What is Science Fiction?

We tend to underestimate science fiction

“When the 21st century myth comes along, we will know.” ~Neil Gaiman

Science Fiction : Writing the 21st Century Myth began with a conversation with Neil Gaiman. Every era has its mythos. But here in the early 21st century our most popular stories — Star Wars, Game of Thrones, Marvel, even Harry Potter — are very 20th century affairs.

So I decided to go looking for the 21st century myth.

Today I’m making the entire series of Science Fiction video essays & workshops available for free on the youtube channel, (along with fetching new thumbnails!) The series is for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of science fiction as modern myth making, or anyone telling their own 21st century myths.

Science Fiction is more than we think…

We tend to underestimate science fiction. We pigeon hole it as genre fiction. We dismiss it as mass entertainment. Or just deride it as “nerd stuff”.

But none of that really explains the impact science fiction stories have on us. They are our modern myths, that help us imagine and explain the unknown immensities beyond our knowing.

The first episodes of Writing the 21st Century Myth setup a different understanding of sci-fi, so we can take a leap from there into its deeper depths.

Free on the Science Fiction channel…

I’ll be sharing a new episode from the Science Fiction series every few days. We’ll cover essential storytelling techniques like the novum and metanarratives, and explore the mythic soul of the most famous scifi stories.

You can skip ahead and watch the entire series in one go, or follow along as I share new parts. I’ll be answering questions here and in youtube if they arise.

Watch the complete Science Fiction series on youtube—