Now write! science fiction, fantasy and horror : speculative genre exercises from today's best writers and teachers

Now write! science fiction, fantasy and horror Speculative genre exercises from today's best writers and teachers

Laurie Lamson

Book - 2014

"Featuring speculative fiction-writing exercises from Harlan Ellison (R), Piers Anthony, Ramsey Campbell, Jack Ketchum, screenwriters of The Twilight Zone and Star Trek: The Next Generation, and many more. The fifth volume in the acclaimed Now Write! writing-guide series offers a full toolbox of advice and exercises for speculative fiction writers hoping to craft an engaging alternate reality, flesh out an enthralling fantasy quest, or dream up a bloodcurdling plot twist, including: -Harlan Ellison (R), on crafting the perfect story title -Jack Ketchum, on how economy of language helps create a truly frightening tale -Piers Antony, on making fantastical characters feel genuine and relatable This collection of storytelling secrets from ...top genre writers-including winners of Nebula, Hugo, Edgar, and Bram Stoker awards-is essential for any writer looking to take a leap beyond the ordinary"--

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Subjects
Science fiction > Authorship.
Fantasy fiction > Authorship.
Horror tales > Authorship.
English language > Rhetoric > Problems, exercises, etc.
Published
New York : Tarcher 2014.
Language
English
Main Author
Laurie Lamson (-)
Physical Description
xvi, 367 p. ; 21 cm
ISBN
9780399165559
Contents unavailable.
Review by Booklist Review

Previous editions of the Now Write! series have focused on nonfiction, general fiction, screenplays, and mysteries. It was inevitable it would get around to sf and fantasy, and why not? As the book's contributors point out, there are a lot of unique challenges to writing in these genres. The dozens of essays here some by notables including Harlan Ellison, Joe R. Lansdale, and Simon Clark tackle such subjects as freelancing for sf TV series; writing interspecies romance; building an internally consistent system of magic; creating a compelling but believable villain; creating a television series; tapping into the most common human fears; and much more. The book's only drawback may be that, in trying to pack so much into a relatively small space, the editor has selected a lot of very short essays: most of them are only a page or two long, and, in many cases, we're just settling in, and suddenly we're already done. A useful but also a tad superficial book.--Pitt, David Copyright 2014 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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