Mary Flodin, thanks for the essay, “Why I Write Cli-Fi, in Climate Fiction Writers League, on May 20, 2025.
I liked seeing the climate fiction perspective going back to Epic of Gilgamesh, although I image we can include the story of Noah and the flood, in Genesis 6:9-9:17 NIV, especially if we squint our eyes and see god as Gaia, but the point is well taken.
What I especially liked in your essay is “So far, most climate fiction conveys messages of hopelessness and despair. But through my stories, I attempt to shift the narrative — providing positive examples of social cooperation, new resilience and hope,” and while the question of hope remains to be determined, writing climate fiction in which readers can identify their own lives with the climate fiction characters seems central to the goal of getting more people more actively interested in the main issues of climate change. There are many climate apocalypse novels out and about these days, and these can be quite fun and well written, but dystopian deserts or flooded worlds of the possible future caused by climate change present a challenge in such scenarios with the readers own experiences.
Considering that legislation is the most likely and best prospect for addressing core solutions for climate change progress, it is helpful that people understand they have a political role to play, which, in America at any rate, means voting for climate change progress candidates. Stories that show people in their day-to-day struggles—even as quotidian as worrying about paying bills—intersecting with the issues of climate change could be an effective way to positively shift public interest. But, of course, as you point out, such stories need to be entertaining; pages not turned are positive shifts not made.
Your use of contemporary issues within a thriller structure seems a good approach. I certainly hope so, as my own series, The Steep Climes Quartet, attempts a similar approach. The series contains four books (Kill Well, published in Fall 2023, and Dear Josephine, recently published) that span from 2026 to 2047 and address economic issues of climate change focused through characters and within an anchor location—the Berkshires, in Massachusetts. Each book has thriller aspects that integrate with the characters’ lives, either directly, or as part of the news environment most of us are mired in. Climate change science and politics and policies are cool, no doubt, but murder and skullduggery among the interested parties of powerful moneyed interests and fervent activists are additional ways to address climate change issues.
Thank you for your post on CFWL and for the links and resources and climate fiction perspectives provided.
Agreed - we need to keep the pressure on and provide some alternatives! I'm not so sure about promoting these possible futures as a 'joyful event' - it is not, and will never be....if we actually start to make some serious changes. Keep up the good work. All the best, C.K.
Mary Flodin, thanks for the essay, “Why I Write Cli-Fi, in Climate Fiction Writers League, on May 20, 2025.
I liked seeing the climate fiction perspective going back to Epic of Gilgamesh, although I image we can include the story of Noah and the flood, in Genesis 6:9-9:17 NIV, especially if we squint our eyes and see god as Gaia, but the point is well taken.
What I especially liked in your essay is “So far, most climate fiction conveys messages of hopelessness and despair. But through my stories, I attempt to shift the narrative — providing positive examples of social cooperation, new resilience and hope,” and while the question of hope remains to be determined, writing climate fiction in which readers can identify their own lives with the climate fiction characters seems central to the goal of getting more people more actively interested in the main issues of climate change. There are many climate apocalypse novels out and about these days, and these can be quite fun and well written, but dystopian deserts or flooded worlds of the possible future caused by climate change present a challenge in such scenarios with the readers own experiences.
Considering that legislation is the most likely and best prospect for addressing core solutions for climate change progress, it is helpful that people understand they have a political role to play, which, in America at any rate, means voting for climate change progress candidates. Stories that show people in their day-to-day struggles—even as quotidian as worrying about paying bills—intersecting with the issues of climate change could be an effective way to positively shift public interest. But, of course, as you point out, such stories need to be entertaining; pages not turned are positive shifts not made.
Your use of contemporary issues within a thriller structure seems a good approach. I certainly hope so, as my own series, The Steep Climes Quartet, attempts a similar approach. The series contains four books (Kill Well, published in Fall 2023, and Dear Josephine, recently published) that span from 2026 to 2047 and address economic issues of climate change focused through characters and within an anchor location—the Berkshires, in Massachusetts. Each book has thriller aspects that integrate with the characters’ lives, either directly, or as part of the news environment most of us are mired in. Climate change science and politics and policies are cool, no doubt, but murder and skullduggery among the interested parties of powerful moneyed interests and fervent activists are additional ways to address climate change issues.
Thank you for your post on CFWL and for the links and resources and climate fiction perspectives provided.
You’re on the list!
David Guenette
This book sounds so good and all too timely! Just add it to my TBR.
Oh, I love Octavia Butler, too! I will certainely check out your novel as well
Climate short FYI : https://substack.com/home/post/p-163699928
Agreed - we need to keep the pressure on and provide some alternatives! I'm not so sure about promoting these possible futures as a 'joyful event' - it is not, and will never be....if we actually start to make some serious changes. Keep up the good work. All the best, C.K.