Interview with Author William Gibson on His Writing

his debut novel Neuromancer was the

his debut novel Neuromancer was the first to win the Triple Crown of science

first to win the Triple Crown of science

first to win the Triple Crown of science fiction awards for literature hi my name

fiction awards for literature hi my name

fiction awards for literature hi my name is Stephanie welcome to watchmojo.com

is Stephanie welcome to watchmojo.com

is Stephanie welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking to author

and today we’re speaking to author

and today we’re speaking to author William Gibson about his writing your

William Gibson about his writing your

William Gibson about his writing your work has been first categorized as

work has been first categorized as

work has been first categorized as cyberpunk and then steampunk and now

cyberpunk and then steampunk and now

cyberpunk and then steampunk and now it’s being categorized more as

it’s being categorized more as

it’s being categorized more as speculative or contemporary fiction why

speculative or contemporary fiction why

speculative or contemporary fiction why would you say your writing has moved in

would you say your writing has moved in

would you say your writing has moved in this direction I think it’s less a

this direction I think it’s less a

this direction I think it’s less a matter of my writing having having

matter of my writing having having

matter of my writing having having changed as the descriptors which are

changed as the descriptors which are

changed as the descriptors which are applied to my writing having having

applied to my writing having having

applied to my writing having having changed quite a bit of the second half

changed quite a bit of the second half

changed quite a bit of the second half of the 20th century I was writing about

of the 20th century I was writing about

of the 20th century I was writing about the 21st century it was an imaginary

the 21st century it was an imaginary

the 21st century it was an imaginary 21st century

21st century

21st century I can only invent that stuff out of the

I can only invent that stuff out of the

I can only invent that stuff out of the material of the present that I was I was

material of the present that I was I was

material of the present that I was I was working in so I knew that in some sense

working in so I knew that in some sense

working in so I knew that in some sense Neuromancer would of my first novel

Neuromancer would of my first novel

Neuromancer would of my first novel would ultimately be about 1981

would ultimately be about 1981

would ultimately be about 1981 in which it was fear in which it was

in which it was fear in which it was

in which it was fear in which it was written

written

written and I I continued to take that for

and I I continued to take that for

and I I continued to take that for granted so it always seemed to me that

granted so it always seemed to me that

granted so it always seemed to me that in this sense I was I was writing about

in this sense I was I was writing about

in this sense I was I was writing about the present and when I found myself

the present and when I found myself

the present and when I found myself finally in the real 21st century I

finally in the real 21st century I

finally in the real 21st century I thought well this is interesting

thought well this is interesting

thought well this is interesting Here I am in what was previously an

Here I am in what was previously an

Here I am in what was previously an imaginary future it’s it’s actually much

imaginary future it’s it’s actually much

imaginary future it’s it’s actually much more complex than any imaginary future

more complex than any imaginary future

more complex than any imaginary future anyone would ever be able to to imagine

anyone would ever be able to to imagine

anyone would ever be able to to imagine and it seems to contain it’s kind of an

and it seems to contain it’s kind of an

and it seems to contain it’s kind of an amazing number of overlapping world

amazing number of overlapping world

amazing number of overlapping world affecting science fiction scenarios got

affecting science fiction scenarios got

affecting science fiction scenarios got global warming the AIDS epidemic it’s

global warming the AIDS epidemic it’s

global warming the AIDS epidemic it’s the Internet all these things that each

the Internet all these things that each

the Internet all these things that each of which would have been more than

of which would have been more than

of which would have been more than enough to base a science fiction novel

enough to base a science fiction novel

enough to base a science fiction novel on in 1981 they’re all happening

on in 1981 they’re all happening

on in 1981 they’re all happening simultaneously in an era of exponential

simultaneously in an era of exponential

simultaneously in an era of exponential technologically driven social change so

technologically driven social change so

technologically driven social change so that’s really science fictiony I thought

that’s really science fictiony I thought

that’s really science fictiony I thought so given all of that I thought why not

so given all of that I thought why not

so given all of that I thought why not use the toolkit of science fiction that

use the toolkit of science fiction that

use the toolkit of science fiction that I’ve developed in the 20th century to

I’ve developed in the 20th century to

I’ve developed in the 20th century to work with that material and I would just

work with that material and I would just

work with that material and I would just I would treat the present of the first

I would treat the present of the first

I would treat the present of the first decade of the 21st century as though it

decade of the 21st century as though it

decade of the 21st century as though it were imaginary future and and just use

were imaginary future and and just use

were imaginary future and and just use use my standard-issue sci-fi writer

use my standard-issue sci-fi writer

use my standard-issue sci-fi writer toolkit on the unthinkable present you

toolkit on the unthinkable present you

toolkit on the unthinkable present you coined the term cyberspace and you’ve

coined the term cyberspace and you’ve

coined the term cyberspace and you’ve also been credited with helping the

also been credited with helping the

also been credited with helping the growth of virtual environments on the

growth of virtual environments on the

growth of virtual environments on the internet and in video games so what

internet and in video games so what

internet and in video games so what would what do you think about the impact

would what do you think about the impact

would what do you think about the impact of your work on the information age I

of your work on the information age I

of your work on the information age I don’t actually see myself as having been

don’t actually see myself as having been

don’t actually see myself as having been a very large influence on that stuff

a very large influence on that stuff

a very large influence on that stuff because I was only able to do what I did

because I was only able to do what I did

because I was only able to do what I did because there were actual entrepreneurs

because there were actual entrepreneurs

because there were actual entrepreneurs and technologists around who were

and technologists around who were

and technologists around who were developing things like the things I

developing things like the things I

developing things like the things I described in my novels and I always

described in my novels and I always

described in my novels and I always access as much of that as I could

access as much of that as I could

access as much of that as I could now given that a lot of that I was doing

now given that a lot of that I was doing

now given that a lot of that I was doing it prior to the World Wide Web I was

it prior to the World Wide Web I was

it prior to the World Wide Web I was what little of that stuff I could find I

what little of that stuff I could find I

what little of that stuff I could find I had to sort of find it in in the

had to sort of find it in in the

had to sort of find it in in the physical world so often I would find

physical world so often I would find

physical world so often I would find things that most people had

things that most people had

things that most people had way of knowing about like I always had

way of knowing about like I always had

way of knowing about like I always had my antenna out and if I met scientists I

my antenna out and if I met scientists I

my antenna out and if I met scientists I would ask them what the crazy what’s the

would ask them what the crazy what’s the

would ask them what the crazy what’s the craziest that new invention you’ve heard

craziest that new invention you’ve heard

craziest that new invention you’ve heard of and and you know I remember that and

of and and you know I remember that and

of and and you know I remember that and and it would eventually find its find

and it would eventually find its find

and it would eventually find its find its way into a story so even there I was

its way into a story so even there I was

its way into a story so even there I was working with a lot of existing material

working with a lot of existing material

working with a lot of existing material but the the public didn’t have the same

but the the public didn’t have the same

but the the public didn’t have the same sort of access today that’s really

sort of access today that’s really

sort of access today that’s really different because I’m unlikely to hear

different because I’m unlikely to hear

different because I’m unlikely to hear about I’m unlikely to hear about it

about I’m unlikely to hear about it

about I’m unlikely to hear about it before Wired or gizmo dino hear about it

before Wired or gizmo dino hear about it

before Wired or gizmo dino hear about it and I usually hear about it from them

and I usually hear about it from them

and I usually hear about it from them the information on potentially

the information on potentially

the information on potentially game-changing emergent technologies

game-changing emergent technologies

game-changing emergent technologies travels like at the speed of light thank

travels like at the speed of light thank

travels like at the speed of light thank you so much for your time thank you