How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy

Orson Scott Card — 2001

Learn to write science fiction and fantasy from a master You've always dreamed of writing science fiction and fantasy tales that pull readers into extraordinary new worlds and fantastic conflicts. Best-selling author Orson Scott Card shows you how it's done, distilling years of writing experience and publishing success into concise, no-nonsense advice. You'll learn how to: utilize story elements that define the science fiction and fantasy genres build, populate, and dramatize a credible, inviting world your readers will want to explore develop the "rules" of time, space and magic that affect your world and its inhabitants construct a compelling story by developing ideas, characters, and events that keep readers turning pages find the markets for speculative fiction, reach them, and get published submit queries, write cover letters, find an agent, and live the life of a writer The boundaries of your imagination are infinite. Explore them with Orson Scott Card and create fiction that casts a spell over agents, publishers, and readers from every world.

Reviews

Michael Springer@djinn-n-juice

May 1, 2023

I remember finding this book very useful. From a world-building standpoint, Card has a lot of interesting and helpful suggestions. I remember also finding the information about the genres of sci-fi and fantasy interesting, since I hadn't (and still haven't) read enough of these genres to have a real sense of their histories. If you write within either of these writing traditions, you ought to read this book.