1. On Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy

Page 1 of 4 | Why Write | About the Author | Where to Start? | Rewards of Writing |

"Truth is a matter of the imagination." —Ursula K. LeGuin

Why Write?

Is that a crazy question to ask?

Have you already felt the itch to write, but you're not sure how to start?

Maybe you like short stories, and would like to try your hand at one. (Or maybe you already have.)

Or maybe it's comics that appeal to you, or TV shows, or adventures spun out on a web site.

People write for all kinds of reasons. In fact, people have been telling stories to each other since the first cave dwellers gathered around a new discovery called fire and told stories about the woolly mammoth that almost got Thag ("Creature — this — big!!!"), and how Grunt scorched her fingers grabbing the branch where the bright flames were coming out ("Hot! Burn!"). Stories, both true and fictional, help us to express our identity and to share our thoughts and experiences with each other. Stories bring us closer.

In this module, I'm going to help you get started writing your own stories, in whatever form you'd like — short stories, plays, comics, novels, poems — by taking a tour of some of the essential elements of writing. I'll talk about how to build worlds, how to write believable characters, how to develop plot, and even a bit about how to get published. In each section, I'll have things for you to try out to help you take the writing process one step at a time.

This is purely for your own enjoyment. There are no grades here, just people who love to write.

 

activity Try this short brain-wakener to stimulate a few thoughts.

Then take a look at our Recommended Reading List

   

 
 

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May not be reproduced without permission of the author.
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