An SF Writer’s Pledge

 An SF Writer’s Pledge

I am a writer of Speculative Fiction. I do hereby pledge to uphold the principles of the art and craft of this genre.

As an SF Writer, I believe that…

• The genres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror are legitimate genres in literature.
• Speculative Fiction has the unique ability to bring writer and reader into a new reality and, by this act, offer insight into our own world.
• There are some stories and truths that are best expressed, or are only expressed, through SF and its subgenres.

As an SF Writer, I shall…

• Write. Not just think about writing or talk about writing. I shall actually sit down and write words, whether on screen or paper.
• Read both other authors and nonfiction.
• Strive to create well-crafted stories: stories that are exciting, that raise questions, and that are worth the time the reader spent reading them.
• Do my utmost to create real, believable characters with individual wants, motivations, and desires. This principle holds for human and non-human characters alike.
• Retain a sense of awe and wonder when dealing with the Universe, and communicate those feelings as best I can.
• Accept that every rule has its exception, but acknowledge that rules tend to have a reason for being.
• Persist. Even if I have to concede some losses, that will not stop me from trying again.
• Keep, above all, the story’s integrity.

As an SF Writer, I shall NOT…

• Use dragons, elves, dwarves, and aliens in ways that have been seen a million times before.
• Blatantly plagiarize.
• Include gratuitous violence, swearing, or sex for shock value or for the mere sake of including them.
• Assign a single, dominating trait to any one character, race, or species.
• Have horses gallop all day long, for days on end, with no breaks for food, water, or rest.
• Break the rules I have established for my world, unless I have a very good, well-rationalized reason.
• Make characters act contrary to their established natures in order to further the plot.
• Defy linguistic and cultural conventions, whether fictional or not, unless I have a very good, well-rationalized reason.
• Protect my characters from the consequences of their actions, or offer them an easy way out through the use of magic, technology, hitherto unknown physics, the supernatural, etc.
• Compare myself to, or attempt to replicate the works of, J.R.R. Tolkien.

In short, I shall strive to ensure that my contributions to the field of Speculative Fiction are the best that my abilities will allow.

 Sincerely,

Arvik