I also don't bother to distinguish SF from sci-fi, because the definitions that separate them are too vague and often broken. By some definitions, for example,
Solaris would be sci-fi because it doesn't focus on the technology as much as the human conflict. It's all science fiction.
Actually, I don't have a problem with authors/publishers who want to write a story with alien worlds and spacecraft and not call it SF... or, who want to write an SF story and not want it to be associated with alien worlds and spaceships. The SF label, and the content defined by it, have evolved so much, while still maintaining a stigma with many groups, that they're ready for a change.
I think the very broad word "science" is due to be dropped, in favor of more defining terms: New labels as sub-genres of Fiction, like Tech Fiction, Future Fiction, Alternate (as in Alternate Reality) Fiction, that kind of thing.
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Originally Posted by Elfwreck
The Hunger Games, AFAIK, isn't specifically denied as science fiction, but the media blitz about it certainly seems to be avoiding the label.
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The Hunger Games marketing has directly targeted Young Adult, to pull in all those Harry Potter graduates. They are avoiding that SF stigma, and it's working. Maybe others should take their cue.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elfwreck
Margaret Atwood insists that her novels are spec fic, not science fic, because "Science fiction has monsters and spaceships; speculative fiction could really happen."
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Yeah, space ships? That'll never happen.