Screenwriting : Anyone for sci/fi? by Ingrid Wren

Huge movie buff. Most of my ideas were inspired from movies like annihilation, fight club, looper etc. But my inspiration for my time travel sci-fi came from Stephen Hawkings ‘A Brief History of Time’.

And some of my other stories were inspired by life experiences and even dreams. There’s a whole universe of inspiration. It’s all about finding what drives you the most.

My family sci-fi was inspired by a conversation I had with my 11-year-old son. LOL.

After reading Hawking's 'The Grand Design' because it was a short book, I decided I should read 'A Brief History of Time' Kevin Goodyear Is there any chance I'd actually understand it?

Kids can give you great ideas Stephanie Elie! My girlfriend's 11 year old son is obsessed with Star Wars and we have some great chats.

Oh yeah crazy as it sounds, it’s an easy read. And it teaches you a lot.

I've been digging into English translations of Chinese SciFi lately. It's amazing! If you haven't seen Ken Liu's works, def check it out! As a writer he's amazing, as a translator he's an artist that takes it to a whole new level!

Don't have to look into space for inspiration...Lucas himself said "Star Wars" were inspired of Japanese folklore and samurai tales...I have a hunch "Blade Runner" and the novel it came outta were actually inspired by "Frankenstein", etc...

When I write sci-fi, I tend to go to mythology (Norse, the Mahabharata of the Hindu faith, Greek, Native American, etc.). I find that, for me, it helps conceptualize cosmic ideas through the lens of mythology that humans are familiar with.

Kiril Maksimoski Blade Runner inspired by Frankenstein? Tell me more, I feel like a missed something now.

I love sci-fi. Tons of influences. There are sci-fi authors I like to read like Asimov, Andre Norton, N.K. Jemisin, Steven Barnes, Nnedi Okorafor, etc. I watch tons sci-fi TV shows that influence me like Star Trek, Star Wars, The Expanse. If you know sci-fi you know it isn't just about space (e.g. Time Travel, Multiple Universes, Environmental disasters, dystopian futures) One of the projects I want to get to is a sci-fi novel that is in the public domain that I'd like to adapt. And the definition of sci-fi has expanded to include heroic fantasy (though some would argue that). Blade Runner was adapted from Philip K. Dick's DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP. Interesting article about what influenced him. https://galaxypress.com/inspired-philip-k-dick/

I read a lot of science and I have a healthy distrust of authority figures. I find that so many of the stories being told under the sci-fi banner are actually magic space fantasy vs SCIENCE fiction. When I watch Mark Zuckerberg's video about the wonders of the multi-verse, I don't think "Wow! I'm going to have more fun than ever!" I think: "God that dude is the creepiest. What weird crap is he unleashing on humankind next?" and the stories flow from there.

One genre I love is hard science fiction. If you love that genre you gotta have this in your libary.

Mary Shelly is considered by many American scholars to invent "sci fi" genre.

Mary Shelly and sci-fi. https://www.thegreatcoursesdaily.com/mary-shelley-science-fiction/

Stephanie Elie In retrospect the Frankenstein monster is no different than a replicant. They are both inventions of mad scientists (Dr. Frankenstein and Eldon Tyrell) who instilled life and sentience into their creations. Dan MaxXx - I would also agree that Mary Shelly created the sci-fi genre, but I believe Edgar Allen Poe popularized it.

Edgar Allen Poe and sci-fi. https://www.nps.gov/articles/poe-sciencefiction.htm

I think hard sci/fi Martin Reese is a genre all on its own. I read 'Revelation Space' by Alastair Reynolds and found it interesting but incredibly difficult to read. Then I found Hannu Rajaniemi's 'Quantum Thief' trilogy which is mind-mangling brilliance and read it twice. I'm not a scientist which could be why I struggle with some of the ideas, but I love it just the same. The weirder the better.

You could also argue that artist/inventors like Leonardo Da Vinci had a hand in founding sci/fi... you only have to look at his drawings of the 'helicopter' and the 'aeroplane' to see his mind was way ahead of the times. I was fortunate to visit a small museum in Rome that displayed his original drawings and manuscripts and had working models of his designs. I could have spent hours in there... my other half had to physically drag me away!