--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What kind of hard SF do I write?…" description: "\"What kind of hard SF do I write? Everything from near-future, Earth-centric techno-thrillers to far-future, far-flung interstellar epics.\" — Edward M. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/edward-m-lerner-19914_epics_what-kind-of-hard-sf-do-i-write-everythi_2991300.jpg" --- # What kind of hard SF do I write? Everything from… ![“What kind of hard SF do I write? Everything from near-future, Earth-centric techno-thrillers to far-future, far-flung interstellar epics.” quote by Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/edward-m-lerner-19914_epics_what-kind-of-hard-sf-do-i-write-everythi_2991300.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/edward-m-lerner-19914_epics_what-kind-of-hard-sf-do-i-write-everythi_2991300.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/acc/edward-m-lerner-19914_epics_what-kind-of-hard-sf-do-i-write-everythi_2991300.jpg) > “What kind of hard SF do I write? Everything from near-future, Earth-centric techno-thrillers to far-future, far-flung interstellar epics.” [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author describes writing a range of science fiction, from near-future techno-thrillers to far-future interstellar epics. **In simple terms:** He writes varied sci‑fi, from near to far future. Key Takeaway Explore diverse speculative settings. Themes creativity genre future worlds Mood enthusiastic curious Type creative inspirational When to use this quote - novel planning - world‑building workshops - science conferences Key Concepts writing storytelling Questions to Reflect On - Which era excites you most? - How do you research future tech? A Different Perspective Maintaining consistency across varied settings is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Epics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epics/) [Fiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fiction/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Lots of science fiction deals with distant times and places. Intrepid prospectors in the Asteroid Belt. Interstellar epics. Galactic empires. Trips to the remote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/lots-of-science-fiction-deals-with-distant-times-and-places-intrepid/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Science works as a way to make sense of life and the universe. Hard SF as my preferred fictional genre just feels natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/science-works-as-a-way-to-make-sense-of-life-and-the-universe-hard-sf/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [“HARD SF and EPIC FANTASY – both of these forms have been conventionalised, proscribed and prescribed, such that they constitute valid GENRES in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-duncan/hard-sf-and-epic-fantasy-both-of-these-forms-have-been/) [Hal Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-duncan/) > [I don't like a lot of what's published as hard SF. Much of it is right-wing, reactionary crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-don-t-like-a-lot-of-what-s-published-as-hard-sf-much-of-it-is-right/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [I had - and continued to have - great fun exploring the Revelation Space universe, but it was always clear to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/i-had-and-continued-to-have-great-fun-exploring-the-revelation-space/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [Jeff Carver is a hard sf writer who gets it right-his science and his people are equally convincing. NEPTUNE CROSSING combines his strengths, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-benford/jeff-carver-is-a-hard-sf-writer-who-gets-it-right-his-science-and-his/) [Gregory Benford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-benford/) > [Peter Watts delivers-solid, inventive hard sf about the deep sea, but as we've never seen before. This moves like the wind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-benford/peter-watts-delivers-solid-inventive-hard-sf-about-the-deep-sea-but/) [Gregory Benford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-benford/) > [I think the rising and falling popularity of areas like hard SF and far-future SF is, to a considerable extent, the same as any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-schmidt/i-think-the-rising-and-falling-popularity-of-areas-like-hard-sf-and/) [Stanley Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-schmidt/) > [For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, Saw the vision of the world, and all the wonder that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-the-great/for-i-dipt-into-the-future-far-as-human-eye-could-see-saw-the-vision-2/) [Alfred the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-the-great/) > [For I dipped into the future, far as human eye could see, Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/for-i-dipped-into-the-future-far-as-human-eye-could-see-saw-the/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [The real leaders of tomorrow are already working on the next big idea, the one that will drive growth into future. They're already far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-enrico/the-real-leaders-of-tomorrow-are-already-working-on-the-next-big-idea/) [Roger Enrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-enrico/) > [For me, the distant future and far-off galaxies is where it's at. That's where my imagination can really come out to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alastair-reynolds/for-me-the-distant-future-and-far-off-galaxies-is-where-it-s-at-that/) [Alastair Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alastair-reynolds/) > [“For I dipt into the future, far as human eye could see, Saw the Vision of the world, and all the wonder that would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-i-dipt-into-the-future-far-as-human-eye-could-see-saw-the-vision/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Believing as I do that man in the distant future will be a far more perfect creature than he now is, it is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/believing-as-i-do-that-man-in-the-distant-future-will-be-a-far-more/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“If we could see the fullness of our tomorrows, how many of us would take desperate action to change the future? What if our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/if-we-could-see-the-fullness-of-our-tomorrows-how-many-of-us-would/) [Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/) ## More by Edward M. Lerner > [Time travel offends our sense of cause and effect - but maybe the universe doesn't insist on cause and effect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/time-travel-offends-our-sense-of-cause-and-effect-but-maybe-the/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Some books are serials, not to be mistaken for anything else. 'The Two Towers,' for example, ought never to be read in isolation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/some-books-are-serials-not-to-be-mistaken-for-anything-else-the-two/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [“Examining the new assailants, the predator inferred something of vital importance: These creatures had been crafted specifically to attack it. The predator had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/examining-the-new-assailants-the-predator-inferred-something-of-vital/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Authors like reading. Go figure. So it's not surprising that we sometimes bog down in the research stage of new writing projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/authors-like-reading-go-figure-so-it-s-not-surprising-that-we/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [In mainstream literature, a trope is a figure of speech: metaphor, simile, irony, or the like. Words used other than literally. In SF, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/in-mainstream-literature-a-trope-is-a-figure-of-speech-metaphor/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [I have to believe SF writers will continue to inspire the public to have faith in - to demand! - a future that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/i-have-to-believe-sf-writers-will-continue-to-inspire-the-public-to/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Lots of science fiction deals with distant times and places. Intrepid prospectors in the Asteroid Belt. Interstellar epics. Galactic empires. Trips to the remote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/lots-of-science-fiction-deals-with-distant-times-and-places-intrepid/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [One doesn't just wander unvetted into someone else's epic interstellar future history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/one-doesn-t-just-wander-unvetted-into-someone-else-s-epic/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Readers and viewers will differ about what's totally standalone, what's totally serially dependent, and what's merely enriched by reading/viewing in a particular order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/readers-and-viewers-will-differ-about-what-s-totally-standalone-what/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [What SF author or fan isn't interested in human space travel? I've yet to meet one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/what-sf-author-or-fan-isn-t-interested-in-human-space-travel-i-ve-yet/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [The scope of what I have to say determines the length of what I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/the-scope-of-what-i-have-to-say-determines-the-length-of-what-i-write/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [Science works as a way to make sense of life and the universe. Hard SF as my preferred fictional genre just feels natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/science-works-as-a-way-to-make-sense-of-life-and-the-universe-hard-sf/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [History buffs expect historical background in historical fiction. Mystery readers expect forensics and police procedure in crime fiction. Westerns - gasp - describe the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/history-buffs-expect-historical-background-in-historical-fiction/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [It would help if human experts agreed on the meaning of such basic terms as intelligence, consciousness, or awareness. They don't. It's hard to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/it-would-help-if-human-experts-agreed-on-the-meaning-of-such-basic/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [I'm a physicist and computer scientist by training. I worked in high tech for thirty years as everything from engineer to senior vice president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/i-m-a-physicist-and-computer-scientist-by-training-i-worked-in-high/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) [Explore all 30 Edward M. Lerner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) ## More Epics quotes > [My specialties are corpses, unconscious people and people snoring in spectacular epics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gig-young/my-specialties-are-corpses-unconscious-people-and-people-snoring-in/) Gig Young > [“I wasn’t a nerd, mind you, but I’d spent a lot of my youth studying Epics, so I’d had limited experience with social interaction.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-wasn-t-a-nerd-mind-you-but-i-d-spent-a-lot-of-my-youth-studying/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [Historically, epics are set in Africa or Asia or the Wild West, but if you make an epic today it's hard to disassociate from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baz-luhrmann/historically-epics-are-set-in-africa-or-asia-or-the-wild-west-but-if/) [Baz Luhrmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baz-luhrmann/) > [“Epics are weak because they are fools. They will destroy this world. Give men power, and they abuse it. That is all one needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/epics-are-weak-because-they-are-fools-they-will-destroy-this-world/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [I didn't need to write historical epics, no, or science fiction, though I read a lot of science fiction as a kid and rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-updike/i-didn-t-need-to-write-historical-epics-no-or-science-fiction-though/) [John Updike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-updike/) > [In the ancient times, bards went around singing the epics, which were storehouses of philosophy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amish-tripathi/in-the-ancient-times-bards-went-around-singing-the-epics-which-were/) [Amish Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amish-tripathi/) > [I've been dealing with epic images, and I realized all of a sudden that I grew up in the age of epics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-longo/i-ve-been-dealing-with-epic-images-and-i-realized-all-of-a-sudden/) [Robert Longo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-longo/) > [“In college I wrote trenchant, deep, profound epics. Then I grew up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-huff/in-college-i-wrote-trenchant-deep-profound-epics-then-i-grew-up/) Tom Huff > [Lots of science fiction deals with distant times and places. Intrepid prospectors in the Asteroid Belt. Interstellar epics. Galactic empires. Trips to the remote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-m-lerner/lots-of-science-fiction-deals-with-distant-times-and-places-intrepid/) [Edward M. Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-m-lerner/) > [“Life and death, joy and sorrow, gain and loss; These dualities cannot be avoided. Learn to accept what you cannot change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramayana-book-2/life-and-death-joy-and-sorrow-gain-and-loss-these-dualities-cannot-be/) Ramayana (book 2 > [What do I geek out about? What am I? Hmmm. I love movies. I watch movies. I like big, sweeping epics, like Ed Zwick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-evans/what-do-i-geek-out-about-what-am-i-hmmm-i-love-movies-i-watch-movies/) [Chris Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-evans/) > [“I know, better than anyone else, that there are no heroes coming to save us. There are no good Epics. None of them protect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/i-know-better-than-anyone-else-that-there-are-no-heroes-coming-to/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [I am not against songs in films. We come from an oral tradition of storytelling. I have grown up listening to epics in oral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mani-ratnam/i-am-not-against-songs-in-films-we-come-from-an-oral-tradition-of/) [Mani Ratnam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mani-ratnam/) > [I've done all these historical epics and chivalrous roles, but there's an odder, quirkier side to me that nobody knows about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orlando-bloom/i-ve-done-all-these-historical-epics-and-chivalrous-roles-but-there-s/) [Orlando Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orlando-bloom/) > [“I am the Wind that blows across the Sea I am the Wave of the Ocean I am the Murmur of the Billows I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amergin/i-am-the-wind-that-blows-across-the-sea-i-am-the-wave-of-the-ocean-i/) Amergin [Browse all 31 Epics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What kind of hard SF do I write? 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