Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Just Tell Your Stories

Posted by: Deborah A Bailey
Years ago, one of my cousins said that she didn’t read science fiction because "it wasn't real." I laughed at that one. Authors take real world situations and use fantastic stories to make statements about the state of things. Or they propose solutions to current world problems. Sure, entertainment has to be part of it. Readers don't want to be preached to. But, writers can share comments on society while drawing readers into rich story worlds.

Looking at classic television, the original Star Trek certainly did that. So did The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Social commentary seemed to be easier to get across if aliens were involved.

As a Star Trek fan, I've read a lot about how Gene Roddenberry had to struggle with the network suits about having a diverse crew. But, they didn't like the character of Spock either, considering him to be too "demonic" looking. That says a lot about how narrow the focus is for storytelling when it has to be filtered through a corporate lens.

Spock was, and is, an iconic character, struggling with identity and acceptance. Finally coming into his own by the end of the last movie with the original crew. His influence is so strong that he made an appearance on the first Trek reboot movie. Something about him resonated with viewers over the  decades. And he's a favorite with fanfic writers who continue to expand beyond the canon.

So, yes, we can create characters who are different, but have similar experiences. That's why I think this moment in time is extremely important. As we experience both a pandemic and a global social justice movement, our stories are extremely important. How many classic stories were written during times of great upheaval? How many were pointing out how we could be better, while at the same time not hiding the inequities?

Whether I'm writing a short story about a robot lover finding his place in the world, or a romance between a princess and a shapeshifter, I'm saying something about human beings in this world. And, yes, saying something about my experience as well.

I still remember finding a book by a Black female sci-fi author, Octavia E Butler. Her work is a major influence on me because she showed me I could also be a sci-fi writer. Why? Because she was there and getting books published. I never knew someone like her existed.

Her books, Kindred and Parable of the Sower get cited a lot these days, but her book Mind of My Mind is my favorite. It's part of a series about humans who have developed psychic abilities. They've been bred over centuries by an otherworldly being. Ultimately they claim their own destinies. They learn to turn the powers that were destroying them into a force that ultimately connects them.

Just as with Spock's struggles to define his identity in two different worlds, her characters are searching for the same things. And, as a Black woman in a society where my identities intersect, characters like that are a revelation. Yes, it's a human experience. But, there are different variations and cultural nuances.

As a SFF author I'm bringing my own perspective to my stories. Whether I'm writing sci-fi about corporate-run planets, or fantasy princess stories. There are no limitations.

 What we write will always include elements of what's happening around us. What we've lived through and how we interact with the world. And, that's a good thing. Especially in times of change and uncertainty, our voices are needed. And, so are our stories.

"If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." - Toni Morrison


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