Is Fiction A Type of Fabrication? Part 3 of 10
If you’ve just joined us please read the blog which started this all, about two posts ago. Because you have to wonder if you write fiction it is something like a fabrication or a lie? Is writing about improving or creating something that lasts– which is what fiction does?
I’m a strong believer in fiction as an art and as a form of creativity when writing. It allows me to do more with my own work including that of non-fiction. I am always delighted when I can spend time writing fiction. Sadly for me that time is limited since a larger deadline looms, for my non-fiction book. I need to thanks my editor for her hard work.
For fiction, I’ve talked about fantasy but what about its cousin science-fiction? It has two types hard and soft science-fiction. I would say that research is required for both types. Soft science-fiction deals with sociological issues in a more “fantastic manner” where the future is shown through the sociological present. Hard science fiction deals with technology. One needs to spend a lot of time looking through and studying scientific advances. Asimov is best known for that type of science fiction.
I would say that this fiction needs plenty of study since many of these fans are well read, and will tell the author if they feel that the story/ plot/ character is wrong. They want to think, and to be entertained. They are willing to debate what is good or not. If you doubt my line of thinking, try talking about what is right or wrong with the new Star Trek, to someone who loves Star Trek. Their arguments are always intelligent.
I would also say this about literary fiction, but that is for tomorrow’s post. I’m busy picking one of two literary author to discuss out of the thousands of good ones.
2 Comments
PrettySiren
I definitely agree with you. Fiction must be grounded to fact, in some way, to be worth reading.
After all, if a fiction book is a bunch of made up, nonsensical things strung together, it’s not really a story so much as…well, nonsense.
The best sort of fiction is where the improbable can be explained to the point where it sounds possible.
You mentioned Star Trek in this post. That’s a very perfect example of grounding science fiction in fact. In the recent movie, old Spock and the Romulans travel through a wormhole to the movie’s present timeline. That’s a very improbable and fantastic occurrence (not to mention convenient plot-wise), however it’s grounded in scientific fact/theory, thus making it believable (for the most part, though the theories behind wormholes are still debatable). At the very least, the movie attempts to explain the plot device as a legitimate scientific phenomena. If they didn’t, movie-goers would’ve merely laughed at the whole thing.
The same thing can be said for historical fiction. If you’re writing about a girl who lived in Paris in 1793, you would need to know facts about the time period — how people dressed,their technology, their society, and current events.
Long comment short, I totally agree with what you are saying.
Rebecca
Great comment, see her blog for some great writing tips.