How Science Fiction Can Change The World · Author’s Enjoyable Zone

How Science Fiction Can Change the World – How To Write the Future podcast, episode 142

“I’d say I stay on this house with my Janey McCallister House Station Thriller collection. I believe lots concerning the candy spot between present know-how and future hypothesis.”

On this How To Write the Future podcast episode, host and award-winning science fiction creator, Beth Barany, discusses how science fiction and fantasy can encourage social change and presents eight potential matters for future episodes, together with AI characters, local weather fiction, and Afrofuturism, inviting viewers participation via voting in your favourite.

1 – Writing Speculative Fiction for Social Change

2 – World Constructing in Local weather Fiction

3 – AI and Robotic Characters in Fiction

4 – Afro-futurism and Cultural Narratives

5 – House Opera and Interstellar Societies

6 – Close to Future Know-how in Fiction

7 – Time Journey Narratives

8 – Biotech and Future Medication

Forged your vote on which matters you’d prefer to see highlighted by emailing beth@bethbarany.com or connecting on Instagram @BethBarany or taking the ballot right here: https://bethbarany.com/htwtfpoll25

RESOURCES

Free World Constructing Workbook for Fiction Writers: https://writersfunzone.com/weblog/world-building-resources/

Join the 30-minute Story Success Clinic with Beth Barany: https://writersfunzone.com/weblog/story-success-clinic/

Get help in your fiction writing by a novelist and writing trainer and coach. Schedule an exploratory name right here and see if Beth can help you right this moment: https://writersfunzone.com/weblog/discovery-call/

In regards to the How To Write the Future podcast

The How To Write The Future podcast is for science fiction and fantasy writers who wish to write constructive futures and efficiently convey these tales out into {the marketplace}. Hosted by Beth Barany, science fiction novelist and creativity coach for writers. We cowl suggestions for fiction writers. This podcast is for readers too if you happen to’re in any respect interested by the way forward for humanity.

This podcast is for you in case you have questions like:

– How do I create a plausible world for my science fiction story?

– How do I work out what’s not working if my story feels flat?

– How do I make my story extra fascinating and alive?

This podcast is for readers too if you happen to’re in any respect interested by the way forward for humanity.

Transcript for How science fiction can change the world

[00:00] Introduction and Goal of the Podcast

BETH BARANY: Hey everybody. Beth Barany right here with Write The Future Podcast. Science fiction and fantasy can change the world. I would like your assist. I actually consider that science fiction and fantasy can change the world, and that’s one in every of my motivations for this podcast.

[00:16] Overview of Eight Potential Matters

BETH BARANY: So on this episode I’m gonna current to you eight totally different matters that may very well be, entire episodes. And I’m gonna ask some questions and I’d love to listen to from you. Which of those eight are you wanting me to do an episode on?

So I’m gonna state what the eight are. Then I’m gonna speak somewhat bit about each, after which I’ll restate them on the finish and also you’ll have a hyperlink within the present notes or, wherever you’re listening to this podcast, that may take you to a ballot.

So you possibly can inform me what would you’re keen on a deep dive in. Okay.

[00:52] Record of Attainable Episodes

BETH BARANY:

Listed below are the matters I’m gonna cowl briefly in right this moment’s episode:

BETH BARANY: Writing speculative fiction for social change

World constructing in local weather fiction

AI and robotic characters in fiction

Afrofuturism and cultural narratives

House opera and interstellar societies

Close to future know-how in fiction

Time journey narratives

and lastly: Biotech and Future Medication.

Now that’s eight matters.

Alright, right here we go.

[01:25] Matter 1: Writing Speculative Fiction for Social Change

BETH BARANY: So first off, writing speculative fiction for social change.

Science fiction is nice for exploring actual world insurance policies and social actions. We are able to actually do some nice explorations with science fiction and fantasy as nicely. So speculative fiction embody science fiction and fantasy and all of the variations.

So how can these science fiction and fantasy narratives successfully affect coverage makers and social actions?

That may very well be one thing I may discover. We are able to additionally discuss what actual world examples have we seen of science fiction, inspiring precise technological or social change. And I may say Star Trek is a superb instance of that.

[02:06] Matter 2: World Constructing in Local weather Fiction

BETH BARANY: Alright, subsequent matter, which is world constructing in local weather fiction, that is all about how can we construct plausible worlds affected by local weather change?

And which may present up in science fiction, fantasy, all types of speculative fiction. So how do you steadiness scientific accuracy, if that’s vital to you with storytelling while you depict local weather affected futures?

One other query that we may discover is what distinctive challenges do characters face in local weather modified environments?

My instance for that is Dune.

Dune is a tradition that’s extremely tailored to a low water, excessive desert setting. So we may discover that. Let me know if you need me to discover that one. Subsequent…

[02:49] Matter 3: AI and Robotic Characters in Fiction

BETH BARANY: AI and robotic characters in fiction, we may discover that extra.

How can we write compelling narratives with AI characters?

And so one thing to discover can be what makes an AI character really feel genuine slightly than only a human with mechanical elements?

And one other query is: how do you discover the moral implications of AI consciousness in fiction?

And a terrific e book advice that I’ve and one which does discover these fantastically is the e book known as Activation Degradation by Marina J. Lostetter. She did the Homicide Bot collection.This can be a standalone novel. I assumed it was actually good Activation, Degradation by Marina J. Lostetter.

[03:29] Matter 4: Afrofuturism and Cultural Narratives

BETH BARANY: Subsequent we may discover Afrofuturism and cultural narratives. And that is bringing cultural heritage, for instance, from a area in Africa or from another a part of the world, and convey it into futuristic narratives. So the inquiries to discover right here can be how can writers respectfully incorporate cultural components into future narratives?

And in addition, what position does cultural heritage play in shaping future societies?

And a terrific instance of that is all of the work of Nnedi Okorafor. I simply love her Binti collection. And I do know, this can be a very juicy matter, so let me know if you need me to discover this one in larger depth.

I may in all probability discover individuals to interview for this matter very simply in addition to the others.

One other matter we may discover collectively.

[04:15] Matter 5: House Opera and Interstellar Societies

BETH BARANY: House opera and interstellar societies. How can we construct tales? Advanced narratives of house faring civilizations?

And in order a author, we ask, how do you create plausible social buildings for house faring civilizations? And in addition what are some distinctive challenges that come up if you find yourself governing multi-planetary populations?

One among my favourite examples of that is the science fiction collection by Elizabeth Moon, which I’m gonna discuss within the subsequent episode. And I’ve a stack of books proper right here. I’m gonna be recording that quickly.

Jim Hines has a terrific collection known as Janitors of the Publish Apocalypse. He’s acquired a 3 e book collection. I simply adore it. He does a terrific job with this entire house faring civilizations actually enjoyable.

[05:00] Matter 6: Close to Future Know-how in Fiction

BETH BARANY: Alright, subsequent matter, we are able to dive deeper into: Close to future know-how in fiction. How can we write about rising applied sciences realistically?

And a query we are able to focus on: how do you analysis rising applied sciences to make close to future situations believable?

Additionally, what’s that candy spot between present know-how and future hypothesis?

And I’d say I stay on this house with my Janey McCallister House Station Thriller collection. I believe lots concerning the candy spot between present know-how and future hypothesis. And I, yeah, I’ve lots to say about this and I may need already mentioned it in some previous episodes. So that’s undoubtedly one thing I’ve lots to say on.

[05:43] Matter 7: Time Journey Narratives

BETH BARANY: Subsequent time journey narratives: managing the paradoxes and creating constant time journey guidelines.

So a query you may ask as a author is: how do you preserve inner consistency in your time journey guidelines?

What are some artistic methods to deal with temporal paradoxes?

So I’ve a terrific instance of this and it’s the Beryl Blue collection by Janet Ray Stevens, a pal of mine and I simply adore her time journey collection.

It’s very enjoyable and humorous and has guidelines round time journey. I actually adore it. That’s one instance.

So let me know if you need me to debate extra about time journey narratives.

[06:22] Matter 8: Biotech and Future Medication

BETH BARANY: After which that is the final one I’m gonna discuss right this moment, which is biotech and future drugs. That is tales which might be writing about medical advances and their implications.

So how may superior medical know-how change human society and what moral dilemmas come up with biotech development?

So let me know if you need me to debate that one.

And I wanna convey up Elizabeth Moon once more as a result of she has life extension as a factor in her, science fiction. She discusses the implications of that. It has sociopolitical implications if persons are dwelling longer and that has impression and strain on her characters and her tales. It’s actually fascinating.

[07:04] Wrap-Up and Name to Motion: Vote in your Favourite

BETH BARANY: Alright, so these are my eight matters.

And vote for the one that you really want me to dive deeper into.

Alright. And I’m gonna repeat them for you.

Writing speculative fiction for social change

World constructing in local weather fiction

BETH BARANY: AI and robotic characters in fiction

Afrofuturism and cultural narratives

House opera and interstellar societies

Close to future know-how in fiction

Time journey narratives

And lastly, biotech and future drugs in narrative.

BETH BARANY: Alright, that’s it for this week, everybody.

[07:44] Further Assets and Subsequent Episode Teaser

BETH BARANY: Simply wanna shortly remind you, I’ve a world constructing workbook for fiction writers. In order for you help and steering and brainstorm instruments round your world constructing. I extremely advocate you try my world constructing workbook for fiction writers and that may aid you get going.

And final however not least, keep tuned until subsequent week’s episode. I’m gonna discuss Elizabeth Moon, one in every of my favourite science fiction and fantasy writers. All proper, write lengthy and prosper.

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ABOUT BETH BARANY

Beth Barany teaches science fiction and fantasy novelists find out how to write, edit, and publish their books as a coach, trainer, advisor, and developmental editor. She’s an award-winning fantasy and science fiction novelist and runs the podcast, “How To Write The Future.”

Be taught extra about Beth Barany at these websites:

Writer web site / Teaching web site / College of Fiction / Author’s Enjoyable Zone weblog