Even though some will debate it, all science fiction is social science fiction. At its root, science fiction will immediately or eventually affect each individual and society, making it a social issue. Whether that social concern is robots or technology or time travel or genetic tampering, the social ramifications are profound.
Writing science fiction can be tricky. All too often the same story is told, just by different authors. This blog post will help writers of science fiction to incorporate creative social commentary into their narratives. By learning how to ask “what if?” and knowing how to manipulate a specific topic, you will find more ways to tell an interesting science fiction story.
Science Fiction and Social Concerns
You have to ask, “what affects society now?” if you want to improve your storytelling. If you can answer that, then you are halfway there. You should look at what individuals and society crave for as a whole. And then go from there. For example, begin with a social concern such as economic equality.
The possibilities are endless here. Not only can you tell a great sci-fi story using this subject, but if you can tweak it you can touch upon something that could eventually happen. This will make you ahead of your time. Who knows, maybe society will be talking about your story 50 years from now.
Robots
- This planet will eventually see a form of cyborg or outright robots living among human beings. This may not happen for a long time, but it will happen. Cyborgs will likely happen first because of the positivity that comes with adding robotic material to our bodies to withstand disease or dismemberment. Whether they come in forms of microscopic bots that clean out each cell to rid us of any hazardous illnesses or actual limbs, like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, living with robots is near.
- Think of the ways to enhance a story using robots. Are they human because they can think like a human? If yes, will they be entitled to the same rights and privileges? Will humans then find that problematic?
- If artificial intelligence becomes so smart, would the robots themselves fight back at the political level? Could a reversal (or revenge) become inflicted upon humans? Could humans become the endangered species at the hands of robots?
- What if robots become the main consumers of goods on Earth? How will that affect humans? Will humans find another way to survive? Will corporations play into this by marketing to robots rather than humans? Perhaps the robots will have a longer life span and therefore will have a more productive part as a constant spender of monies? Will humans become a secondary class to robots?
Animals
- Rather than have animals take over (i.e. Planet of the Apes) to develop a social commentary, what if science provided a way to use animals as a means for eternal life for humans? Perhaps scientists discovered a way to harness the genetics of an animal to enhance humanity? What if it was legalized? Surely, society would never agree with such tactics. But how would society react? What ethical issues would it raise? Should animals, like the robots above, be considered with legal rights? Would other animals become subject to further genetic testing?
- Or perhaps, look at the future of animals on Earth. Much of the known world treats animals as food. Mostly all animals are viewed as potential sources of food by humans. However, what if that stopped or never was at all? How would a society that never ate animal flesh exist? Could humanity have evolved this far? Would society look more evolved than it is now or more primitive? Where would humans get their nutrition?
- Maybe all animals died out. Why? Does society have a guilty conscience for the loss of animals? What role did humans play in that loss? How will humans deal with the lack of animals? Will humans fill that void? Will humans begin cloning animals? Should cloning be allowed in that case? Will cloned animals have special rights to ensure they don’t suffer the same fate as before?
Class
The most explosive of these suggestions here, class, is a social issue that will remain forever. Unlike robots and animals that are speculative concerns in a science fiction story, class can give your story a much-needed push because of its realism. It is more realistic to the reader because the reader probably has felt the effects of class already. So, what are some ways to throw in problems of class in a sci-fi novel?
- Money doesn’t solve all problems, but money certainly softens the edges in life. You would think that money wouldn’t play a pivotal role in a science fiction story, but it totally could. Whether it is in a dystopian future or 10,000 years ago—WHAT IF?—the value of money meant nothing? Could a civil society still exist if money hadn’t any value? What would happen to society? How would humans trade? Would there be another form of currency? Could technology take over as the main form of trade? Money is a great way to put pressure on an individual or group when upping the ante in storytelling. Not only does it affect the characters, but it has a profound effect on the reader. It could lead to the main character engaging in immoral and unethical practices to survive.
- The problem of money could lead to issues with family responsibilities. What of certain technological advances makes the value of money irrelevant? What would happen to an individual’s family? How could parents still support their children? Would the new advances in tech solve this problem? Could the solution be ethical? Would there be groups of people resisting that change?
Related Questions
What are some other social issues science fiction authors can use?
- Identity politics
- The aftereffects of war
- Gender roles
- Environmentalism
- Sexism
- Politics
- Love
If any writers are looking to have their manuscripts professionally edited, visit my SERVICES page for more information.
If you want to view more creative writing videos, click here.
To download my eBook to write better suspense, click here.