This is dystopian science fiction at its finest. “ Inventory” by Carmen Maria Machado, LitHub As with all of Chiang’s work, this story will have you thinking about it, its philosophy, its explorations of self, long after you finish reading the last word.

I took from this story as a deep reflection on the loss of natural resources and the depletion of the environment. It follows an alien scientist investigating a curious incident that grows into an astounding discovery with universal consequences. The entire collection is worth the read, but “Exhalation” is a great entry-point. This is the title story for Chiang’s stunning collection Exhalation: Stories, which released in 2019. Let’s start with a master of the science fiction short form. “ Exhalation” by Ted Chiang, Lightspeed Magazine These stories are reflections of our current social and political environment, delve deep into emotional and physical connections, while exploring other worlds, cultures, and timelines. In fact, below are stories that are not only science fiction but also fairytales and horror stories. Le Guin, I wanted to focus on authors that are reinventing science fiction, taking it to new heights, and bending genre lines. While I included some authors that are long-standing titans of the genre, like Octavia Butler and Ursula K. You may notice the absence of some notable authors like Ray Bradbury and Arthur C. I also encourage you to subscribe to any or all of the illustrious magazines these stories appear in as well. The below list includes short stories that are accessible online, though I encourage you to buy the collections and anthologies many of these stories appear in. The Next Level of Science Fiction Short Stories The generations that grew up with the evolution of smartphones and apps, anime, Pokémon, and ground-breaking video games are now writing fiction-really damn good fiction-with new views and commentary on technology and science that haven’t been seen before. We’re in a new golden age of science fiction, especially science fiction short stories.

Examples of short stories to write