Do we remember that quote from Ratatouille? I know that’s a Pixar/Disney film, and some people are too precious to take advice from a movie for kids. Good luck, my snob friend, this is your cue to quit reading this blog.

Back to the point, can we reread this fantastic bit?

I don’t believe in writing the same thing I already read, because that thing exists, so what am I trying to do? Replicate someone else’s creation? Is this about writing the stories of my heart or about trying to sell copies by producing hotdog books? I’ll just call hotdog book anything lacking in substance and following a trend, all right? No, I won’t hear any complaints.

I believe people are smart, and as artists, we shouldn’t dumb-down our work to adhere to the low standards of those who hope to replicate the success of an outlier book… by… failing to realize that said success was partly linked to the outlier’s uniqueness, to the surprise factor. Honestly, guys, there was always only one Britney. Notice how we barely remember the copycats? Oh, you forgot about the copycats? See? That, too, applies to literature.

Today, somebody told me that mentioning aliens is a deal-breaker for most agents.

Excuse me, what did you just say?

Hang on, remind me who did the Avengers fight in most of their films?

With whom does Captain Marvel hang out?

WHERE DOES SUPERMAN COME FROM?

What are half of the characters in Star Wars and Star Trek?

Hi, yes, did you notice that people only show up at the cinemas to watch superheroes defend the planet… from… well… mostly… aliens?

But aliens are a deal-breaker. They definitely are.

Aliens are just too weird, confusing, hard to understand. I MEAN, NOBODY LOVES BABY YODA WHO, CLEARLY, ISN’T AN ALIEN, GUYS!

Is there a frightening misalignment of perceptions between what some people in the industry like to offer, and what the potential readers consume?

Sci-Fi has a bad reputation. When I avoid a Sci-Fi book at the bookstore, it is mostly because said book looks too technical/boring for my taste, and I don’t enjoy a book that is 50% machinery descriptions—I’m more into complex human interactions, scheming, conflicts of interest, betrayals, lies, FIRE! Drama > No drama. Period.

There’s a whole other Sci-Fi out there. Sci-Fi about the human inside, or the extraterrestrial inside, whatever, I’m talking about feelings, dreams, and complexities; about the backstabbing and the politics, with the cool trips across space and time and yes, even the romance!

Don’t fear Sci-Fi, publishing. Even the numbers agree with it: Sci-Fi is the entire film industry (see: Marvel). Think about those movie/TV deals.

P.S.: None of you will make me stop loving my aliens.