freedom and escapism. That’s why I choose to write in those genres. And really, as primarily a worldbuilder I had no choice, no other genres would have me.
What are your thoughts on science fiction and fantasy? Are they your favorite genres? If not, what are?
