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Turkey City Lexicon – A Primer for SF Workshops Edited by Lewis Shiner Second Edition by Bruce Sterling Introduction by Lewis Shiner This manual is intended to focus on the special needs of the science fiction workshop. Having an accurate and descriptive critical term for a common SF problem makes it easier to recognize and discuss. The terms here were generally developed over a period of many years in many workshops. Introduction (II) by Bruce Sterling People often ask where science fiction writers get their ideas. Workshops come in many varieties — regional and national, amateur and professional, formal and frazzled. But the workshopping experience does not require any shepherding by experts. The general course of action in the modern SF workshop (known as the “Milford system”) goes as follows. Following the circle in order, with a minimum of cross-talk or interruptions, each person emits his/her considered opinions of the story’s merits and/or demerits. Anyone can play. Science fiction boasts many specialized critical terms. Bathos

Writing Advice from Science Fiction author Jeffrey A. Carver Many people have emailed me asking what advice I might offer to an aspiring writer. Here are a few thoughts. A lot more could be said, obviously, but I hope you'll find the following useful: Read, read, read. Practice, practice, practice writing. If you're wondering about a course to pursue in college, and you think you want a career in writing, choose the school that you think will give you the best all-around experience. Write from the soul, not from some notion about what you think the marketplace wants. If you can stand the thought of not writing, don't attempt a career as a writer. Don't plan on making a lot of money from your writing. Seek out constructive feedback on your work. If your work is of publishable quality, sooner or later it will sell. Don't send me your manuscripts. See Getting Published for more on selling your work. Seek out good sources of information. Be determined, and be thick-skinned. Always have the next market in mind. --Jeffrey A.

Wandering Multiverse Fantasy writing tips, how to write a fantasy novel, creative wri Sign up to my mailing list, and choose a FREE EBOOK as a gift. Join here. A Creative Writing Ebook AVAILABLE NOW from $0.99 Daniel Arenson, Fantasy Author - Kindle and iPad Fantasy Novels, Character Motivation © 2007 Daniel Arenson I previously wrote about creating great characters who stand out. In this article, I’d like to drill deeper into the subject of characterization and discuss what motivates our characters. To create powerful drama, characters should be motivated by deep, personal needs. Let’s look at an example. Suppose I’m writing a thriller about a British spy in the Soviet Union. Ivanov is prepared to authorize an invasion of a small Asian country aligned with Britain, and Anya holds his battle plans. But can we crank the drama up a notch? Suppose that Hathaway and Ivanov were old classmates in Oxford. Now, years later, Hathaway wants to get back at Ivanov. Ivanov, meanwhile, prepares for war. What about Anya? I began with a story about war and international intrigue. Enjoyed these writing tips? More Fantasy Writing Tips

Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd. The Water lily The Water Lily Inn was situated near the centre of the old city, over a thousand years old, the weathered stone exterior still bore scars from the Great War. Black scorch marks trace strange patterns on the stone from ancient wards that protects the building. New roof tiles shine brightly in the late morning sunlight as Gen approached the entrance to the Inn. Smiling to himself as the soldiers at the door straighten at his approach, too young to know who he is yet a personal friend of the Lord Marshall must be important. Quite conversation could be heard from inside the common room of the inn. The Lord Marshall reclined in a wing backed chair, chin resting on his hands, a man with grave concerns on his mind. “Gen.” With a languid wave of his hand Lord Marshall indicated to the chair opposite his. “Not as young as we use to be anymore are we Gen? They both sit in absolute silence, the servant returns with steaming mugs of coffee for each of them. “Wait, I am a bit confused. “Impossible.”

Creative Uses of Magic in Your Fantasy Story Creative Uses of Magic in Your Fantasy Story by Philip Martin Return to Speculative Fiction · Print/Mobile-Friendly Version How can you create an interesting form of magic for your fantasy story? Or will you have several forms, as Tolkien did in The Lord of the Rings, where the dark forces use magic like a bulldozer to gain power, while the elves have a wonderful nature that is magic simply because everything they do is "more effortless, more quick, more complete" than the abilities of those around them? In fantasy fiction, magic is the central nervous system. Magic doesn't need to be plausible, but it has to work well. 1. Magic needs to work according to firm rules. Everything should be set in place long in advance. 2. For dramatic impact, as important as the powers of magic are its limitations. In the Harry Potter books, Harry's nemesis, Lord Voldemort, has great powers, but even so, those powers are limited. What will the limitations on magic be? 3. 4. This should be obvious. 5. 6.

On writing romance: how to craft a ... Sweep Readers Off Their Feet With a Romance They'll Never Forget In On Writing Romance, award-winning romance novelist Leigh Michaels talks you through each stage of the writing and publishing process. From the origins and evolution of the romance novel to establishing a vital story framework to writing that last line to seeking out appropriate publishers, everything you ever wanted to know about writing a romance novel is here. In addition to a comprehensive breakdown of more than thirty romance subgenres, including such categories as historical, inspirational, Regency, and sweet traditional, you'll discover how to:

Uchronia Uchronia refers to a hypothetical or fictional time-period of our world, in contrast to altogether fictional lands or worlds. A concept similar to alternate history but different in the manner that uchronic times are not easily defined (mainly placed in some distant or unspecified point before current times), sometimes reminiscent of a constructed world. Some, however, do use uchronia to refer to an alternate history.[1] The word is a neologism from the word utopia (Greek u-topos no-place), replacing topos with chronos (time). It was coined by Charles Renouvier as the title of his 1876 novel Uchronie (L'Utopie dans l'histoire), esquisse historique apocryphe du développement de la civilisation européenne tel qu'il n'a pas été, tel qu'il aurait pu être (Uchronia (Utopia in History), an Apocryphal Sketch of the Development of European Civilization Not as It Was But as It Might Have Been[2]), reprinted 1988, ISBN 2-213-02058-2. The concept of Merry England is an example of uchronic myth.

Fantasy Clichés to Avoid - What Beginners Do in Fantasy Fiction Fantasy Fiction Clichés to Avoid - What Beginners Do in Fantasy Fiction [First, my profound apologies to the vast majority of readers who don't steal content, but I have to state the following. This article and all content on this website belongs to Val Kovalin, copyright © Obsidianbookshelf.com, except where noted. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without written permission from Val Kovalin is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Val Kovalin and Obsidianbookshelf.com with a return link to the original content.] Here at Obsidianbookshelf.com, I always have to keep these clichés in mind. Architecture.An historic castle is sometimes really tiny! In reality, those castles and keeps were sometimes built small to be easy to defend. Appearance of character.Keep it to a minimum.I'm all for not describing your character at all, and letting your readers fill in their own picture. For example, I have a sergeant.

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