Writing Excuses Notes: Sci-Fi

Here are some notes I took after listening to Writing Excuses.

It is an educational podcast that helps novelists/writers.

The topic is about the Sci-Fi genre.

It comes from Season 1, Episode 8.

Sci-Fi

Science Fiction. We write it to explore “What If”

• Philip K. Dick says Science Fiction is about writing and experiencing new things.

Sci-Fi looks at what is conceivably possible. Fantasy looks at what is conceivably impossible.

It comes from two positions:

Optimism or Cautionary Tales, based on current ideas.

• There is the notion that it is meant to be a didactic genre (meant to instruct).
  • While it may have originated that way, the setting (like a spaceship) seems to define it.

NOTE: Fantasy, Horror & Romance used to be bundled together into the ‘What-If?’ classification.

What made Science Fiction splinter off into it’s own genre?

It’s a reflective genre. Ideas drive science fiction, whereas fantasy is driven by setting.

• A short story revels character through action. A novel leads to action through character.

What makes for good Science Fiction?

You need an understanding of the current sciences in order to keep things plausible.

• It is important to know what has come before.
  • You need something new. It is about discovery/exploration.

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