Why I write science fiction

I was planning a post on women who write science fiction, but I haven't finished all the research. So, I thought instead I would write why I write science fiction.

I'm not really sure it has anything to do with gender. My experience of scifi goes back to my parents. They were both lovers of Star Trek, my mother especially. My earliest tv memories are of of Star Trek and Battlestar Gallactica. I also distinctly remember watching The Prisoner, although not a pure kind of scifi it's surrealism certainly lends itself to some sort of sub-genre. During this time I was also heavily exposed to The Twilight Zone and Outer Limits, both heavy on the socio-political sf with lots of horror elements. Another genre I have always loved.

By the time films like Star Wars and Alien had come around I was hooked on this kind of entertainment. I was also read to as a child. My mother read Orwell, Huxley and Wells to me. I didn't understand all of it, but it captured my imagination. I did understand the idea behind using a future world to explore the possibilities and pitfalls faced by the modern one. When I was older and advanced at reading I did start to read fantasy as well as science fiction on my own. I enjoyed both genres well enough and easily switched between them.

However, as I got older and grew into an adult my own world view became a bit dark and cynical. I tended to read more horror in those days, which reflected my pessimistic outlook. I was also very convinced of a failing future for the entire world. The stories I wrote at this time reflected these feelings of isolation and doom. What I wanted was to express a message about the current world's failures and the dangers ahead. To me it seemed that science fiction--particularly the "softer" socio-political type--leant itself to these ideas far better than fantasy. Especially at that time when most fantasy on book shelves was still heavily Tolkien and D&D based. For me that was escapist fun not serious. It was not philosophical or idealistic enough.

That doesn't mean I never endeavoured to write a fantasy work. I have, many times. In fact I find fantasy world building a very rewarding experience. Who knows perhaps some-day I will write a fantasy novel or game of some sort.

Perhaps my ideas about the fantasy genre are a bit outdated.  Made particularly so with modern urban fantasy and a blurring of the lines between genres. I do read the occasional fantasy book, and when well written one can be transported to a quite wonderful place. I still struggle though to see it as something more than entertaining or escapist. I struggle to find the philosophical ideas behind the strange settings and characters. However, I am not going to slag off an entire genre that would be completely arrogant and ridiculous. There are many new fantasy writers today that I have not yet read.

Now that I am much older my life view has changed somewhat. I also carry with me a wealth of personal experience and observation. However, my desire has not changed. It has only increased and become well formed. I'm still looking to write stories about modern life through a future context. I still find works in contemporary sf (although perhaps they are fewer and further between these days) that have these ideas in them and eagerly read them.

What I am currently writing I have called a "space opera" for lack of a better phrase. It is not a novel with faster-than-light ships though. There is no epic spaceship battle. It is a story about politics, history and the clashing of ideals and values between groups of people. It is also about personal identity. It is not an epic adventure, it is more of a thriller. It is a bit noir. My idea of science fiction is not pure and  it is not hard. I do look for ideas in real and possible science, but I do not claim to write science fact.

Perhaps, as a woman my writing is about emotions and about relationships. But isn't that just good character development? It seems highly sexist to think that people can and will only write about certain things based on their gender. I do not think that because there is still a substantial gap between woman who are published in SF and men who are that I should write SF. I write it because the genre speaks to me. It lends itself to my thoughts and ideas. When I see my story I see it in an SF context. I don't write it for "girl power", but because I feel compelled to.

Simply, I wanted to write science fiction when I was young. The feeling has only gotten stronger as I've gotten older to the point where I cannot imagine a life without it. No matter how long it takes me to get the words on paper. When I say I write science fiction I feel like I am doing the right thing.