Sci-Fi Writer and Budding Coder: Sean Vivier
By Celeste Roche | Correspondent at April 24, 2024 | 8:00 am | Print
The New Britain City Journal is currently running a series of articles introducing residents of the New Britain Artists’ Cooperative. This article is the eighth of the series.
Sean Vivier, 34, is a science fiction and fantasy writer living in New Britain. By day, he is a teacher, but he is hoping to move into front-end web development, or, more idealistically, into being a full-time bestselling author. Vivier has been living in the New Britain Artists’ Cooperative since the summer of 2009.
Vivier came to New Britain after discovering the Sudbury model of education. “I knew I had to work in the nearest Sudbury school,” he says. Prior to his move, he was a high school Spanish teacher.
“A coworker pointed me to the New Britain Artists’ Co-op,” Vivier says. “It was rent I could afford on an alternative educator’s salary and a community that would understand my commitment to my writing.”
He says that writing is “what fills [him] with the most inner peace and joy.” Vivier cites career transitions as having kept him from writing for brief periods, in addition to the obvious setbacks that come with rejection letters.
He has recently been published in a number of online and print magazines geared towards science fiction, and he considers his greatest artistic achievement to be having sold a story to Analog Magazine, one of the more prestigious names in the sci-fi genre.
“Studies show that getting into the heads of literary characters helps encourage empathy,” says Vivier. “Also, imaginary violence has a negative correlation with real-world violence, and science fiction has inspired a number of inventions. It makes the world a safer, kinder place with more cool gadgets.”
Speaking of his own work, he says he likes to create unique characters who are capable of both entertaining and provoking thought.
“I like to explore ideological diversity and how that motivates people’s perceptions and choices,” he says.
Vivier says the only people he’s reluctant to share his work with are his own friends, because he doesn’t want them to feel bad if they don’t like his work.
When asked what he appreciates in art, he says “depth, skill, and aesthetic merit.” He offers an impressive list of artists from all genres whose works he finds meaning in, but mentions that he is particularly fond of magical realism and is interested in “the books of Michael Flynn, who combines the protagonists’ deep inner lives with hard science, while recognizing that people can disagree with each other and still be allies and heroes.”
Neighbors agree that Vivier is level-headed and a good sport, calling him “understated” and saying that “he does what needs to be done.”
“I like him,” says resident Jim Malloy. “He’s an intelligent guy… more of a country dude.”
Neighbor Nicki LaPorte calls Vivier a “voice of reason” and compliments his growing list of publications.
“He’s taking a turn for the best, getting recognized,” she says.
“He’s one of my favorite people, here, and absolutely the most even-tempered,” says another resident. “I’d like him better if he’d give us random country line dance lessons, though.” Vivier is known throughout the Cooperative for his moves.
He sums up his philosophy of the art life in simple and clear terms: “Art shouldn’t be the only thing you do. That makes for shallow art and a shallow life. It should be in addition to more pragmatic work, to make a more rounded life.”
