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Taboo Topics

© David A Simpson.

The Science Fiction writer or author can manipulate life into the extreme un-real reality, which the reader will enjoy as a stimulus of his or her own imagination or discard with contempt. The writer can be strong with challenging politics, religion or other belief with the use of abstract or futuristic manipulation of the topic. They may use real life experience, either their own or that of others to bring a realism to their work, experience which can be found from its graphic content and expressed with such deep feelings that a reader will be able to feel the pain or pleasure of the experience from the text. But where are the boundaries?

As a writer waiting for the chance to be published the judge and jury of your work will be the editors or people at the publishing house you have approached, they will comment and appraise your work returning a submission report of their opinion. If your work has offended their belief or views in anyway you are not going to be published. I don't care what people say they will never judge with an unbiased mind when you attack their belief. If how ever you are one of the chosen few who finds their way through the publishing maze and onto the shelf of the bookshops or pages of the Internet your readers become your judge. Sometimes a good controversial theme can attract publicity and your sales will rocket, that being said you also need a famous name with a publicity machine to bring your work to the front of the queue of books, which will be read, by the New York Times or some other respected reviewer. Science Fiction writers must be the experts in manipulating the taboo subjects from politics to sexual views, even religion and racism can be seen through the abstract alien encounters in a new light. It is strange how during all the various subjects that can be seen as problems today in society when confronted in the world of Science Fiction the remedy is found and galactic peace is restored, maybe we should have Captain Kirk as a President and our problems are over! I think the Science Fiction writer today should be able to write and manipulate the subject without the fear of boundaries or taboos. With an active imagination and mastery of the written word (with the help of an editor) the pen is truly more powerful than the sword and the audience is waiting for the next revelation of truth and reality to be revealed.