How I came to write science fiction – Nnedi Okorafor

Nnedi Okorafor, after reading a review of her forthcoming memoir, ‘Broken Places & Outer Spaces’, decided to write a Facebook post. Reproduced here, with the writer’s permission, a portion reads: “Over and over, people keep trying to force this narrative on me that I started writing science fiction after reading science fiction. I’ve said it […]

Nnedi Okorafor, after reading a review of her forthcoming memoir, ‘Broken Places & Outer Spaces’, decided to write a Facebook post. Reproduced here, with the writer’s permission, a portion reads: “Over and over, people keep trying to force this narrative on me that I started writing science fiction after reading science fiction. I’ve said it many times that this was not the case for me at all.”

The writer, whose hit books include ‘Who Fears Death’ and the Binti trilogy, said: “I started writing science fiction because my trips to Nigeria to visit family exposed me to the presence of technology in the most surprising (and rural) places. To be specific, Imo State, Arondizuogu and Isiekenesi.”

Okorafor said from there, she started thinking about what these places would be like in the future. “I realized those stories weren’t written yet. That’s how I came to writing science fiction. I say this in my TED memoir, yet I still see this ‘Nnedi started writing science fiction after reading science fiction’ narrative imposed on me. I know that’s an easier more familiar narrative to tell, but it’s not mine. It also positions classic Western science fiction as my foundation, when it’s not.”

The award-winning writer also added that she actually found “classic” science fiction “too white and male and cold to enjoy”. “I’ve said this, too. Many times. Clearly. I don’t beat around the bush,” Okorafor said. She called on fans and readers to mark her words on the post, and in her forthcoming TED book ‘Broken Places & Outer Spaces’, and not heed the attempts to twist or flat-out rewrite her words elsewhere.

‘Broken Places & Outer Spaces’ (TED Books) will be released in June.