Science Fiction & Fantasy - Escaping Reality

When talking to people I often get the question: "Why do you write Science Fiction and Fantasy?" This is usually followed by a tirade that they don't like it, because it is so unrealistic. What they don't get: That is the point!

With these two genres the fact is that the only limit to your writing is your own mind. While in reality we are limited by physics, biology or simply life.

This became very evident to me when my mother, who loved those genres probably even more than I do, fell severly ill. At one point it became evident that there was nothing the doctors could do for her. My reaction was the same one as for everybody who is loosing a loved one: I tried to find a solution and went through the five stages of grief.

I spent hours on the internet researching her illness and looking for the latest breakthroughs only to come to the conclusion that medicine was not yet ready to safe her. The feeling of helpnessless was overpowering especially since my writer's mind would constantly come up with a way of saving her, if she had been a character in one of my stories. Sadly my mom passed away some months ago.

Reality is painful and sadly hopeless, while in Fantasy and Science Fiction there is always a way out. A dying loved one can be saved by incredible technology or magic, as can a dying planet. In some cases you can even bring back people from the dead. Just think about Stargate - Atlantis, where they brought back Carson Becket. This makes both genres strangly optimistic despite sub-genres such as dystopian science fiction.

Reality feels strangely limiting once you have dived into Science Fiction and Fantasy. Sometimes I find myself reading a "real" book and thinking: That's it? How come that can't solve that? It appears almost narrow-minded.

I guess this is why so many nerds love to Cosplay. It is a way of diving even deeper into a world that doesn't limit you but offers you unlimited freedom. To become a part of this worlds can feel empowering, for instance for kids that are being bullied at school. The hard reality can create a deep longing for a world, where there are now limits and the biggest nerd at school can become a powerful magician. Science Fiction and Fantasy can provide a unique solace, as there is always a solution and a way out.

Finally it is simply extremely entertaining as you never no what to expect in these genres and who doesn't love a book or a movie, in which you didn't see that twist coming?