Is it getting harder to write science fiction?

Our current level of technology has brought sci-fi to a weird place. It's hard to make a futuristic science fiction show nowadays because science has progressed beyond the layman. To have a story that expands on our current science, the writer/creator must have a solid understanding of our current technology if they want to make something that is believable. On top of that, you also have to have a good idea of where science will take us and still not rip off something that has already been done. The amount of sci-fi that has been created on the last 50 years is staggering, both in terms of TV and books. I think it is much harder then it used to be, but I also think what is coming out now is a higher standard than what came before it with some notable exceptions, ei Star Trek. Shows like Orphan Black, Wayward Pines (the show hasn't come out yet, but the books are amazing) and Under the Dome show that sci-fi is alive and well but we are not seeing the deep space shows in the main stream the way we used to.

by DamienR

Awesome question, by the way.

Thanks. I think your answer is equally excellent.

There's a saying that there are two books worth writing on any subject: the first one and the best one. The same applies to tv. It doesn't matter how many time an idea has been used, there is still the potential to do it better than any writer that has gone before. Look at Star Trek. Often they have great ideas then just do nothing interesting with them. Compare their teleportation with the use of teleport tech in Sean Williams (aussie sci fi author)'s novels. It has a lot of interesting social and economic implications that they never got into in Star Trek. So I think there's just as much scope as there ever was. Especially with transhumanist stuff, genetic modification etc.

by Jennifer Muirhead

I still think there is lots of things that can be written about, but I no longer think that any new technology ideas will have the same wow factor that they used to. Tt will have to be found some other way.

by Bryony Harrison