Dear Kate, you ask an important question ... what we know for sure is that we humans are emotional beings (not the rational decision makers we would like to believe). Our behavior is largely shaped by the stories we absorb growing up in a particular culture. Most of the world is currently acting out of stories that say we need "more", that our economies must grow forever, and that we humans are separate from nature. Replacing these outmoded and destructive stories with better stories, stories that support a sustainable, desirable future is best done with fiction. The academic papers of the scientists are not very effective at changing hearts and minds. Changing hearts and minds takes the work of artists ... and fiction writers are perhaps the most critical of them all in this respect.
Thought provoking read. I recently wrote an article for a local writer’s group exploring the same topic. I hate when an author has the character pull out a single use plastic bottle from the fridge. I don’t just hate it, I write the author to do better. All those little acts sinking without awareness.
I’m going to shamelessly add my books that I consider CliFic.
I just happened to purchase your novel at my local bookstore - the gorgeous cover captivated me, and when I saw that it had an environmental theme I had to purchase. My recent novel deals with climate change and activism in a resort area (Montauk, Long Island) and yet it never occurred to me to link the book with actions readers could take. It's a fabulous idea and one that I wish I'd known of before publication - especially because there's a perfect nonprofit that would have been an obvious choice (among these other great ones) to suggest. I do think fiction raises consciousness - and that's what readers have said to me - and that this awareness leads to action. Thanks again for this post and for your work.
Thank you for this article. As a climate fiction writer myself, and much of my work is centered on the focus of animal agriculture, which few will read when they discover that is the premise of my series. Having said that, I do agree that fiction allows us the opportunity to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves; animals, the planet. What is indeed most challenging is to get this fiction into the hands of those who can be inspired by it, and without seeming "preachy".
Thank you for your work. One intuition I have is that in terms of impact, a novel better not be too explicitly cli-fi or it might be only cli-fi fans who read it, and they might be doing everything right already?
Woodworth’s response is to hope that “[climate fiction] writers really can be agents of change…but how?” Great question, but her answer misses the original premise of her essay about the efficacy of climate fiction to help foster climate action and instead posits a generic solution: “I could invite readers of my climate novel, Little Great Island, to perform one small act or behavior change that will help mitigate climate change. Each person could choose the act that made sense in their own life.”
There’s nothing wrong with the sentiment, but it avoids the question of what climate fiction may be capable of, which, I argue, is to help readers identify with today’s issues on climate change by identifying themselves within fictional characters who experience the pains and pressures of today’s climate change experience and the decisions of these characters toward positive understanding and action.
David Guenette is the author of The Steep Climes Quartet, a climate activist, and frequent commentator on climate change and climate fiction. www.davidguenette.com
What is missed by most authors is to succeed the works got to not preach to the choir or sensationalize climate, but sneak in the theme quietly or destruct the worldview logic behind the denial in some other story.
It’s key that those in ambivalent or slight deniers camp love the surface story so that the basis becomes part of their worldview. Most great classic works (Dr Zhivago, Lord of the Rings examples) moved generations of readers worldview to accept worldviews outside what their personal worldviews would have never allowed them to read, greatly reducing polarization.
IMO “Day After Tomorrow” done more to polarize Climate, a great counter example is “AI” which effectively great climate film in the end as only in end of it directly hints strongly a climate driver.
My effort is writing about an incredibly improbable thriller (beyond any James Bond spy thriller) that cause of Ozone depletion by CFCs ever got resolved. Believe me it should have never happened in time! There is huge material in this area and if any interested contact me rougenasa at g mail.
Thanks for this, very inspiring. I agree, storytelling is a powerful way to envision (and bring about) the future we want to create. There’s no reason to write dystopian tales.
I admire the work of the Sunrise Movement, as it involves youth activists for climate justice.
Thank you so much for this opportunity. As a writer/author of climate fiction for tweens and teens your article crystallizes why I write eco-fiction and cli-fi for tweens and teens to, hopefully, inspire the next generation of wise environmentalists. My organizations of choice: National Environmental Education Association, Writers League, Audubon Society.
Dear Kate, you ask an important question ... what we know for sure is that we humans are emotional beings (not the rational decision makers we would like to believe). Our behavior is largely shaped by the stories we absorb growing up in a particular culture. Most of the world is currently acting out of stories that say we need "more", that our economies must grow forever, and that we humans are separate from nature. Replacing these outmoded and destructive stories with better stories, stories that support a sustainable, desirable future is best done with fiction. The academic papers of the scientists are not very effective at changing hearts and minds. Changing hearts and minds takes the work of artists ... and fiction writers are perhaps the most critical of them all in this respect.
My research shows that raising awareness isn't enough, we need to show solutions. Just raising awareness of the problem can even on occasion trigger the wrong kind of action - see my post https://climatefictionwritersleague.substack.com/p/why-i-dont-like-climate-fiction?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-restack-comment&r=2v2xv7&triedRedirect=true. Your book certainly seems to focus on solution-oriented activity. I've downloaded the audio book and look forward to listening to it. Again my research shows this can be very effective. I had way more impact with my rom com Habitat Man than I did with any of my academic articles - see https://www.dabaden.com/habitat-man-in-research/. I love your idea of actions - do you have a way to check if it's made a difference. I'd love to know if so. My non profit would be Client Earth.
Thought provoking read. I recently wrote an article for a local writer’s group exploring the same topic. I hate when an author has the character pull out a single use plastic bottle from the fridge. I don’t just hate it, I write the author to do better. All those little acts sinking without awareness.
I’m going to shamelessly add my books that I consider CliFic.
Whispers for Terra and The Nickel Loop.
I just happened to purchase your novel at my local bookstore - the gorgeous cover captivated me, and when I saw that it had an environmental theme I had to purchase. My recent novel deals with climate change and activism in a resort area (Montauk, Long Island) and yet it never occurred to me to link the book with actions readers could take. It's a fabulous idea and one that I wish I'd known of before publication - especially because there's a perfect nonprofit that would have been an obvious choice (among these other great ones) to suggest. I do think fiction raises consciousness - and that's what readers have said to me - and that this awareness leads to action. Thanks again for this post and for your work.
Thank you for this article. As a climate fiction writer myself, and much of my work is centered on the focus of animal agriculture, which few will read when they discover that is the premise of my series. Having said that, I do agree that fiction allows us the opportunity to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves; animals, the planet. What is indeed most challenging is to get this fiction into the hands of those who can be inspired by it, and without seeming "preachy".
Thank you for your work. One intuition I have is that in terms of impact, a novel better not be too explicitly cli-fi or it might be only cli-fi fans who read it, and they might be doing everything right already?
Woodworth’s response is to hope that “[climate fiction] writers really can be agents of change…but how?” Great question, but her answer misses the original premise of her essay about the efficacy of climate fiction to help foster climate action and instead posits a generic solution: “I could invite readers of my climate novel, Little Great Island, to perform one small act or behavior change that will help mitigate climate change. Each person could choose the act that made sense in their own life.”
There’s nothing wrong with the sentiment, but it avoids the question of what climate fiction may be capable of, which, I argue, is to help readers identify with today’s issues on climate change by identifying themselves within fictional characters who experience the pains and pressures of today’s climate change experience and the decisions of these characters toward positive understanding and action.
I address these questions in more depth in a new post, “Seriously, More Conversation about Climate Fiction and Its Efficacy” [https://davidguenette.com/seriously-more-conversation-about-climate-fiction-and-its-efficacy/]
David Guenette is the author of The Steep Climes Quartet, a climate activist, and frequent commentator on climate change and climate fiction. www.davidguenette.com
What is missed by most authors is to succeed the works got to not preach to the choir or sensationalize climate, but sneak in the theme quietly or destruct the worldview logic behind the denial in some other story.
It’s key that those in ambivalent or slight deniers camp love the surface story so that the basis becomes part of their worldview. Most great classic works (Dr Zhivago, Lord of the Rings examples) moved generations of readers worldview to accept worldviews outside what their personal worldviews would have never allowed them to read, greatly reducing polarization.
IMO “Day After Tomorrow” done more to polarize Climate, a great counter example is “AI” which effectively great climate film in the end as only in end of it directly hints strongly a climate driver.
My effort is writing about an incredibly improbable thriller (beyond any James Bond spy thriller) that cause of Ozone depletion by CFCs ever got resolved. Believe me it should have never happened in time! There is huge material in this area and if any interested contact me rougenasa at g mail.
PSG
Thanks for this, very inspiring. I agree, storytelling is a powerful way to envision (and bring about) the future we want to create. There’s no reason to write dystopian tales.
I admire the work of the Sunrise Movement, as it involves youth activists for climate justice.
Thank you so much for this opportunity. As a writer/author of climate fiction for tweens and teens your article crystallizes why I write eco-fiction and cli-fi for tweens and teens to, hopefully, inspire the next generation of wise environmentalists. My organizations of choice: National Environmental Education Association, Writers League, Audubon Society.
What is "wise environmentalism"?