The Golden Age of Science Fiction, from the early 1940s through the 1950s, saw an explosion of talent in SF writing, including authors such as Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and Arthur C. Clarke. Their writing helped science fiction gain wide public attention, and left a lasting impression upon society. The same writers formed the mold for the next three decades of science fiction, and much of their writing remains as fresh today as it was then.

About the Author

Isaac Asimov was for five decades a central figure in science fiction writing. Born in the Soviet Union and raised in Brooklyn, he wrote over 330 books. Martin H. Greenberg has been called the king of anthologists, with more than one thousand anthologies. Charles G. Waugh is a leading authority on science fiction and fantasy.

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A fiction-writing text by a well-known sci-fi author, editor and professor.

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Ellison…Brooks…Stephenson. These are some of the top fantasy and science fiction authors writing today. Their books reach an audience of tens of thousands and explore imaginative new worlds. Now writers can learn the secret to crafting their own breakout fantasy or sci-fi novel as Philip Athans provides a step-by-step guide to: developing the best plot structure; creating believable, exciting characters; writing compelling combat scenes; presenting technology that sounds as if it ought to work; and, also writing a strong proposal and finding the right publisher. Complete with an introduction by R.A. Salvatore, one of the decade’s most prolific fantasy writers, this guide holds the key to success for aspiring authors who want to fly to the stars, find treasure in the dragon’s lair, defend Earth from an alien invasion – and publish a bestseller.

About the Author

Philip Athans (Issaquah, WA) is managing editor of novels at Wizards of the Coast, t (more…)

From Booklist

A writer and seasoned creative-writing teacher, LaPlante has assembled a treasury of materials to back up her literary expertise. In her discussion of metaphor, for example, LaPlante quotes Byron, Denis Johnson, Flannery O’Connor, Shakespeare, and William Gass. In her extrapolation of the old adage, “write about what you know,” she presents a poem by Sharon Olds, a page from the journals of Leonard Michaels, and Eudora Welty’s indelible advice: “Write about what you don’t know about what you know.” Comprehensive in its coverage of inspiration, craft, aesthetics, veracity, and purpose, this one-stop guide to writing is casual in tone and rigorous in content, elucidating the nature of fiction and nonfiction and clarifying the qualities unique to each and common to both. Each chapter contains an explication of such subjects as point of view, creating characters, and narrative structure; writing exercises, and an illustrative story by the likes of Tim O’Brien, (more…)

Two prolific and award-winning science fiction writers, Mike Resnick and Barry N. Malzberg, have been publishing a “Dialogue” in every issue of the “SFWA Bulletin”, official publication of the Science Fiction Writers of America, for more than a decade. These collected columns explore every aspect of the literary genre, from writing to marketing to publishing, combining wit and insight with decades of experience in 25 topics.

About the Author

Mike Resnickhas been named Locus magazine’s all-time leading award winner, living or dead, for short science fiction. He is the author of 58 novels, 225 short stories, and 2 screenplays, and is the editor of 48 anthologies. Barry N. Malzberg is the author of more than 90 books and has edited science fiction anthologies and magazines. He won the first John Campbell Memorial Award, has won two Locus Awards for essay collections, and is a Hugo and Nebula Award nominee.

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“The Writer’s Digest Guide to Science Fiction & Fantasy” gives writers everything they need to know write the next sci-fi classic. Writers of all skill levels will discover helpful advice from best-selling author Orson Scott Card’s “How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy” on how to wield story elements that ‘define’ the science fiction and fantasy genres; build, populate and dramatize fantastic new worlds; and, construct compelling stories by developing ideas, characters, and events that keep readers turning pages, and more. In this book, readers will learn the art of world building by exploring traditional fantasy cultures, examples from world cultures, the rituals of magic and witchcraft, mythological creatures and fantasy races, weapons and armor, clothing and fashion, and much more.

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Amazon.com Review

Another in Ben Bova’s series on Science Fiction Writing, here geologist and SF scribe Stephen Gillett helps you construct star systems and planets from the atoms up. While it may take you a little more than the proverbial seven days (well, six with rest), when you’re done, your knowledge of gravity, weather patterns, cosmic mass and stellar patterns–in this universe–will be greatly enhanced.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

This book is designed to give science fiction writers the solid grounding they need in real science to make their fictions read like fact. World Building is a blueprint in words, calculations, tables and diagrams to help writers transport readers from one world to another.

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Review

“In short, if you were going to look up ‘experts’ to talk to about some aspect of the world you are building, these are the people you’d ask.” –Moira Allen “All aspiring and newly established science fiction writers should read The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction before sending out their manuscripts.” –Leslie Halpern, My Shelf Book Review

The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction: Volume One is a comprehensive writer’s guide for the amateur to semi-pro writer on the genre of science fiction. The book begins with a warning for new science fiction writers about the pitfalls and clich?s that often plague a first science fiction story. It finishes with practical information on how to present, sell and promote a finished novel and what to prepare for once the writer has achieved success. Topics range from alien creation to world building, fan fiction and space travel. EPPIE 2007: Finalist (non-fiction category) Contrib (more…)

From Library Journal

This how-to book is divided into four parts: “Storytelling,” “Ideas and Foundations,” and two sections on mechanics, markets, and dealing with editors. Issac Asimov wades in rather superficially on “Plotting,” “Dialog,” and “Revisions,” but Poul Anderson’s almost technical essay on preparing a scientifically valid world couldn’t be better, and Hal Clement’s piece on peopling such a world is just as good. Norman Spinrad uses the techniques of futurists to model how space colonization could occur and provides graphs for the beginner. The tilt here is toward “hard” science fiction, but Jane Yolen’s meditation on fantasy, “Turtles All the Way Down,” is lyrical and even moving in its reverence for the past. Connie Willis writes about comedy and Stanley Schmidt, amusingly, about cliches. The market listings are exhaustive, including little magazines you won’t find elsewhere. Valuable both for the beginner and the pro.- John Mort, Kansas City P.L., Mo.Copy (more…)

Review

“The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy is a broad compendium of advice and resource material developed and compiled by writers who understand the struggle involved in mastering the craft.” ~Jacqueline Carey, Author Kushiel’s Legacy trilogy”In short, if you were going to look up ‘experts’ to talk to about some aspect of the world you are building, these are the people you’d ask.” ~Moira Allen”The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy is a broad compendium of advice and resource material developed and compiled by writers who understand the struggle involved in mastering the craft.” ~Jacqueline Carey, Author Kushiel’s Legacy trilogy”In short, if you were going to look up ‘experts’ to talk to about some aspect of the world you are building, these are the people you’d ask.” ~Moira Allen –Jacqueline Carey, Bestselling AuthorAll aspiring and newly established science fiction writers should read The Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction before sending out their manuscri (more…)