Few characters have captured readers’ hearts quite like the quirky Murderbot. In this exclusive Q&A, we sit down with Martha Wells, the acclaimed author behind The Murderbot Diaries, to talk about her creative process and what it’s like to write modern science fiction. Keep reading for a sneak peek into the future, as we talk with Martha about her new and upcoming projects.
Juniper: What inspired you to create Murderbot as a character, particularly one who is so deeply introverted and cynical, yet incredibly relatable?
Martha: I've always been interested in themes of belonging and feeling like an outsider, using humor to cope with trauma or anxiety, and those are themes that are very personal to me. I think when I was first writing All Systems Red, those themes worked naturally for the kind of character who would be in Murderbot’s situation, and I think they’re relatable because they stem from things that affect a lot of people to one degree or other.
Juniper: What advice can you give writers who are striving to blend humor with the typically stoic Sci-Fi genre?
Martha: I think there’s been a long tradition of science fiction humor, so I think there’s a lot of directions that writers can go with it.
Juniper: Were there any characters who surprised you by taking on a larger role than originally planned?
Martha: ART was definitely a surprise, since it wasn’t even in the first partial draft of Artificial Condition. I’m really glad I decided to go back and add it, because it’s been a perfect foil for Murderbot and a real delight to write.
Juniper: The series moves between novellas and full-length novels. How do you approach the structure and pacing differently in each format?
Martha: I just have to keep the length of the story in mind, and the level of plot complications. Some story ideas lend themselves well to novellas, others just have to be told in a longer format.
Juniper: What’s next for you as a writer? Any new projects you can tease?
Martha: I have a new fantasy novel which came out October 7th (Queen Demon, the sequel to Witch King), and a new Murderbot Diaries book coming out next May. Also, there’s going to be a second season of Murderbot on AppleTV+.
