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What every aspiring Sci-Fi writer must know
I do not claim to be a science fiction connoisseur. In fact I haven’t read a science fiction novel in a long time. My favorite science fiction book ever is Brave New World. Which might not even be science fiction.
A friend of mine, who is a writer, just asked:
I’ve decided to get into writing some futuristic sci-fi, perhaps a new novel. Any recommendations on your favorite sci-fi books that I should read?
I don’t know if this is true for Lilah, but let’s say you have been an accomplished author yet have never had any attraction to Sci-Fi. Something happens, and you are inspired by this new genre. Yet, you have no idea where to start. The field is so vast. How does one dive straight to the essence, and what is that essence?
I would start with The Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov. I don’t even know for sure that I would suggest reading the whole thing. Just get the concept of psychohistory. This is the first science fiction I remember reading, and what I liked was the magic of sci-fi, magic that was explained.
But what fun is magic when it is explained? There is a sense of seriousness in science fiction isn’t there?
The difference between science fiction and fantasy is that while both seem mystical, fantasy actually is mystical and in Sci-Fi everything can be explained by science.
Neal Stephenson’s Snowcrash. I read this while working at Silicon Graphics in 1997-8 showing off virtual worlds- a part of science fiction whose imagination has far exceded the speed of our manifestations. Cyber as a working word in English was established in this action adventure.
Brave New Wold by Aldous Huxley. Whenever I forget why I love this book, I read it again. And again I remember why I love this book. I need to read it again now. Maybe it’s just that he’s the author of Doors of Perception. There’s something striking about having your teenage awakening — and realizing that an established and extremely well recognized author has been there, written about it so well and in doing so publicly impacted our lexicon, music, and literature.
