Problems with time travel stories.
Apr 25, 2011 · Time travel is a difficult subject.
Problems with time travel stories My discovery today is it seems plenty of people have a very hard time liking time travel stories, films, etc, what with all the supposed irregularities and glaring problems that are inherent (apparently) in almost in neary all time travel examples. Random, Unexplained Time Portals Problem: Feels like plot laziness—readers need at least a hand‑wave of science or magic. Mar 19, 2025 · From John Titor to the Man from Taured, explore the most intriguing time traveler cases, government cover-ups, and unexplained events. Yet that date is now ten years in the past and we still don't have flying cars. Thanks to some wonderful machinery invented in the future, human beings can go back in time, disappearing from their … Feb 10, 2022 · Full of adventure, time travel books have a little something for everyone! I personally love time travel books that travel to the past and preferably more than one place in the story. On her father’s ship, Nix travels through time, depending on what map they use. These time travel stories instead advocate for the power and usefulness of time travel. Time Travel - General Considerations "Ever since my first day as a Starfleet captain, I swore I'd never let myself get caught in one of these Godforsaken paradoxes. Apr 6, 2017 · The possibilities of time travel are endless, and according to some people, they've already experienced them. As with so many other time travel stories, the details around this one are both difficult to pin down… and widely debated. But, mostly, time travel won’t be a part of the story. It’s something many science fiction authors, thinkers, and scientists have talked about when they imagine time travel. I haven't seen parts 2 and 3, so someone explain to me how this makes any sense using info from the 1st movie only without any spoilers from the sequels. The Online Magazine for Fiction WritersUnfortunately, an error is preventing us from serving Re:Fiction Magazine May 19, 2017 · Harrell pointed to time travel's possibilities—and problems—using films such as "Back to the Future," "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," "Looper" and "Terminator II," as well as the literary examples of the novel "Timeline" by Michael Crichton and short stories "All You Zombies" by Robert A. The past is the future, the future is the past, it all gives me a headache. The idea of a time machine was popularized by H. Apr 25, 2011 · Time travel is a difficult subject. 1 If I can defend the consistency of some science fiction stories of Time Travel Short Stories The short stories on this page all contain some form of time travel, including time loops. Time-travel stories repeatedly tell us this. Feb 27, 2021 · In this article, I’ll explore three different models of time travel, as well as ways to use these models to improve or complicate your story, things to watch out for, and ways to avoid common problems associated with time travel. So, all stories in this community somehow deal with time travel and its consequences. There are no hard and fast rules, but for over a hundred years writers have given us their take on how it works. Take a look! The capacity of time travel to generate fresh plot-twists capable of sustaining stories on their own inevitably declined in the 1950s, by when all kinds of time travel had been routinized into part of the standard vocabulary of sf ideas; this was the heyday of the Time Police story, in which vast manifolds of Alternate Histories were routinely Dec 22, 2022 · Time travel and time manipulation is a very common conflict in science fiction, fantasy, and even more action-based genres of fiction. Thanks for visiting the Time Traveling Community. May 29, 2018 · Yes. Nov 13, 2023 · The ability to jump forward and backwards in time has long fascinated science fiction writers and physicists alike. I love time travel shows, and I can hardly keep up. The problem is I haven't found a workaround for the whole grandfather paradox thing. Any time travel in future stories will be singular, but the consequences will be huge. But as sci-fi fans might tell you, there's some things he gets wrong too May 7, 2024 · Time travel, in other words, is too intellectually challenging for our limited brains. But what does physics think? Jun 11, 2024 · Time travel is a popular element in science fiction and fantasy, but writers must consider paradoxes and plot holes. The subsequent investigation revealed that the man had disappeared without a trace in 1876. Evil Future Self Without I shall be concerned here with the sort of time travel that is recounted in science fiction. And today I found plenty of scorn directed towards a large range of popular and succesful literature and films such as, variously, The Time Mar 16, 2025 · Time travel stories let us explore ethical dilemmas, alternate histories, and the limits of human understanding. Imagine a world where time travel is regulated by a powerful organization. Time travel is a concept in philosophy and fiction, particularly science fiction. It refers to the act of being Jul 21, 2023 · The best time travel stories, for me, allow the writer to essentially explore what it means to be human, and the incredible books I have picked below do exactly that. Of course, instantaneous space travel over enormous distances—between galaxies—is perfectly fine! Sep 12, 2024 · The Concept of Time Travel in 'A Wrinkle in Time' You're about to delve into the mind-bending world of time manipulation as it's portrayed in 'A Wrinkle in Time'. Sometimes, the story simply contains an element that is Jan 10, 2024 · Time Travel: Problems, Paradoxes, and Practicalities Let’s travel through these next 9 minutes with theories about time Time travel is a common trope in fiction. Best-selling author Orson Scott Card shows you how to develop the “rules” of time, space and magic that affect your world and its inhabitants. Some of them contain time machines or other technologies that makes the trip possible; in other stories the jump in time doesn’t have an obvious explanation. In Back to the Future, Marty McFly’s adventures highlight the butterfly effects of small changes in the past. Fix: Give portals rules, limitations, or a mythic origin. Dec 12, 2022 · These 3 lists of terrific time travel prompts will help writers of all ages write about traveling through time in their stories or just for fun. Sep 2, 2025 · These short funny travel stories will make you laugh! Expect crazy travel stories involving bathroom mishaps and other misadventures. Janeway, VOY: "Future's End") Time travel is one of the most popular and most interesting topics in science fiction. Think Back to the Future. Temporal paradoxes arise from circumstances involving hypothetical time travel to the past. Why do writers like them so much? Recently watched the first part for the first time. Many time travel stories have the main character traveling back in time to a point in the character’s life that was explored earlier in the book or series. Doctor who stories and episodes where the Doctor visits certain historical time periods are fun and the some of the ones that I cherish the most (ex: Time Meddler, The Highlanders, The King’s Demons, etc. Enjoyable movie but the time travel didn't make any sense to me. Presenting it like a once size fix all solution for anything and everything. Sep 9, 2025 · Discover 30 mind-bending time travel stories that explore temporal mechanics, character development, and thematic depth. However, despite it being so common, it is possibly one of the hardest supernatural qualities to write effectively into a story. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Researching existing stories and establishing clear rules are essential for creating compelling time travel… Oct 20, 2015 · In Back to the Future, Marty McFly faces some mind-warping time travel paradoxes. So, start up your TARDIS and get ready for a mind-bending look at some of the most convincing and bizarre tales May 3, 2021 · Writing about time travel is hard. A temporal paradox, time paradox, or time travel paradox, is an apparent or actual contradiction associated with the idea of time travel or other foreknowledge of the future. I've also thought about trying a parallel timelines type However, there are some rare cases in which time travel stories don't focus on the theme of learning to live with your failures to focus on improving the future. A new theory explores the Jan 31, 2015 · The books here deal with time travel well, introduce cool ideas, and are just generally excellent stories that are very well written. Dec 17, 2024 · Many believe humans haven’t figured out how to time travel yet. Addressing paradoxes and maintaining consistency is crucial. Sep 14, 2024 · Create a time-traveling protagonist who discovers a device that allows them to visit any historical event. In almost all cases these shows depict what philosophers call inconsistent time travel stories: stories that commit The second biggest problem that most authors run into with time travel stories is plot holes. In the 1989 film Back to the Future Part II, our hero zipped from 1985 to 2015 and found technology to be quite advanced 30 years into the future. As I mentioned in the last article on the topic, there are two models of how time is supposed to work, roughly, the linear and the branching model. The story of Rudolph Fentz is an urban legend from the early 1950s and has been repeated since as a reproduction of facts and presented as evidence for the existence of time travel. Apr 6, 2016 · Time travel has intrigued people for as long as, well, time. Apr 1, 2023 · The Myths and Legends of Time Travel There are numerous time travel myths and legends, some dating back thousands of years. John Gribbin explains the science behind time travel in the movies and whether travelling through time is possible. So is it really possible to travel into the past and the future? The first page of The Time Machine published by Heinemann Time travel is the hypothetical activity of traveling into the past or future. May 21, 2024 · 50 Captivating Time Travel Tropes to Inspire Your Next Story : Time travel has long been a captivating concept in storytelling, offering endless possibilities for exploration, adventure, and introspection. The essence of the legend is that in New York City in 1951 a man wearing 19th-century clothes was hit by a car. And then some. In fiction, time travel is typically achieved through the use of a device known as a time machine. But some writers have thought the problems through with great care, and their stories are perfectly consistent. Mar 18, 2016 · Time travel stories are both incredibly hard to write and have been done to death. From the ancient Indian epic of the Mahabharata to the Victorian era story of John Titor, time travel stories have captured our imagination. They can use parallel universes, fixed timelines, or dynamic timelines, each with its own implications. Think Avengers: Endgame, where heroes drop back into the Battle of New York as if the Earth were parked neatly in one Nov 5, 2013 · Wrong, Actually: 3 Time-Travel Problems in Richard Curtis’s About Time There's a lot Richard Curtis gets right in his new movie. The book introduces the concept of tessering or wrinkling time, which allows characters to travel through space and time. Heinlein and "The Sound of Thunder" by Jul 2, 2023 · Time travel literature has been a popular genre for centuries, captivating readers with its ability to transport them through time and space. Something I’m doing with a story I recently started is mix time travel with magic. This beginners guide will cover the various types of time travel to help you wielded it carefully. But after doing some probing, we’ve uncovered compelling evidence that back in 2006, a genuine time traveler appeared from all the way back in the 1950s. However, with this power comes a series of complex problems that arise from the potential for time paradoxes Nov 14, 2013 · There is an extensive literature on time travel in both philosophy and physics. Here's what fiction can teach us about our interest in time travel. One of my favorite time travel YA books is The Girl From Everywhere by Heidi Heilig. Explore captivating short stories encompassing Time Travel and indulge in the rich narratives of this curated collection. It also happens to be a very popular subject of many stories in books, television, movies, video games, and so on. Write a story where they must choose between witnessing a pivotal moment in history or altering it to create a better future. The items Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story: If time travel is possible, one of the greatest questions is why don’t we see time travelers in the here and now. They are often employed to demonstrate the impossibility of time travel. From the classic “Butterfly Effect” to the mind-bending “Temporal Paradox,” time travel tropes have the power to engage readers and challenge their perceptions of cause and effect That we find the idea of travelling in time, and in particular travelling backwards in time, fascinating, is evidenced by the plethora of new science fictions shows depicting time travel that have recently hit our TV screens. Wells 's 1895 novel The Jan 13, 2024 · Paradoxes may well make time travel impossible, but an unbreachable physical obstacle is yet to be found. Oct 21, 2014 · At a Humanities Center colloquium, Spanish professor Dale Pratt shares his research on time-travel fiction and its paradoxes. G. The name “Grandfather Paradox” comes from the classic story where someone goes back in time and stops their own grandfather from having kids. For stories of time travel in antiquity, see the history of the time travel concept. Nov 14, 2023 · The mishaps caused by time travellers exploring the past are a staple of science fiction. They don’t all involve obvious trips to the past or future. The idea of the Grandfather Paradox doesn’t come from just one person. " (Capt. For stories set on generation ships, for example, where the character may neither reach their destination nor even remember the original destination, you may be writing a story driven by Oct 9, 2023 · Kell is going to ban it. . Time travel allows us to imagine what it would be like to experience other worlds and consider what we would do Oct 23, 2025 · Do real life time travelers actually exist? The 10 people on this list claim to have traveled through time, and their stories are actually pretty convincing. Have any authors managed to figure out a way for it to work without introducing inconsistencies? I thought about just writing and not mentioning it at all but it's a pretty big plot hole. Jan 22, 2020 · The Space Problem of Time Travel A science-fiction cornerstone is time travel. Oct 19, 2018 · But yes, I can see how there are logistical problems with time travel stories as James Harrington goes into. Not all science fiction writers are clear-headed, to be sure, and inconsistent time travel stories have often been written. Time travel opens an even wider world for Feb 8, 2021 · Literature portrays time travel in many interesting ways. Oct 2, 2025 · Most time travel stories share a common image: a character flips the switch, light flares, and they reappear in the same place at a different point in history. ). This is a time traveling community because time travel fan fiction stories are awesome and a lot of fun to read. The motivation for a character I've got quite a few neat ideas for time travel related stories. Works where it plays a prominent role are listed below. Quite a few other movies set in the future have already been lapped without Jul 1, 2016 · Grandfather paradoxes and alternate timelines happen in time travel stories all the time, so clearly they can happen in the same one, right? Wrong. Time Travel Tropes We Wish Would Die “Reset Button” Endings Problem: Erases all consequences—undercuts emotional investment. Part of the great interest of the topic stems from the fact that reasons have been given both for thinking that time travel is physically possible—and for thinking that it is logically impossible! This entry deals primarily with philosophical issues; issues related to the physics of time travel are covered in the May 2, 2025 · The more time travel movies we see, the more it becomes clear that the future is too close. Fix: Let changes stick or show the cost of undoing them. Immerse yourself in a world of imagination. And he’s not the only one to claim such a miraculous feat. Marty drives the DeLorean down Main Street in 1985 and reappears on the same street in 1955. For many, the tale of Andrew Carlssin is the product of hearsay only. The idea of time travelers among us is nothing new. Sep 5, 2025 · Explore 77 captivating travel tales from around the globe! Embark on this literary journey and satisfy your wanderlust. Mar 11, 2008 · The 4 Do’s and Don’ts of Time Travel You’ve always dreamed of writing science fiction and fantasy tales that pull readers into extraordinary new worlds and fantastic conflicts. Time travel stories can’t be anything but complicated, and I like to mix time travel with parallel universes to add to the complication. Sep 8, 2024 · When planning or revising your space-time travel story, consider why travel is important, where your travelers are headed, and the nature of the travel itself. Nov 15, 2025 · Time travel into the future is not as tricky as travel into the past because altering the future does not create so many complex story problems. * Jan 15, 2024 · We review time paradoxes, rules for time travel, and popular examples of time travel stories to help you accurately write about time travel. But human kind's limited understanding of the workings of time and the possibility of time travel (especially the limited understanding of the casual book reader, movie viewer, or video game player) leads to depictions of this subject being List of time travel works of fiction Time travel is a common plot element in fiction. sjfnuroxftralajpbdemsbosbrqfmfsowkqikcwetrbzghtidegzddwwjfjsfrcnfqynuqfqnmbjwhw