Attn JMS: Why SF?

[Tmhodge]

In the midst of a small debate about just what constitutes SF, it occured to me
to ask: as a writer, why do you work in SF? What attracts you to the genre?

I've been a fan since I read my first Bradbury story at the age of 12 or so.
That was about the same time SW and CE3K came out, so the living was good. Over
the last 5-10 years, I've felt a real dearth of the good stuff--of both the
written and dramatic kind. So, as a longtime Lurker, I'd like to take a moment
to say THANKS. B5 was a hell of a ride, and furnished me with quite an
enjoyable obsession/distraction from grad school when it was *most* needed.

[Jms at B5]

>In the midst of a small debate about just what constitutes SF, it occured to
>me
>to ask: as a writer, why do you work in SF? What attracts you to the genre?
>

I've worked in a variety of genres -- murder mysteries, SF, detective series,
animation/comedy, horror...I kinda like all of them. If I have a predilection
toward SF it's simply because I grew up an SF fan. In brief: ah likes it.

jms

(jms...@aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com

[UnltdLife]

Isaac Asimov believed that science fiction is the most difficult genre to write
well. He figured if a writer could create well-written science fiction that he
could write pretty much anything.

I'm not sure where I read that, but I'm pretty sure it was Asimov.

And he'd know. Being one of America's most prolific (and even eclectic)
writers.

(Though he did get in over his head with that whole Bible commentary...)

I guess JMS proved he could write good SF -- as far as I'm concerned. So, the
rest should be easy.

:)

Jason

[Jacob Corbin]

UnltdLife wrote:

> Isaac Asimov believed that science fiction is the most difficult genre
> to write
> well. He figured if a writer could create well-written science
> fiction that he
> could write pretty much anything.
>
> I'm not sure where I read that, but I'm pretty sure it was Asimov.
>
> And he'd know. Being one of America's most prolific (and even
> eclectic)
> writers.
>
> (Though he did get in over his head with that whole Bible
> commentary...)

Did you not like ASIMOV'S GUIDE TO THE BIBLE? That's one of my
favorite books from recent years...especially odd considering I don't
read much nonfiction.

Jacob
feel my pain at http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/shirley/272/

[Justin Bacon]

In article <19990924014245...@ng-fp1.aol.com>, jms...@aol.com (Jms
at B5) writes:

>>In the midst of a small debate about just what constitutes SF, it occured to
>>me
>>to ask: as a writer, why do you work in SF? What attracts you to the genre?
>>
>
>I've worked in a variety of genres -- murder mysteries, SF, detective series,
>animation/comedy, horror...I kinda like all of them. If I have a
>predilection
>toward SF it's simply because I grew up an SF fan. In brief: ah likes it.

To jump off of this: Personally I find SF so intriguing (as both an audience
and as a creator) because, with it, I can do anything I can do in any other
genre -- plus a whole bunch of stuff which no other genre can do. THE CAVES OF
STEEL and THE NAKED SUN are some of the best murder mysteries ever written.
RANMA 1/2, Pratchett's Discworld, GOOD OMENS, and HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE
GALAXY are some of the best pieces of comic creation I've come across. Large
swaths of horror is essentially SF in one form or another -- from H.P.
Lovecraft to Stephen King.

Plus, of course, there's stories like ENDER'S GAME, LORD OF THE RINGS,
Robinson's Mars trilogy, and (of course) BABYLON 5 which couldn't be told in a
non-SF form.

Justin Bacon
tr...@prairie.lakes.com