a rose by any other name
Wow.
I just read three articles from writer-type-personalities on my f-list about what Speculative Fiction is and isn't. Everybody seems to have their panties in a bunch about it being nondescript or a divisive term used to impugn Science Fiction and... such.
I dunno. I consider myself a writer of Speculative Fiction because it's the first useful term I was introduced to, and other writerly-types know what I mean when I use it. It's inclusive but not limited to Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror. It can be applied to fiction that is genre-light - stories that may have a ghost in them, or a character with a glimmer of esp, maybe, but that aren't utterly rooted in other worlds or the occult or - you know. Hardcore genre.
If someone comes up with a better term for it that is more accessible or intuitive, if they want to further categorize the genre and tweak the search-settings on duotrope... fine. I mean, really. That's fine. But it's just not something I can see myself getting worked up about. And this is from a girl who was personally insulted with the Sci-Fi channel changed its name to SyFy.
Which still bugs me, by the way.
But - as for the name debate, the only overriding concern I have is whether not having an overriding concern in it marks me as an amateur.
In other words, if I want to be taken seriously in the - ehem - Speculative Fiction world, does that mean I need to form an opinion?
Cuz really, these people sure have a lot of opinions.
Me, I don't have time to form opinions.
For instance, they canceled preschool again. I revised Chapter Twenty-Six while the Kinglet watched morning cartoons (bring me to 60% done... didya see?) Then we built a fort out of cushions and blankets. Then the fort became a spaceship, so we spent some time on the moon. Then we came back in here to do activity books, and I'm stealing some moments to read livejournal. When I'm done typing this, I have to change the cat litter and start thinking about what meals to cook today.
If I'm lucky, I'll get to start working on Chapter Twenty-Seven of my Speculative Fiction novel.
So - right. If they decide to change the genre's name, someone let me know, will ya?
Ha.
I just read three articles from writer-type-personalities on my f-list about what Speculative Fiction is and isn't. Everybody seems to have their panties in a bunch about it being nondescript or a divisive term used to impugn Science Fiction and... such.
I dunno. I consider myself a writer of Speculative Fiction because it's the first useful term I was introduced to, and other writerly-types know what I mean when I use it. It's inclusive but not limited to Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror. It can be applied to fiction that is genre-light - stories that may have a ghost in them, or a character with a glimmer of esp, maybe, but that aren't utterly rooted in other worlds or the occult or - you know. Hardcore genre.
If someone comes up with a better term for it that is more accessible or intuitive, if they want to further categorize the genre and tweak the search-settings on duotrope... fine. I mean, really. That's fine. But it's just not something I can see myself getting worked up about. And this is from a girl who was personally insulted with the Sci-Fi channel changed its name to SyFy.
Which still bugs me, by the way.
But - as for the name debate, the only overriding concern I have is whether not having an overriding concern in it marks me as an amateur.
In other words, if I want to be taken seriously in the - ehem - Speculative Fiction world, does that mean I need to form an opinion?
Cuz really, these people sure have a lot of opinions.
Me, I don't have time to form opinions.
For instance, they canceled preschool again. I revised Chapter Twenty-Six while the Kinglet watched morning cartoons (bring me to 60% done... didya see?) Then we built a fort out of cushions and blankets. Then the fort became a spaceship, so we spent some time on the moon. Then we came back in here to do activity books, and I'm stealing some moments to read livejournal. When I'm done typing this, I have to change the cat litter and start thinking about what meals to cook today.
If I'm lucky, I'll get to start working on Chapter Twenty-Seven of my Speculative Fiction novel.
So - right. If they decide to change the genre's name, someone let me know, will ya?
Ha.