#scribesandmakers — Public Fediverse posts

#ScribesAndMakers July 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Thankfully, I have no understanding of what this question means.

#ScribesAndMakers July 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Thankfully, I have no understanding of what this question means.

#ScribesAndMakers π2026.07.29 — From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Soft. I'm more interested in how technology affects people than learning or speculating about the tech. I don't have an engineering degree; it's a liberal arts degree.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

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#ScribesAndMakers π2026.07.29 — From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Soft. I'm more interested in how technology affects people than learning or speculating about the tech. I don't have an engineering degree; it's a liberal arts degree.

[Author retains copyright (c)2026 R.S.]

#BoostingIsSharing
#gender #fiction #writer #author
photographer chef cooking
#writing #writingcommunity #writersOfMastodon #writers
#RSdiscussion

#ScribesAndMakers 29: Science fiction scale, tastes from soft to hard?

I land squarely in the middle. When I write, I lean harder, preferring to give a science reason for some elements (though if you look too closely, the explanation may fall apart). When I read, I lean softer, but I dislike stories where a thing "just works, don't ask".

Put in the Heisenberg Compensators, to show you're at least aware of the issue, and I can live with it.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 Jul: from soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?
As a reader? I don't care as long as the science is relevant to the narrative, internally consistent, and not over-described in tedious/unnecessary detail.
How much description is too much?
For me, in general, the softer the science--I'm thinking of things like hyperspace-- the less foundation there is to justify including technical details.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 Jul: from soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?
As a reader? I don't care as long as the science is relevant to the narrative, internally consistent, and not over-described in tedious/unnecessary detail.
How much description is too much?
For me, in general, the softer the science--I'm thinking of things like hyperspace-- the less foundation there is to justify including technical details.

#ScribesAndMakers 7/29. From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

My taste runs to scientifically accurate, hard science fiction.

That’s the reason why I choose to write in the urban fantasy genre instead of hard SF.

I can’t keep up with all the new science and technology to be confident of writing anything accurately enough to fit my criteria of what hard science fiction should be.

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#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the SciFi scale?

One review I got for my SciFi novel opined that it was "soft" science. Which, took me 3 years of research, writing, rewriting, etc. I love dialogue, a story with a plot that has romance and thriller thrown in. "Hard" SciFi is to me a bit dry and like reading a manual! And oh, btw, my SciFi novel is going to the moon!

“Lunar Seed" will be in the Lunar Library on Astrobotic's Artemis Moon mission.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the SciFi scale?

One review I got for my SciFi novel opined that it was "soft" science. Which, took me 3 years of research, writing, rewriting, etc. I love dialogue, a story with a plot that has romance and thriller thrown in. "Hard" SciFi is to me a bit dry and like reading a manual! And oh, btw, my SciFi novel is going to the moon!

“Lunar Seed" will be in the Lunar Library on Astrobotic's Artemis Moon mission.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

A: Soft. Squishy. Pillow and cloud-like in its scientific rigor.

Who cares if you can grow potatoes from piss in red dirt? At least that’s what we think “The Martian” is about.

Definitely more into ideas than accuracy, as long as they adhere to the book’s internal logic.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

A: Soft. Squishy. Pillow and cloud-like in its scientific rigor.

Who cares if you can grow potatoes from piss in red dirt? At least that’s what we think “The Martian” is about.

Definitely more into ideas than accuracy, as long as they adhere to the book’s internal logic.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I’ve written sci-fi plays for children’s theatre, but in those cases it’s really more of a setting and some alien puppets… very soft.

Outside of that, I care more about stories and character. I don’t think the hardness or softness necessarily defines whether or not the story is compelling and the characters engaging.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I’ve written sci-fi plays for children’s theatre, but in those cases it’s really more of a setting and some alien puppets… very soft.

Outside of that, I care more about stories and character. I don’t think the hardness or softness necessarily defines whether or not the story is compelling and the characters engaging.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

My tastes are orthogonal to the hard/soft axis (which I tend to consider fairly toxic in any case).

I like complex detail in world-building and characterization: stuff that holds together so that the ripples make sense, not just the main outlines. In SF, beyond the 1 or 2 gimmes, explanation for deviations from our reality should at least be gestured at, whether the science is physics or sociology.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

My tastes are orthogonal to the hard/soft axis (which I tend to consider fairly toxic in any case).

I like complex detail in world-building and characterization: stuff that holds together so that the ripples make sense, not just the main outlines. In SF, beyond the 1 or 2 gimmes, explanation for deviations from our reality should at least be gestured at, whether the science is physics or sociology.

#ScribesAndMakers 29th July ~ From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

All of it.
As long as something about the piece is engaging, I throw myself into a state of suspended disbelief, so anything goes.

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#ScribesAndMakers 29th July ~ From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

All of it.
As long as something about the piece is engaging, I throw myself into a state of suspended disbelief, so anything goes.

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From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the science fiction scale? #ScribesAndMakers

I like stories with a lot of emotion and relationships, so those tend to be more soft science fiction. But if it has hard science and interesting relationships, I like that too. (I don't write hard science fiction. Too hard for me to write.)

From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the science fiction scale? #ScribesAndMakers

I like stories with a lot of emotion and relationships, so those tend to be more soft science fiction. But if it has hard science and interesting relationships, I like that too. (I don't write hard science fiction. Too hard for me to write.)

#ScribesAndMakers July 29: From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

All over the map. I *looove* me some nice, hard SF, but I also love some of the kinds of stories that can only be told if you relax the rules some. Things like the Mos Eisley creature cantina may be very soft SF, but they're also *fun*.

#ScribesAndMakers July 29: From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

All over the map. I *looove* me some nice, hard SF, but I also love some of the kinds of stories that can only be told if you relax the rules some. Things like the Mos Eisley creature cantina may be very soft SF, but they're also *fun*.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Hard is the preference. I know just enough about real science as well as the sci-fi genre to be able to tell when an author is completely shooting from the hip, and most hard sci-fi'ers don't do that.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Hard is the preference. I know just enough about real science as well as the sci-fi genre to be able to tell when an author is completely shooting from the hip, and most hard sci-fi'ers don't do that.

#ScribesAndMakers

29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

My tastes splat all over the scale and run off the edges.

#ScribesAndMakers

29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

My tastes splat all over the scale and run off the edges.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 July - From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I prefer hard, but appreciate its constraints on narrative, so for story-tellng I usually prefer what TVT calls One Big Lie. (Normally, two or three, which also seems to be most common in the most popular SF.) Some kind of FTL, of course, but also reactionless thrust. And maybe one or two more. But I want to avoid the all-too-common trap of Some Other Genre.. IN SPAAACE!!

And I avoid aliens.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 July - From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I prefer hard, but appreciate its constraints on narrative, so for story-tellng I usually prefer what TVT calls One Big Lie. (Normally, two or three, which also seems to be most common in the most popular SF.) Some kind of FTL, of course, but also reactionless thrust. And maybe one or two more. But I want to avoid the all-too-common trap of Some Other Genre.. IN SPAAACE!!

And I avoid aliens.

#ScribesAndMakers Jul 29
From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

What matters most to me is that the work is character-driven. If I am drawn in by the characters and their troubles, then I don't really care about the amount of detail and accuracy of the science. Whatever fits the story, and stays in-story consistent so it doesn't pull me out.

#ScribesAndMakers Jul 29
From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

What matters most to me is that the work is character-driven. If I am drawn in by the characters and their troubles, then I don't really care about the amount of detail and accuracy of the science. Whatever fits the story, and stays in-story consistent so it doesn't pull me out.

#ScribesAndMakers Jul 29
From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I like the science hard enough I don't have to pretend not to know what a tachyon is, but soft enough I can get puzzled by "spooky action at a distance" without having to consciously apply Clark's Law.

#ScribesAndMakers Jul 29
From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I like the science hard enough I don't have to pretend not to know what a tachyon is, but soft enough I can get puzzled by "spooky action at a distance" without having to consciously apply Clark's Law.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I think soft SciFi is fun, and what I create is towards that end, with elements of full blown science fantasy.

I do like some harder sci fi but only if it really focuses on people. Hard sci fi that focuses on the tech is a bit like reading the manual for a car that you'll never own.

#ScribesAndMakers 29 From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I think soft SciFi is fun, and what I create is towards that end, with elements of full blown science fantasy.

I do like some harder sci fi but only if it really focuses on people. Hard sci fi that focuses on the tech is a bit like reading the manual for a car that you'll never own.

#ScribesAndMakers 29
soft ⟷ hard, me on the SF scale

An easy question, and easy questions are rare.

I don’t read a lot of SF, but I know I’m on the soft end of the scale. While I acknowledge the greatness of famous hard SF writers, that doesn’t mean I want to read that. I have, but not anymore.

It doesn’t take long for my eyes to glaze over, mind to wander, and heart to scream because it feels neglected.

How far would I inch towards the center? Not far.

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#ScribesAndMakers 29
soft ⟷ hard, me on the SF scale

An easy question, and easy questions are rare.

I don’t read a lot of SF, but I know I’m on the soft end of the scale. While I acknowledge the greatness of famous hard SF writers, that doesn’t mean I want to read that. I have, but not anymore.

It doesn’t take long for my eyes to glaze over, mind to wander, and heart to scream because it feels neglected.

How far would I inch towards the center? Not far.

#AmWriting #WritingCommunity

#ScribesAndMakers Jul 29
From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I'm fine with either. Soft is fun, hard can be interesting & thought provoking. However, if you're going to write hard scifi, you need to take extra care to write clearly & NOT jump around the timeline (unless it's time travel, of course) so readers can follow. Also, honestly, dozens of POV characters in a hard science series is one way to lose me faster--I have enough to keep track of.

#ScribesAndMakers Jul 29
From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

I'm fine with either. Soft is fun, hard can be interesting & thought provoking. However, if you're going to write hard scifi, you need to take extra care to write clearly & NOT jump around the timeline (unless it's time travel, of course) so readers can follow. Also, honestly, dozens of POV characters in a hard science series is one way to lose me faster--I have enough to keep track of.

#ScribesAndMakers July 29: From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Soft AF.
I'm talking Star Wars or even Flash Gordon soft.
I DO NOT CARE if the science makes sense, I just want to have a good time. Give me physics-defying spaceships, cool aliens and fun robots.

#ScribesAndMakers From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

Closer to hard than soft, but hard SF with good character development and plot, not just tech. And while a good battle scene works, I don't like strictly military SF.

#ScribesAndMakers From soft to hard, where do your tastes fall on the Science Fiction scale?

The real question is "ductile" vs "brittle".