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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41980
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41980
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 **A lot of wonderful books combine both science-fiction and fantasy.**

_And why not?_

If magic can exist in books set in the modern age or in the past, why not in books set in an otherwise realistic future?

Why can't mythical creatures go to space?

What reason is there to ban ghosts and purveyors of the supernatural from a world of great technology?

One of the most common crossovers involves time travel. Time travel can be either science-fiction or fantasy, depending on how it's used and what other elements are present. If you're Wesley Chu (_Time Salvager_), it's 100% science-fiction. If you're Deborah Harkness (_A Discovery of Witches_), it's absolutely fantasy.

**Why do people advise against blending the two?**

My guess is because most readers who enjoy one genre eschew the other. Or at least that's the belief. I love both and so do a lot of readers. But if you write both together, you run the risk of turning off a subset of potential readers. Of course, you also have a lot to gain from crossover readers.

Write what you love. With luck, the audience will follow.

Examples: _Dune_ (series), _Ender's Game_ (series), _The Bone Season_ (series), _The Golden Compass_ (series), _A Wrinkle in Time_, _Star Wars_ (movie series).

Original score: 8