Science fiction is one of the most popular literary genres around the world. No matter whether the subjects are light years away on a spaceship or living in a time and place similar to now, science fiction encompasses a wide range of imaginative ideas, settings and messages. If you want to become a science fiction writer, you will need to sharpen your writing skills, research past masters and get an agent.
An education can give you a big leg up when preparing to be a science fiction writer. A college degree is not required to become a writer, but in-depth English, composition and literature classes will help you develop the foundational writing skills. It also can be helpful to take biology, physics and math classes in order to learn about scientific theories and thoughts that could appear in your fiction. If you want to further your education, many schools offer a master's degree in creative writing that is an intensive two to three years of writing workshops and classes.
No matter how you get your education, you will need to read countless science fiction novels and short stories in order to become a science fiction writer. This accomplishes two things in improving your skills as a fiction writer. First, it shows you what stories have been told and gives you an idea about how the genre functions as a whole. Secondly, and most importantly, reading helps inform your personal writing style by allowing you to absorb things you like and don't like about different books. Some of the most popular authors to start with include Ray Bradbury, William Gibson, Frank Herbert, Arthur C. Clarke and Phillip K. Dick.
In order to improve your chances to become a science fiction writer, you have be diligent about writing. There is no set number of hours that it takes to become an author, but you must write and edit your stories constantly. By writing and rewriting, you will see what works and doesn't work in your characters, plots and messages. Many writers also share their work with others to get outside feedback.
Finally, if you have a work that is strong, you should look for an agent to help sell your book to a publisher. There are many online sources that list agents, and you also can do a little research to find out who represents your favorite authors. If you want to become a science fiction writer, an agent helps bridge the gap between writers and publishers by finding a match for both.