Women and Science Fiction

In 1948 only 10-15% of Women Writers wrote Science Fiction. In this day and time, the statistics haven't changed much. As of 2011 only 20% of Women Writers write in Science Fiction.

The truth of the matter is that Science Fiction is predominantly a male genre.

That is in the Writing part of it, of course. As for reading, 2013 statistics show that 31% men enjoy Science Fiction whereas 29% of women enjoy it. Pretty close if you ask me. So, the question arises, why do more men write Science Fiction?

Who knows?

However, today I will addressing what it's like to be a female writer in a predominantly male genre. Bear in mind that I can only speak for myself.

A few weeks ago my good friend asked me that question. It's funny, because up until that point I hadn't really thought about it. Needless to say, that the question got my gears running.

Immediately, I started comparing my Science Fiction to most of the Science Fiction I'd read in the past. Most of it written by men. It wasn't until that moment that I noticed something very different.

Science Fiction written by men tends to be more fact based. My Science Fiction tends to be driven by emotions. It's sort of fascinating really, because it hadn't been until that moment that I truly realize that.

Then I started comparing ...

Nine times out of ten, most male written Sci-Fi is highly deluged in techno-babble. Mine on the other hand, steers clear of techno-babble. Whenever I want to introduce the Scientific aspect of the story, I do it in the form of a small lesson and interweave it with the narrative so as to not disrupt a perfectly flowing story with intermittent hunks of techno-babble.

I'm not saying that I'm better than anyone, and I'm certainly not saying that men whom approach Science Fiction through that angle are wrong ... all I'm saying is that my approach is different, and notably so.

I do have a couple of male Science Fiction author friends that I know are very talented and can deliver a story without resorting to bundles of techno-babble; Frederick H Crook, for example. I'm a big fan of his work.

That then got me to thinking how I've been received within the Science Fiction community. Truth be told, I don't know. I've only gotten a few reviews on some of my Sci-Fi works so it's hard for me to say. I think I'm still struggling to have my Sci-Fi seen. I like to think that it's been well received, but who is to say for sure?

I suppose that all I can do is keep writing and putting my stories out and MAYBE, just maybe, one day I'll find myself among the ranks of Madeleine L’Engle and Marry Shelly. Wishful thinking, of course. I doubt I'd ever be that good. :) :P

Well, that's all for now.

Toodles,

Y. Correa