Science fiction has always been my main literary love, although given the current state of the field, it’s not my primary reading material. One thing I’ve noticed is that there is a lack of institutional memory in the field. Many of the classic works and/or authors are either forgotten or openly disparaged. Usually by politically correct types who can’t (or won’t) consider the work/author in context of culture and period.
While I support the growth and evolution of the field, I truly enjoy much of the older stuff. It’s what I grew up reading. And there’s a lot I never got to, although that wasn’t for lack of trying.
So I decided when I created this blog to call it Futures Past and Present because I wanted to focus on core genre science fiction of quality, whether it was published eighty years ago or eighty seconds ago. That’s what you’ll find here. An emphasis on written science fiction, mostly in the form of reviews. I’ll also look at films from time to time, as well as post opinion pieces and news items.
As a hopeful wreitr who hasn’t had anything picked up by a traditional publisher yet, I have considered indie publishing. I’ve decided against it so far because I think there are valid reasons I haven’t had a sale such as needing to tighten my plot. But I also find the idea of indie publishing both appealing and frightening. I suspect that some of the hostility authors display is because of this same feeling. When we had only the traditional model of publishing, we could submit to the gatekeepers, and if no gatekeeper was suitably moved by our work, we could blame a flawed and elitist system. Now, we have options. We can take the indie route. If we try that and fail, we might have to admit that it is actually our writing that is flawed. I have a pretty healthy dose of self-confidence, but I also experience plenty of self-doubt when it comes to the quality of my writing or my ability to tell a story other people want to read. It would be so much easier if I could just say I haven’t had success because I didn’t know the right people or something. How much worse to have my fears proven true!Now realistically, I know there is much more that goes into indie publishing success than good writing. I can have a Pulitzer-worthy novel on my hands, but if I market it poorly, have a sloppy or cheap-looking cover design, or don’t hirea good copy editor, people may never buy enough copies for me to be successful. But I suspect it is the possibility of having our worst fears about our own abilities being proven true, that makes many authors react with hostility to the idea of indie publishing.