Following, a guest blog post
Jamie Sheffield wrote for me as part of the
"Writers Robin Round".
I also have written a blog post for him.
My post on his blog.
Here is what he wrote:
When I first talked with Micha Fire
about each of us writing for the other's blog, she suggested I
write a ‘food for thought’ article about Science Fiction. I was
initially unsure of what to talk about, but have been thinking about
it for some time, and have some snacks for thought about SF.
Science Fiction is a genre that
encourages the exploration of ideas or questions or philosophies
through the application of various elements that support (and even
require) the readers’ suspension of disbelief in ways that
would not be reasonable in other types of fiction … some of the
elements include:
Alternate timelines resulting in a
changed history or future
Other worlds, outer space, the
center of the Earth, etc.
Non-human characters - aliens,
mutants, robots, etc.
Futuristic technology/scientific
advances - devices or altered scientific principles
Different social or political
systems or structures – post-scarcity, dystopic, post-apocalyptic,
etc.
Evolved abilities like telepathy,
pyrokinesis, mind-control, and teleportation
Building a story and/or world around
one or more of these elements of Science Fiction allows the author
(and by proxy, their readers) to explore thoughts and ideas and
moralities outside of those presented by the ‘real world’. At
the end of the day, it’s the exploration of these ideas, more than
the special effects that makes great Science Fiction work for me.
“Ender's Game” is a great example
of astonishing technology and the threat of alien beings forcing the
reader to focus on questions of morality and warfare and
responsibilities to individuals versus society.
“Jurassic Park” grabs readers with
a fast-paced story teeming with ferocious, cloned, dinosaurs, but the
questions of scientists’ responsibility to carefully manage the
power and knowledge gleaned from their predecessors ‘ work is what
stays with you, long after you have finished reading the book.
“Dune” brings readers to a richly
detailed universe that is hugely distant and different from ours, and
allows readers to explore the concepts of power and scarcity and
control and uprising and political intrigue and interdependence in
the course of a rich and rewarding story.
“The Yellow Pill” is a brilliant
short work that pulls readers into a discussion of perception and
reality and the ways in which people choose to deceive themselves in
order to go about their daily lives.
I've read hundreds more novels and
shorter pieces that use the elements of Science Fiction to help the
reader crack open the accepted views of reality and normalcy, to
allow us to look at some aspect of the world or our lives in a unique
and telling manner; sometimes the best way to look at something is to
turn it on its head, and that’s what Science Fiction allows readers
and writers to do.
The stories that have changed my life
the most, and stayed with me the longest have all been Science
Fiction.
Jamie Sheffield
Short
Bio
Jamie
Sheffield lives in the Adirondack Park, and when he's not writing
mysteries set in the Adirondack Park, he's probably camping or
exploring the last great wilderness in the Northeast. He has
been a Special Education Teacher in the Lake Placid Central School
District for the last 15 years. Besides writing, Jamie loves
cooking and reading and dogs and all manner of outdoor pursuits.
"Here Be Monsters" is his debut novel.
And yes, I agree that reading Science Fiction, no matter if it is old ones or newer releases, can open your mind to see things differently.
So, as writer with an open mind, I tend to write in Science Fiction style, however I do not stay strict to the genre. It might as well contain Psychology, Romance, Speculation, Utopia, Fantasy or even Magic fiction ideas. Sometimes even Thriller or Horror though that is not so much to my likes.
I'm more of a happy, optimistic writer; sharing the good and positive in this world.
Happy reading, Science Fiction if you want. =))