Why I Write Speculative Fiction

Fantasy, science fiction, and horror—those are my three favorite genres of fiction to write. Sure, sometimes I drift into contemporary fiction (and romance if I’m ghostwriting, but I tend not to do that anymore), but generally, I stick to these genres. The question is: why? Why would I spend my time on three genres that are considered low brow in the literary world? Is it because they are popular among readers (hence “popular fiction”)? Is it because, like so many other writers before me, I want to escape the world that I find myself in?

I do often find myself in the latter category, but that is not why I find myself writing fantasy, science fiction, horror, and other speculative fiction genres. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I write speculative fiction not because I’m trying to escape the world I live in but because I’m trying to understand it.

I know that might sound backwards, creating worlds that are fantastic in order to understand the world that I am in, but hear me out.

Ever since I was a child, I have been immersed in fantastical worlds: Dr. Seuss, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling (I have a conflicted relationship with her now). It was through these works that I developed not only advanced literacy (I was also reading the likes of Jack London by fifth grade) but also an advanced understanding of people and the world around me. Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax taught me about environmentalism and activism. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia taught me about Christianity through its symbolism. Rowling’s Harry Potter taught me about equality and the strength of love (a couple of lessons that she could do with herself now). It was through the lenses of speculative fiction that I was able to understand a world that, frankly, did not make much sense when I just looked at it through my child’s eyes.

As I grew older, I realized that I could take what I learned about the world and write them into my stories. Doing so would allow me to process the lessons that I had learned and, in turn, teach them to other readers. By putting them through the lens of speculative fiction, a layer of fantastical wonder separated me—and my readers—from the dangers of the pain of learning these lessons firsthand. This would allow our brains to process the lessons without the fear of being hurt.

Take, for instance, my stories “The Dreamwalker’s Mission” and “The Dreamwalker’s Battle”. On the surface, they are about a dreamwalker trying to lock away another person’s painful memory and that same dreamwalker trying to save someone from painful dream-death, respectfully. Beneath that, though, both stories are about grief. I took moments from my real-life experience with my mother’s death and placed them into these stories as a way of processing them, of understanding why they still hurt me so much, and of letting them out so that I can finally…not let them go or get over them, per se, but move past them. By doing this, I can also give my readers a way of experiencing genuine grief without having to experience it in reality. They are separated by a thin layer of fantasy that allows them to feel safe from it and to process it peacefully.

Of course, not all of my work provides even that thick of a layer between reality and speculation. Take my Elon the Alien drabble series. This series combines science fiction and satire to critique Elon Musk, President Donald Trump, and several other aspects of modern life. By adding the alien aspect and the humor, it allows me to present my critiques and process my own emotions regarding modern events without being overwhelmed by how I truly feel. It also gives my readers a humorous way to rethink how they see all these parts of our lives. The layer between reality and speculation may not be so thick here, but it is thick enough that readers can feel safe contemplating what is really going on.

Do I write speculative fiction because I enjoy it? Of course. I’ve always loved the genres, and like other readers and writers of speculative fiction, it takes me away from this world for a little while. However, it also helps me to process what I’ve learned about this world, what I’ve experienced in this world, and to pass on these teachings without having to pass on the pain. While I can arguably achieve that with any form of fiction, I have found it easiest with fantasy, science fiction, and horror, giving me the freedom to create worlds while also incorporating the lessons that I want to teach. If it also happens to keep my readers the most engaged, so be it.