Sci-Fi Tropes: A Guide for Writers
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
Science fiction is a genre that has been around for decades, and it continues to be popular today, with a heavy assist from popular sci-fi tropes that keep readers coming back for more. Science fiction is a large and diverse genre, full of interesting characters, settings, and stories, and it often uses sci-fi tropes as part of a plot structure.
A trope is a common element or theme in a story, and it can be used to create a sense of familiarity and connection between the story and the audience. In this article, we will explore some of the most popular sci-fi tropes and how they can be used to create compelling stories.
Sci-Fi Tropes: Space and Time Travel
One of the most popular sci-fi tropes is space travel. This trope is often used to explore new worlds and civilizations, and it can be used to create a sense of adventure and exploration. Time travel is another popular trope, and it can be used to explore alternate timelines and universes.
Alternate universes are also popular, and they can be used to explore different versions of reality. If traveling through literal space and time isn’t one of your favorite sci-fi tropes, you might want to try “everything is a simulation,” which is often used to explore the idea of a simulated reality. Use these fun sci-fi tropes to ask all of your juiciest “what if?” creative questions.
Sci-Fi Tropes: Bad Robots and Bad Aliens
Bad robots and bad aliens are also popular sci-fi tropes. These tropes can be used to explore the idea of artificial intelligence and the potential dangers of technology. Are your antagonists created by humans? Are they of this world? You might want to spin these popular sci-fi tropes on their head and reveal that the aliens are actually human—meaning that the POV character is encountering “strange beings” that readers are all-too-familiar with.
Structural Sci-Fi Tropes
Testimonials are short quotes from people who love your brand. It's a great way to convince customers to try your In addition to these subject matter sci-fi tropes, there are also some more general story tropes that are popular in science fiction. The “I Used to Be Normal” origin story is a popular trope, and it can be used to explore the idea of a character who has gone through a transformation.
The Secret Identity trope is also popular, and it can be used to explore the idea of a character who has a hidden identity. A Tragic Backstory for your protagonist is another appealing trope, and it can be used to explore the idea of a character who has suffered a great loss … one they might be “making up for” when they take a science fiction journey. (If you create a backstory for your character, consider how it will affect their character wound and character need.)
If we explore popular sci-fi tropes when it comes to character types, the Antihero trope is also a crowd-pleasing favorite, and it can be used to explore the idea of a character who is not necessarily a hero but still has heroic qualities and virtues that will lead to them being celebrated as an underdog. A lot of readers can relate to underdogs because they consider themselves underdogs. Use this to your advantage when constructing your protagonist personality.
These are just some of the most popular sci-fi tropes, and there are many more out there. Writers should take the time to explore these tropes and see how they can be used to create compelling stories. By understanding the tropes and how they can weave together with your own imagination, writers can create stories that are both familiar and unique—the best of both (or many!) worlds.
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