In my quest to publish Planet of Eden, I’ve read a lot of advice about how to “write stories that get published.” Evidently, agents and publishers of speculative fiction are looking for certain “kinds” of science fiction stories to publish. The business and marketing side of my brain understands, but my creative side asks if this is truly speculative fiction, or speculative formula.
I enjoy going to bookstores just to browse. When I can, I like to go through all my favorite departments just to see what other authors are writing about. Of course, I like to spend extra time in the science fiction and fantasy sections. If I’m not looking for my next novel to read, I’m analyzing story lines, comparing styles, and trying to guess what it is about certain books that gets them published. Some of them are original, and those are the books I find myself appreciating the most. Others, however, contain familiar storylines that have just enough of a twist to make them slightly different from what has already been published.
Oftentimes, the lack of originality on today’s speculative fiction shelves has caused me to explore books from science fiction’s heyday. For that I am appreciative because I have come to enjoy and admire the founders of the genre. From the earliest novels to the pulp fiction short stories, I have discovered originality that sadly would probably not be published today. And therein lies the problem. In today’s market, there is not enough room for speculative fiction that dares to go beyond. The old stories challenge our thinking. They entertain, but they also make us think. Perhaps that is what has changed. In today’s climate of escapism and light entertainment, is there no more room for stories that make us think?
By focusing too much on formulas that “get books sold,” it seems to me that we are at risk of limiting the speculative nature of science fiction. The word speculate means to think, reflect, or meditate on something. It implies conjecture. The original Latin form of the word means to look intently and explore.
Authors of speculative fiction usually start out asking themselves a question: What if? The question is passed on to the reader and gets us thinking. Usually, we are asked to set aside some current notions or understandings and suspend belief. It’s as if the author is saying, “I want you to forget what you know, or think you know, about this idea and explore it in a new way.” When a reader does that, the story becomes fun, entertaining, and maybe even a bit educational. I suppose that is one of the characteristics of speculative fiction that I enjoy the most.
When a story seems formulated, it immediately loses me. Instead of being challenged to think in a different way while an original story unfolds, I am being asked to accept a slight twist to a story that I have already read: Here’s the story of Dracula, but what if Dracula was a hermaphrodite? Or how about a fantasy world just like in Harry Potter, but the Harry Potter character is a girl? To me, that’s not speculative. Nor is it original. That’s riding on the coat tails of a great story by adding a slight twist. It may work for marketing and sales, but it is ultimately disingenuous.
Speculative fiction, like science fiction and fantasy, that is truly great should be truly speculative. Speculation goes deeper than twisting an already original story. The whole story should make us think in new and better ways. That’s where the magic happens in these genres. What if a robot declared himself sentient and wanted to marry a human girl? What if humans from Earth discovered an Eden-like planet where people still lived like Adam and Eve (Planet of Eden)? These are stories that grab the attention of astute readers, and it’s the astute reader that will keep coming back for more. The astute reader is the bread and butter of the publishing industry.
Let’s bring back the days when the majority of books on science fiction bookshelves were truly speculative fiction, and not just speculative formula. The authors are out there. They just need the industry to rediscover its roots. I’m waiting.
