Promoting Yorkshire Authors

Notes from 14th October meeting of the Children's Author Group - Science Fiction Genre

To help with our task for a subsequent meeting, here are a few notes about what we should consider when writing science fiction for children.

Writers of science fiction can manipulate settings to fit narratives or make up new/imaginary settings. BUT, readers have to believe what they are reading even if it seems implausible. The characters and the story should describe something that occurs in the future that is based on things that already exisit today. Science fiction takes existing scientific principles and theories and uses them in the plot. The characters must be believable even when the setting if far fetched.
Subgenres of science fiction include apocalypse, space travel, utopia/distopia.
Science fiction is usually targeted to older children and the formats that work best for it include graphics novels, middle grade and young adult books.

The Elements of Science Fiction

1. Science fiction is a genre in which the stories often tell about science and technology of the future.
2. Texts are often set in the future, in space, on a different world, or in a different universe or dimension.
3. It has a relationship with the principles of science. These stories involve partially true and partially fictitious laws or theories of science. It should not be completely unbelievable because it then ventures into the fantasy genre.
4. The plot creates situations different from those of both the present day and the known past – the characters will experience something new and unique.
5. Texts also include a human element, explaining what effect new discoveries, happenings and scientific developments will have on humanity in the future.
6. Science fiction contains the usual elements of a novel; a specific setting, character development, plot (central conflict, complications, climatic events, resolution), themes and structure.