What’s going to be the next big thing in sci-fi and fantasy? Here’s what these authors think
What trends will become popular in sci-fi and fantasy?
Which tropes should we get rid of and which should we elevate?
How do you write about things you don’t know?
These were all questions discussed by four sci-fi and fantasy authors during a panel at Brandon Sanderson’s Dragonsteel Nexus fan convention on Thursday.
Along with Sanderson, “The Future of Sci-fi and Fantasy” panel included Pierce Brown, author of the “Red Rising” series, Tomi Adeyemi, author of the “Legacy of Orisha” trilogy, and Matt Dinniman, author of the “Dungeon Crawler Carl” series.
The authors discussed more serious questions about the trajectories of the genres they write in, but also answered sillier questions, such as what thing from science fiction they would like to make real.
Another fun question the panel discussed was which tropes they would like to officially ban and which ones they would like to elevate.
Adeyemi said she wants to get rid of the trend where the female protagonist doesn’t know that she’s pretty or hot and thinks she’s ugly, even though she has multiple characters in love with her.
“Actually, maybe just be hot,” she said. “I think we can own hot.”
Brown said he wants to get rid of the trend of characters infiltrating a military academy.
Going the opposite direction, Dinniman highlighted a trope he wants to elevate.
“I do want to amplify the trend where there’s nothing special about the main character,” he said, adding that this means the character is not the chosen one or the secret child of a king or a similar trope.
“I want to read more stories about normal people who rise to the occasion,” Dinniman continued.
What are the next big trends in the fantasy and sci-fi genres?
While discussing trends in the sci-fi and fantasy genres, Sanderson highlighted that there tends to be a 20-year nostalgia cycle, where certain trends come back into popularity. For example, “Fourth Wing” — the bestselling romantasy series centering around dragons — became super popular around 20 years after other dragon-related media like “Eragon” and “How to Train Your Dragon” were hot.
“Dragons plus kissing, how did I not see this,” Sanderson joked while talking about the popularity of “Fourth Wing.”
Sanderson asked the panel to discuss which trends they think will become popular in the next couple of years.
Dinniman said he sees books in both the sci-fi and fantasy genres becoming more outside of the box. He said stories that are “so out there and so bizarre” will continue to become more and more popular.
Jokingly, Brown shared that he wants angel fantasy to become popular again, while also adding that he’d like to see books about pirates as well.
One thing they also discussed was the recent popularity of the crossover between YA and adult fiction.
Making an impact in pop culture
Adeyemi shared a bit about what she wants to accomplish with her books.
“I wanted to turn the wheel,” she said. “I feel like Tolkien made the wheel, and then Rowling turned it with ‘Potter.’ And then it was turned again with ‘Twilight,’ and it was turned again by the ‘Hunger Games.’”
She continued: “I want to turn it one more time. I want there to be like this dramatic revolution and then the story turned out of that.” Adeyemi emphasized that these women authors — JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer and Suzanne Collins — were able to make these “huge pop culture juggernauts” and she wants to be a part of that.
How interactions between fans and authors have changed
Sanderson pointed out that because of social media and other technologies, the relationships between authors and fans have changed drastically from how they were 20 years ago when he first started.
When he was young, Sanderson said he didn’t even know what his favorite authors looked like, and today authors have entire brands, social media followings, fan events and conventions.
“It’s really special and one of the most meaningful parts of my job and my career,” Adeyemi said of her interactions with fans.
Brown talked about what it’s like to receive compliments on his book from readers.
“When people say they like it, it takes a while for you to accept that,” he said.
He added that when he receives more specific feedback like people telling him how much a certain character meant to them, it means more to him and brings “a certain degree of magic.”
Dinniman spoke about how, these days, fans of books are coming together more and creating more communities than he has seen in the past. He added that because of social media, fandoms are more involved in the story than they ever have been before.
One example of this is Dinniman’s Patreon, where he allows fans to vote on what will happen in the books he is working on.
How to write authentically about things you’ll never experience
One thing Brown specifically was asked about was writing about things he’ll never experience, like one scene in his books where a woman gives birth.
“I think anyone can write about anything as long as it’s well researched,” Brown said, emphasizing, “You have to not do harm.”
He added that when he writes about certain things, such as giving birth, he asks people who have been through it to read it and make sure it feels authentic.
“I have to believe the story enough,” Brown said. “So I can tell it authentically.”
The author added that he knows he can’t trick his readers, so he has to believe the story he is telling. Brown also said that there are some things he won’t write about because he doesn’t think he can authentically get into the head space.
Brandon Sanderson’s Dragonsteel Nexus convention
Dragonsteel Nexus is Sanderson’s annual fan convention held at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, and it has grown in popularity each year.
The convention kicked off on Thursday and continues through the weekend.
During the first day of the convention, Sanderson welcomed fans and announced upcoming events for fans in London next year.
Later in the evening, he held a launch event for his newest book, “Tailored Realities,” which releases next week. Sanderson also announced a new Cosmere book titled “The Fires of December,” which will be released next year.
The convention also includes a variety of panels, meetups, speakers, activities and games for fans to participate in.