Why Science Fiction Is the Most Important Genre of Our Time
Science fiction has always been more than entertainment. At its best, it is a laboratory for ideas — a space where writers can explore the implications of scientific discoveries, technological developments, and social changes before they happen. It is a genre that has predicted the internet, the smartphone, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence. In 2026, as AI reshapes every corner of society, science fiction has never been more relevant.
Understanding What Science Fiction Is
Science fiction is not simply any story that involves technology, space, or the future. It is a genre defined by its relationship to scientific ideas and their implications. The “science” in science fiction does not have to be hard or technically accurate — but it does have to be taken seriously. The best science fiction extrapolates from real science or real social trends, asking “what if?” and following the implications wherever they lead.
The Essential Elements of Science Fiction
The “What If?” Question
Every great science fiction story begins with a “what if?” question. What if artificial intelligence became conscious? What if we could travel faster than light? What if consciousness could be uploaded to a computer? The quality of your “what if?” question is the foundation of your story. Dallas W. Thompson’s science fiction is built on some of the most profound “what if?” questions in the genre — in the Alien Energy Trilogy, he asks: what if the universe is fundamentally conscious? Explore his books here.
World-Building
World-building is the process of creating the setting of your science fiction story. The key principle is consistency. If your universe has faster-than-light travel, what are the implications for warfare, trade, and communication? The best science fiction writers think through these implications rigorously, and the result is a world that feels genuinely different from our own.
Character Development
The key to science fiction character development is ensuring that your characters are genuinely shaped by the world they inhabit. A character who grew up in a society where AI is ubiquitous will think differently, relate differently, and have different fears and desires than a character from our own time. The world-building and the character development should be inseparable.
Craft Techniques for Science Fiction Writers
The Iceberg Principle
Your world-building should be far more extensive than what appears on the page. The reader should sense the depth of the world beneath the surface of the narrative, even if they never see most of it directly. This creates the feeling of a real, lived-in world rather than a stage set.
Avoiding the “As You Know, Bob” Problem
One of the most common problems in science fiction writing is exposition. The worst approach is having characters explain things to each other that they would already know, purely for the reader’s benefit. The best science fiction writers integrate exposition into the narrative through action, dialogue, and the characters’ reactions to their environment.
Conclusion: The Genre Needs Your Voice
Science fiction needs new voices — voices that reflect the diversity of human experience, that ask questions that have not been asked before, and that use the tools of the genre to illuminate the challenges and possibilities of our moment in history. If you have a “what if?” question that will not leave you alone, that is the beginning of a science fiction story. Share your science fiction writing questions in the comments below. And for examples of science fiction that takes ideas seriously, explore the Dallas W. Thompson catalog.