Get inspired to start writing sci-fi books with these creative writing quotes by famous science fiction writers and science fiction authors.
Contents
What is Science Fiction?
Science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction, usually dealing with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life.
This genre of writing often explores the potential consequences of scientific, social, and technological innovations and includes many sub-genres. Science fiction and sci-fi are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference between the two genres.
Hard science fiction is a subgenre that focuses on the accurate portrayal of scientific data and theories. It is based on real science and often explores the consequences of scientific discoveries.
Soft science fiction, on the other hand, is more focused on character development and interpersonal relationships. Sci-fi novels can fall into either category, but they are often more lighthearted and less serious than hard science fiction.
Other genres include military, humor, and cyberpunk. The last is a subgenre that typically features a dark and gritty setting, with characters that are often hackers or other outcasts who use technology to their advantage.
How to Start Writing Science Fiction
Science fiction writers are a special breed. They have to be able to imagine future worlds and make them believable to keep their readers intrigued and fascinated.
These expert tips for writing science fiction novels explain the elements of creating satisfying plots, fascinating worlds, interesting characters, and polished, vivid prose.
The winner of the Hugo Award for three consecutive years for her Broken Earth Trilogy, a post-apocalyptic fantasy drama, bestselling fantasy, and science fiction writer, N.K. Jemisin has sold millions of books and created new cultures and histories.
She is the first black person to win a Best Novel Hugo for The Fifth Season, a post-apocalyptic tale and commentary on society and race relations. Her work often examines race, gender, and oppression and her writing tends towards dark fantasy and grimdark.
In this MasterClass, N.K. Jemisin teaches you how to build a world from scratch, from the planet level down to the people, culture, and magic. Build your craft and share your voice with inclusive fiction that reflects your experience.
In N.K. Jemisin’s Masterclass, participants will learn about her creative process, and learn how to develop complex and compelling characters with techniques that she has developed through her background as a psychologist.
In her MasterClass, Jemisin will also talk about how to become a professional writer and how to survive in the publishing business. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the most exciting voices in speculative fiction today and get the tools you need to take your science-fiction or fantasy writing to the next level.
Click here to preview this science-fiction writing MasterClass
Best Sci-Fi Writers & Science Fiction Authors of All Time
If you want to be a famous science fiction writer, you can get started by reading the best sci-fi books of all time, written by famous science fiction authors.
Start writing science fiction and enter the world of sci-fi writers with these writer quotes by authors who wrote the best science fiction books ever written.
#1. H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells, also known as H. G. Wells, was a writer from England. He was a prolific writer of many genres, having written over fifty novels and dozens of short stories.
He is best known for his novels, such as The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds, for which he has been dubbed the “Father of Science Fiction.”
“We all have our time machines, don’t we? Those that take us back are memories… And those that carry us forward are dreams.” ~ H.G. Wells
#2. Jules Verne
Jules Verne was a novelist, poet, and playwright who wrote the Voyages extraordinaires. This bestselling series included sci-fi books like Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty Days.
His novels were always well documented and generally set in the second half of the nineteenth century, taking into account the time’s technological advances.
“Anything one man can imagine, other men can make real.” ~ Jules Verne
#3. Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov published his first story when he was 18. He was best known for his works of science fiction and is considered one of the best sci-fi writers of all time.
He went on to write more than 500 stories and novels, the Isaac Asimov Foundation Series, the Robot series, and I, Robot.
His works explore themes such as the nature of intelligence, the dangers of technology, and humanity’s place in the universe.
Read the best of Isaac Asimov.
“If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.” ~ Isaac Asimov
#4. Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur C. Clarke was a science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host, and is considered one of the greatest sci-fi writers of all time.
He co-wrote the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey, widely regarded as one of the most influential films of all time. He was an avid promoter of space travel, and a gifted futurist, and won a number of Hugo and Nebula awards.
He wrote numerous books and essays for popular magazines and was awarded the Kalinga Prize, a UNESCO award for popularizing science. His writings on science and science fiction earned him the title “Prophet of the Space Age.”
Read the best of Arthur C. Clarke.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” ~ Arthur C. Clarke
#5. Robert A. Heinlein
Robert A. Heinlein was an author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer from the United States. His published works emphasize the importance of critical thinking, and his plots frequently challenge social norms.
He was known as the “dean of science fiction writers” because he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, making him a pioneer of the hard science fiction subgenre.
Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often referred to as the “Big Three” of English-language sci-fi authors. He was one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines, and one of the best-selling science fiction novelists.
Read the best of Robert A. Heinlein.
“To be matter-of-fact about the world is to blunder into fantasy – and dull fantasy at that, as the real world is strange and wonderful.” ~ Robert A. Heinlein
#6. Frank Herbert
Frank Herbert’s Dune is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time, and it was recently adapted into an acclaimed film.
The Dune series, set in the distant future and spanning millennia, is regarded as one of the classics of the genre. It is also thought to have inspired George Lucas’s Star Wars series.
Best known for his novels, Herbert also wrote short stories and worked as a newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.
Read the best of Frank Herbert.
“There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.” ~ Frank Herbert
#7. William Gibson
William Gibson is a speculative fiction writer and essayist who is widely regarded as the father of the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk.
His early works were noir, near-future stories that explored the effects of technology, cybernetics, and computer networks on humans.
In his short story “Burning Chrome,” Gibson coined the term “cyberspace” for “widespread, interconnected digital technology,” and later popularized the concept in his acclaimed debut novel, Neuromancer.
He collaborated with Bruce Sterling on the alternate history novel The Difference Engine, which became an important work of the subgenre known as steampunk.
Read the best of William Gibson.
“The future is there… looking back at us. Trying to make sense of the fiction we will have become.” ~ William Gibson
#8. Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula K. Le Guin was one of the most successful and respected authors of all time. She is best known for her speculative fiction works, which include science fiction works set in her Hainish universe and the Earthsea fantasy series.
She wrote short stories, novels, and essays that challenged societal norms and explored new worlds. Her work earned her many prestigious awards, including the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award.
Read the best of Ursula K. Le Guin.
“It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” ~ Ursula K. Le Guin
#9. Neal Stephenson
Neal Stephenson is known for his work in the sci-fi, cyberpunk, and historical fiction genres. His most famous work is the novel Snow Crash, which is considered to be one of the best science fiction novels of all time.
In addition to his work as a novelist, Stephenson has also written non-fiction articles on topics such as technology and culture.
Read the best of Neal Stephenson.
“All information looks like noise until you break the code.” ~ Neal Stephenson
#10. Philip K. Dick
Philip K. Dick is considered one of the most prolific science fiction writers of all time, having written over 44 novels and 121 short stories during his lifetime.
His work has been adapted into films such as Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Minority Report, and series such as Electric Dreams. He won the Hugo Award for Best Novel for The Man in the High Castle.
Read the best of Philip K. Dick.
“For each person, there is a sentence — a series of words — which has the power to destroy them.” ~ Philip K. Dick
#11. Douglas Adams
Douglas Adams was a novelist, screenwriter, essayist, satirist, and dramatist who wrote The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which began as a BBC radio comedy.
It evolved into a “trilogy” of five books that sold more than 15 million copies in his lifetime and inspired a television series, several stage plays, comics, a video game, and a 2005 feature sci-fi film.
Read the best of Douglas Adams.
“I think the idea of art kills creativity.” ~ Douglas Adams
#12. Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury was one of the most celebrated twentieth-century writers, writing in a variety of genres such as fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and realistic fiction.
He was best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451, as well as his collections of short stories The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man.
He was dubbed “the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream” by the New York Times, and many of his works were adapted for television, film, and comic books.
Read the best of Ray Bradbury.
“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” ~ Ray Bradbury
#13. Octavia E. Butler
Octavia E. Butler was a science-fiction author and a multiple-time recipient of the Hugo and Nebula awards. Her work often explored themes of race, gender, and power.
She is best known for her novel, Kindred, which tells the story of a black woman who is transported from the 20th century to the antebellum South, where she must protect her white ancestor from harm.
Read the best of Octavia Butler.
“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ~ Octavia E. Butler
#14. Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is a science fiction & fantasy writer who has written short stories, novels, comic books, graphic novels, nonfiction, audio theater, and films.
His Sandman comic book series spans the sci-fi fantasy genre and has been adapted into a successful Netflix television series. Among his works are the novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book.
Join this Storytelling MasterClass by Neil Gaiman.
“Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” ~ Neil Gaiman
#15. N. K. Jemisin
Nora Keita Jemisin, also known as N. K. Jemisin, is the first black person to ever win a Best Novel Hugo for The Fifth Season, a post-apocalyptic tale and commentary on society and race relations.
Her work often examines issues of race, gender, and oppression and her writing tends towards dark fantasy and grimdark. Her debut novel, The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, was critically acclaimed, and she received numerous honors for her work, including the Locus Award.
Her Broken Earth trilogy made her the first author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel three years in a row, as well as the first to win for all three novels in a trilogy.
Read the best of N. K. Jemisin.
Join this Writing MasterClass by N. K. Jemisin.
“Who misses what they have never ever even imagined?” ~ N.K. Jemisin
I hope these inspirational writing quotes by famous science fiction authors and writers will inspire you to write your own science fiction books.
Writing Tips & Tools
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© 2022 – 2024, Priya Florence Shah. All rights reserved.
Priya Florence Shah is a bestselling author and an award-winning blogger. Check out her book on emotional self-care for women. Priya writes short stories and poetry and chills with her two-legged and four-legged kids in her spare time.
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