Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy

by Gardner Dozois (Editor), Tina Lee (Editor), Stanley Schmidt (Editor)

Do you dream of -

Crossing the galaxies?

Living in the far future?

Entertaining millions with your imagination?

This book can help make those dreams come true!

Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy brings you expert advice on how to craft and market tales of the fantastic. Award-winning writers such as John Barnes, James Patrick Kelly, Norman Spinrad, Connie Willis, and Jane Yolen reveal some of their secrets of crafting believable stories, while Grand Masters Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein provide timeless advice for beginners and veterans alike. The editors also provide valuable insights into the process by which stories get published and they offer helpful hints on getting your story out of the slush pile and into print.

Contents
Seeing Your Way to Better Stories • essay by Stanley Schmidt
You and Your Characters • essay by James Patrick Kelly
Living the Future: You Are What You Eat • (1976) • essay by Gardner Dozois
Dialog • [Asimov's Editorials] • (1985) • essay by Isaac Asimov
Plotting • [Asimov's Editorials] • (1989) • essay by Isaac Asimov
On the Writing of Speculative Fiction • (1947) • essay by Robert A. Heinlein
Turtles All the Way Down • essay by Jane Yolen
Learning to Write Comedy or Why It's Impossible and How to Do It • essay by Connie Willis
Good Writing is Not Enough • essay by Stanley Schmidt
The Creation of Imaginary Worlds: The World Builder's Handbook and Pocket Companion • (1974) • essay by Poul Anderson
The Creation of Imaginary Beings • (1974) • essay by Hal Clement
How to Build a Future • (1990) • essay by John Barnes
Building a Starfaring Age • essay by Norman Spinrad
The Ideas That Wouldn't Die • essay by Stanley Schmidt
The Mechanics of Submission • essay by Sheila Williams
Revisions • [Asimov's Editorials] • (1982) • essay by Isaac Asimov
Writing for Young People • [Asimov's Editorials] • (1986) • essay by Isaac Asimov
New Writers • [Asimov's Editorials] • (1987) • essay by Isaac Asimov
Authors vs. Editors • essay by Stanley Schmidt
Market Listings • essay by Ian Randal Strock

Genres: Writing, Science Fiction, Reference, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Literature

258 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1991

About the author

Gardner Raymond Dozois was an American science fiction author and editor. He was editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine from 1984 to 2004. He won multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, both as an editor and a writer of short fiction.
Wikipedia entry: Gardner Dozois

http://us.macmillan.com/author/gardne...

Reviews

[Robert Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just about all the articles in the book taught me something. Some of them make me want to write science fiction. One or two of them even make me think that I'm capable of doing so. The ones that are to do with submission guidelines are irksome because they are out of date. Learning, learning, learning. Excellent book for a writer of any sort.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad... a mixed collection, but any aspiring writer of science fiction and/or fantasy will find some useful material here. The book consists of 20 essays by prominent authors in these genres on subjects ranging from making sure your settings and alien characters (if any) are scientifically plausible, to some areas that apply to fiction in general like plotting and dialogue, to several on the business side of writing for publication.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to write fiction, especially but not only in the titular genres. Just don't expect every piece to be of equal relevance or interest for you.

[Mira B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An illuminating compilation of 20 essays from top professionals in the Science Fiction and Fantasy world? Count me in.

There are really worthwhile essays on characterization, seeing your way to better stories, and knowing your market for editorial reasons. I especially loved reading the essays of Isaac Asimov to get a better idea of how he approaches his writing. This may seem fairly obvious but below are the three hint Asimov gives:

1. Read as much contemporary science fiction as possible so that you will learn what science fiction is all about right now.
2. Write as much science fiction as possible because you need the practice
3. Cultivate a very thick skin so that you will survive the disappointment and fructation you will undoubtedly have to cope with.

I underlined this book through and see it as a helpful reference that I will likely go back to, time and time again.

Caveats:
We are in the year 2025 as I write this review. This book with a copyright of 1991 is understandably dated as editing trends have evolved. And of course, no one is using typewriters anymore. Recommend to take these sections with a big grain of salt. It's still a gem.

Part II Ideas and Foundations with essays about the creation of imaginaey, world, imaginary beings, building a future and a starfaring age are DENSE. Think axial tilt, luminosity calculations, and organic chemical absorption/composition. If this makes your eyes glaze over, you will probably not find these essays interesting.

This compilation is really, really light on fantasy. If that is your primary focus, there may be more apt volumes to choose.

[Mark White · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd recommend this book to both aspiring writers and critical readers. There's solid advice on how to ensure your imagined future doesn't grate on the sensibilities of the oh so critical SF readership. Chapters on character development and plotting are applicable to any genre. Best of all, the chapter on The Ideas That Wouldn't Die (awful cliches that writers still think are novel) was amusing, if only for the many popular novels that have got away with them.

You will doubtless have read books that stick to or violate all these rules but, as it is explained, you can get away with this sort of thing if you are very, very good. Or as I believe, just find the right naive audience and you can flog any sort of derivative old rubbish.

As noted by other reviews the chapters on submission are now outdated (use a new typewriter ribbon etc) but overall still an interesting read.

[Catherine Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful advice for new writers of speculative fiction. Some of these essays even give technical aid for worldbuilding. As with all books that give references to scientific advancement, and fiction markets, readers/writers should understand that this guide was published in 1991, and the editors are not responsible for information that was true in that year but is now outdated or obsolete. Readers/writers, it is up to you to check all information for accuracy.

[Aryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a little outdated. Some information was useful.

[Guillermo Galvan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for any aspiring science-fiction writers. I loved the fact that not all the essayists agreed with each other. Writing is art, everyone has their own way of writing a story. The book isn't so much a "how to do it" book. If anything, it's more of a "how not to annoy the living shit out of editors" book. Most of the essays have an casual tone that's enjoyable to read. There is, though, a couple of hardcore brainiacs whose essays include too many graphs and equations for my taste.

Even if you're not a writer, the essays give insight into the minds of professional sci-fi writers, and some of the guys are really funny. Asimov personality, off the short story, is surprisingly hilarious. Maybe he doesn't have a positronic brain after all.



(and one more for the road)



Yes, Asimov, yes it is.

[Purujeet]

finished it finally - from what to think about while making your sci-fi worlds; to what equations and rules to not break ; to what plot swerves are better avoided ; to what to do once you are ready with your manuscript- this book has everything and some essays especially by AnalogSF editor, stanley schmidt and isaac asimov himself are without doubt, mindscape-altering.
Method of writing and planning and revising is also discussed in detailed yet colloquial manner.
To read more - bob heinlein's writing.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to write science fiction, you probably need to read this book. It has a lot of what you need to know. It's a little light on the fantasy side, but still has helpful tips for that genre. This is an extremely detailed guide.

[Keith Cochran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated, but a good book about the craft of writing SF and Fantasy. It is mostly a compilation of essays from the masters like Heninlein, Asimov, etc.. A lot of what they say still rings true today. So, I would put this on the shelf of "must read" for the aspiring SF or Fantasy writer.

[Bob Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read. But some of the info is outdated now.
None of the chapters about submitting and business are relevant any more.
The tips about world building and using math and science to make realistic stories still apply.

[Shedrick Pittman-Hassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, if slightly dated, compendium of solid advice from masters in the field. Core reading for the nascent writer...

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book that told me what I already instinctively knew. Great for reassurance. A bit dated in sections though, like in the market stuff in the end.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated but still has decent info. Also if you like hearing the personal experiences of old favorites, that part's fun too. Worth a read for the true nerd.

[Joseph Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information about the craft of writing science fiction and fantasy, but in the internet age some of it is bound to be outdated.

[Josiah DeBoer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the essays were great and others were only average.