INTRODUCTION TO EMERGING LITERATURES

Six-word flash fiction & Science Fiction

Emerging Literature
Emerging Literature is an integration of a traditional and technological driven form of
literature.
According to what LBCI have learned, emergent or emerging literature refers to new
genres of scholarly discourse such as online collaborative spaces, academic blogs,
websites, and e-prints. Emergent literature is also said to be the literature existing
nowadays. It uses unconventional techniques, and doesn’t need to be published, to be
converted to movie unlike popular literature. One good thing about emerging literature is
that one just need to write it in a certain platform, make it trending and everyone can
read it.
Characteristic of Emergent Literature

 demonstrate independence builds strong context knowledge

 responds to the varying demand of audiences
 task purpose ad discipline
 comprehends as well as critique
 value evidence and uses technology
 digital media strategically and capably.

SIX-WORD FLASH FICTION

 Flash Fiction

Flash fiction is a genre of fiction, defined as a very short story.

Six-word Flash Fiction is an entire story told in six words. It is a short narrative that
can have all of the emotional themes of longer stories—from funny to dramatic, sad to
scary.
Like other forms of short stories or flash fiction, a six-word story allows a reader to
consume an entire narrative in just a moment’s time. If you’re trying to get in some
short, but challenging, bursts of writing practice throughout your day, try writing six-word
stories. These bite-sized narratives are fast and fun.
ORIGINS OF SIX-WORD FLASH FICTION
WHO? WHEN IT STARTED?
Flash fiction dates back to the time of fables and parables. The form was popularized in
the nineteenth century by writers like Walt Whitman, Kate Chopin, and Ambrose Bierce.
Perhaps the best-known flash fiction story is from this time (although frequently
misattributed to Ernest Hemingway). The entire story is six words long:
“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”
The most famous example of a six-word story is frequently credited to Ernest
Hemingway (though there’s little evidence that he actually wrote it): “For sale: baby
shoes. Never worn.” In six simple words, a heartbreaking narrative is told—from the few
words but also from what is left out.
The first two words of this six-word story set you up to think it's just another item for
sale. Think of how you react when you read a sign that starts with "for sale." Maybe you
become curious, or maybe you shy away because you don't like being sold something.
Or maybe you're so used to signs selling things that you don't even bat an eye. No
matter how you react, it's likely a very different reaction than how you'll feel by the end
of this very brief story.
Next there are the middle two words which catch you off guard. Baby shoes aren't
usually the top thing we'd think of when we hear someone is trying to sell something.
Regular shoes, maybe, but baby shoes? Well that almost seems funny, doesn't it? And
if the story ended here, there would be no story, just an advertisement selling shoes,
likely for future mothers to buy.
But then we get to those last two words and suddenly we feel nothing short of sadness.
All the words before it has a new meaning, perhaps bringing to mind images of a sullen
family weeping over an empty space in their home. It's so depressing, and yet you
managed to feel that way just in six words. And that's pretty amazing.
Examples of Six-Word Stories
1. I’ll confess, I never loved you.
2. Thirteenth birthday, I laughed and cried.
3. Google: how to inflate a life raft!
Characteristics of Six-word Flash Fiction

 It contains six words to tell a story.

 Six-word stories don’t have the classic beginning, middle, and end of a traditional
storyline.
 They have a subject and verb that give the reader a sense of what’s happened
and a bit of conflict.
How to Write a Six-Word Story
Six words can make a compelling narrative. Once you master the art of this tiny type of
storytelling, try using some of your original small stories as writing prompts for your
next, longer work. These itty bitty tales are creative writing at its finest and shortest.

1. Have a basic story structure. This short story format should contain conflict—or
rather, a teaser of a conflict conveyed with vivid words. It should also have a
subject followed by a verb that gives it action and movement. Finally, a six-word
story should have a feeling of resolution.

2. Have a small narrative arc. The key to writing your own six-word story is to take
an original idea, filter out most of the words, and leave the most informative ones
in, to tell a whole story. Learn more about narrative arcs in our guide here.

3. Entice the reader to fill in the blanks. In just six little words, you can create a
powerful story that evokes emotions. Use what’s left on the cutting room floor to
draw the reader in even further. In other words, part of your story will be in what’s
left unsaid. Tease the audience with six words that let their mind fill in the blanks
with the bigger narrative and give them a sense of a complete story.

4. Choose your words carefully. With only six slots to fill, you don’t have room to
waste with weak word choice. Choose words that have purpose and meaning
and drive your story forward. Shorten phrases with contractions to make room for
nouns and verbs. Use punctuation marks, colons and em dashes, to join different
phrases without having to use conjunctions.

5. Write your own story. Find inspiration in your own life and write a little memoir.
Try thinking of a pivotal moment and boil it down to six words that carefully sum
up your experience and convey your emotions.

6. Submit your story. Six-word stories have become popular on websites, like
Tumblr and Reddit with users submitting their original works. Some have even
gone on to become part of published books within this story genre. When you’ve
written a great six-word story, find an online outlet and share it with the world.
SCIENCE FICTION
Science fiction or sci-fi, a form of fiction that deals principally with the impact of actual or
imagined science upon society or individuals.
Science fiction is a modern genre and typically deals with imaginative and futuristic
concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel,
parallel universes, super intelligent computers and robots and extraterrestrial life. It has
been called the "literature of ideas", and it often explores the potential consequences of
scientific, social, and technological innovations.

WHO? WHEN IT STARTED?

Science fiction can trace its roots back to ancient mythology and is related to fantasy,
horror, and superhero fiction, and contains many subgenres. Some scholars assert that
science fiction had its beginnings in ancient times, when the line between myth and fact
was blurred.
The science fiction genre dates back to the second century. A True Story, written by the
Syrian satirist Lucian, is thought to be the first sci-fi story, which explored other
universes and extraterrestrial lifeforms. Modern science developed during the Age of
Enlightenment, and writers reacted to scientific and technological advancements with a
wave of sci-fi stories like New Atlantis by Francis Bacon (1627), Somnium by Johannes
Kepler (1634), and Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon by Cyrano
de Bergerac (1657).
Following the 17th-century development of the novel as a literary form
Edgar Allan Poe wrote several stories considered to be science fiction, including "The
Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall" (1835), Jules Verne (20,000 Leagues
Under The Sea) 1870.
By the beginning of the 20th century, an array of standard science fiction “sets” had
developed around certain themes, among them space travel, robots, alien beings, and
time travel (see below Major science fiction themes). The customary “theatrics” of
science fiction include prophetic warnings, utopian aspirations, elaborate scenarios for
entirely imaginary worlds, titanic disasters, strange voyages, and political agitation of
many extremist flavours, presented in the form of sermons, meditations, satires,
allegories, and parodies—exhibiting every conceivable attitude toward the process of
techno-social change, from cynical despair to cosmic bliss.
Science fiction writers often seek out new scientific and technical developments in order
to prognosticate freely the techno-social changes that will shock the readers’ sense of
cultural propriety and expand their consciousness. This approach was central to the
work of H.G. Wells, a founder of the genre and likely its greatest writer.
Some well-known 20th century science fiction texts include 1984 by George Orwell,
Brave New World by Alduous Huxley, and The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. In addition,
the four most-popular and well-recognized 20th century authors are Isaac Asimov,
author of the Foundation trilogy and his robot series, Arthur C. Clarke famous for 2001,
a Space Odyssey; Ray Bradbury, known for his Martian Chronicles, and Robert
Heinlein, author of Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress.
By the 21st century, science fiction had become much more than a literary genre. Its
avid followers and practitioners constituted a thriving worldwide subculture. Fans
relished the seemingly endless variety of SF-related products and pastimes, including
books, movies, television shows, computer games, magazines, paintings, comics, and,
increasingly, collectible figurines, Web sites, DVDs, and toy weaponry. They frequently
held well-attended, well-organized conventions, at which costumes were worn,
handicrafts sold, and folk songs sung.

Hard Science Fiction Versus Soft Science Fiction: What’s the Difference?
Science fiction is divided into two broad categories: Hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi.

Hard sci-fi novels are based on scientific fact. They’re inspired by “hard” natural
sciences like physics, chemistry, and astronomy.
Soft sci-fi novels can be two things: Either they are not scientifically accurate or they’re
inspired by “soft” social sciences like psychology, anthropology, and sociology.

Hard science fiction

Hard science fiction strictly follows scientific facts and principles. It is strongly focused
on natural sciences like physics, astronomy, chemistry, astrophysics, etc. Interestingly,
hard science fiction is often written by real scientists, and has been known for making
both accurate and inaccurate predictions of future events. For example, the recent film
Gravity, the story of an astronaut whose spacecraft is damaged while she repairs a
satellite, was renowned for its scientific accuracy in terms of what would actually
happen in space.

Soft science fiction

Soft science fiction is characterized by a focus on social sciences, like anthropology,
sociology, psychology, politics—in other words, sciences involving human behavior. So,
soft sci-fi stories mainly address the possible scientific consequences of human
behavior. For example, the Disney animated film Wall-E is an apocalyptic science fiction
story about the end of life on Earth as a result of man’s disregard for nature.
In truth, most works use a combination of both hard and soft science fiction. Soft sci-fi
allows audiences to connect on an emotional level, and hard sci-fi adds real scientific
evidence so that they can imagine the action actually happening. So, combining the two
is a better storytelling technique, because it lets audiences connect with the story on
two levels. Science fiction also has a seemingly endless number of subgenres, including
but not limited to time travel, apocalyptic, utopian/dystopian, alternate history, space
opera, and military science fiction.

SUBGENRES OF SCI-FI

1. Fantasy fiction: Sci-fi stories inspired by mythology and folklore that often include
elements of magic.

2. Supernatural fiction: Sci-fi stories about secret knowledge or hidden abilities that
include witchcraft, spiritualism, and psychic abilities.

3. Utopian fiction: Sci-fi stories about civilizations the authors deem to be perfect,
ideal societies. Utopian fiction is often satirical.

4. Dystopian fiction: Sci-fi stories about societies the authors deem to be

problematic for things like government rules, poverty, or oppression.

5. Space opera: A play on the term “soap opera,” sci-fi stories that take place in
outer space and center around conflict, romance, and adventure.

6. Space western: Sci-fi stories that blend elements of science fiction with elements
of the western genre.

7. Cyberpunk: Sci-fi stories that juxtapose advanced technology with less

advanced, broken-down society.

8. Steampunk: Sci-fi stories that blend technology with steam-powered machinery.

12 Classic Science Fiction Novels to Know and Read

Familiarize yourself with these classic works of science fiction that inspired novelists
and screenwriters in many different genres. Many have been turned into movies and
television shows:
1. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne (1870): features underwater
exploration and a technologically advanced submarine—two things that were
primitive at the time the novel was written.
2. The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells (1898): tells the story of Martians invading
Earth and includes themes of space, science, and astronomy.
 3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932): set in a futuristic dystopian world
with many scientific developments where people are genetically modified.
4. Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell (1938): tells the story of an alien
creature that’s a shape-shifter and has the gift of telepathy.
5. Foundation by Isaac Asimov (1942): follows a galactic civilization after their
empire collapses.
6. 1984 by George Orwell (1949): set in a dystopian version of the year 1984 where
the world has succumbed to extreme levels of government interference in daily
lives.
7. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953): set in a futuristic dystopian society
where books are banned and will be burned if found.
8. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (1961): tells the story of a human
who was born on Mars and raised by Martians who comes to live on Earth.
9. The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (1962): set 15 years after the end of
World War II, offers an alternate history of what could happen if the Axis Powers
had defeated the Allied Powers.
10. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965): set in an interstellar society in the distant future.
11. 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke (1968): tells the story of ancient
aliens who travel the galaxy and help develop intelligent life forms in other
worlds.
12. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985): tells the story of the women
who lose their rights after a totalitarian state overthrows the U.S. government.
Watch Atwood discuss how she arrived at her main character’s point of view in
her MasterClass.

4 Tips for Science Fiction Writers

As you write your sci-fi novel, consider the following:

1. Draw inspiration for your story from real life. Take an idea from current society
and move it a little further down the road. Even if human beings are short-term
thinkers, fiction can anticipate and extrapolate into multiple versions of the future.

2. Do some research. It may seem paradoxical, but research will strengthen your
project, no matter how far you end up straying from historical facts. Conducting
research too early in the drafting process can sidetrack or slow down the plot, but
it’s critical to keep your reader immersed in and believing the world you’ve
created. Getting the details wrong can throw off their belief in your story.

3. Create a set of rules for the world of your novel—and stick to them. Sci-fi is not
automatically interesting; it must be made compelling, plausible, and accurate
within its own set of rules. Rules add weight to the material or change the stakes
for your characters and/or readers. Once you establish a rule, if you break it, you
break the illusion of a believable and compelling world.
 4. Keep it grounded in reality. Any technological or fantastical element in sci-fi
should have roots in what our current species can already do or is on the road to
being able to do.

References:
https://www.coursehero.com/file/94661593/Emerging-Literaturepptx/
https://sinigangaffair.blogspot.com/2021/05/emergentemerging-literature.html
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-an-unforgettable-six-word-story#3-
examples-of-sixword-stories
https://www.emwelsh.com/blog/six-word-story
https://literaryterms.net/science-fiction/
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-science-fiction-writing-definition-and-
characteristics-of-science-fiction-literature#hard-science-fiction-versus-soft-science-
fiction-whats-the-difference
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_fiction
https://www.britannica.com/art/science-fiction/The-19th-and-early-20th-centuries
https://www.readwritethink.org/sites/default/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson927/
SciFiDefinition.pdf