Jan 7, 2014 ... Examples of contemporary fantasy include Eric S. Nylund's Dry Water, and Tim
Powers's novels Last Call and Expiration Date. Urban Fantasy.
Session One Jan 7th - Feb 18th, 2014
What do you need? This packet should let you know a bit about our Meet up, what we do, and what we wish to accomplish. The two sections, What is Science Fiction? and What makes a good critique? are longer but please review them. I have added two suggested reading lists, one is fiction, the other is writers resources. I highly suggest picking up a copy of Steering the Craft since we will be using it at length. Things Needed for the Meet Up • Computer • Internet • Printer • Time - Class Time - 90 mins. Homework approx 90-120mins per week. • Steering the Craft
What are we doing? Tentative Plan- 1st six weeks Lewis Carroll wrote ‘Begin at the beginning’. I find this to be the best advice for writing. For our first six weeks we will be focusing on the hook line, first paragraphs, and first chapters. This is the writers time to grab the reader’s attention, create a rapport and make the reader ask- What happens next?, and turn the page. Every class is 90 minutes. This gives us time to really focus on the crit and discuss peoples work and have a skills section. We will foster discussion rather than it being a lecture based structure. While every class will be different these things will be the same week to week: • We will have a small (10 min max) discussion on a famous science fiction opening line/paragraphs. • Starting on week 2- we will spend 20 minutes discussing a persons submission. • We will always have a 10 min break • The rest of the time will be spend focusing on the skill topic of the week. Skills Topics • Narration - Who is best to tell the story • Hook Lines - Why they are needed • False Beginnings - Placeholders • Accessibility KISS • World Building - What is the correct amount for First Chapters[at3] • Structure/Stability - How to keep it • Cliffhangers • Infodumps - Useful or Contrived Submission Guidelines Starting week 2 we will be discussing/critiquing our fellow writers work. Please follow these guidelines so everyone has equal time. Work Must be • Under 15 pages double spaced • Readable font- Times New Roman 12 pt preferred • Paper Clipped or stapled. Please • Make copies for the entire meet up. • Feel free to write a synopsis if it’s a longer work. • Add the Genre
What is Science Fiction? Science fiction is based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets. The world of science fiction and fantasy is rich and varied. Often lumped together under the catchall term “speculative fiction,” these two distinct genres encompass a number of sub-genres. Many who don’t read sf/f are unaware that the two though close kin are very different. Isaac Asimov, once asked to explain the difference between science fiction and fantasy, replied that science fiction, given its grounding in science, is possible; fantasy, which has no grounding in reality, is not. The following are terms used frequently used to define elements and “sub-genres” within science fiction and fantasy literature. I hope to see a few represented in our group! Speculative Fiction A catchall term for science fiction and fantasy. It applies to work that answers the question “What if...?” Sometimes it is also applied to fiction considered more “literary” in nature that includes elements of SF or fantasy. Examples include Nicholas Christopher’s Veronica and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude. Within science fiction, the term speculative fiction refers to novels that focus less on advances in technology and more on issues of social change, such as Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, George Orwell’s 1984, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Jack Faust by Michael Swanwick. Science Fiction A genre that extrapolates from current scientific trends. The technology of a science fiction story may be either the driving force of the story or merely the setting for a drama, but all science fiction tends to predict or define the future. Cyberpunk Cyberpunk explores the fusion between man and machine. A key element is the perfection of the Internet and virtual reality technology. In a cyberpunk novel, characters can experience and interact with computers in a 3D graphic environment so real that it feels like a physical landscape. The society in which cyberpunk is set tends to be heavily urban, and usually somewhat anarchic or feudal. The “father of cyberpunk” is William Gibson, author of the seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer. Other authors defining this ever-evolving virtual reality include Neal Stephenson and Rudy Rucker. Military Science Fiction Basically, the armed forces in space. Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers and Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War are classic examples. Contemporary examples include David Feintuch’s Seafort Saganovels, and the work of Lois McMaster Bujold. Military SF at Avon includes Susan R. Matthews’s An Exchange Of Hostages and Prisoner Of Conscience, and the upcoming Heritageseries by William Keith. Hard Science Fiction Usually written by writers with a strong science background, frequently research scientists, who provide meticulously detailed future science in their work, consistent with the most current research. Hard SF writers include Greg Bear and David Brin, as well as others authors Gregory Benford and John Cramer. Parallel/Alternate Universe Science Fiction The idea behind parallel/alternate universe SF is that for every decision made or event that occurs, there is another place where the decision or the event went differently. For example, Robert Harris’s Fatherland, in which Hitler was victorious, could be considered alternate universe sf. Steven Gould’s Wildside presents a contemporary parallel in which high school seniors pass through a portal to a primeval Earth never inhabited by humans. Another type of alternate/parallel universe sf is that written by hard SF writers, usually physicists like John Cramer whose novels, Twistor, and Einstein’s Bridge are good examples.
Space Opera High adventure in space; usually somewhat campy, of the type that used to be serialized at the movies and in the pulp magazines that were popular in the first half of this century. Hallmarks of space opera include encounters with beautiful women and bug-eyed monsters. Flash Gordon is vintage space opera, Star Trek is more sophisticated, contemporary space opera. Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Barsoom series is space opera. Fantasy A genre not based in reality presupposing that magic and mythical/supernatural creatures exist. Epic Fantasy Sweeping in scope, epic fantasy usually concerns a battle for rulership of a country, empire or entire world. Drawing heavily upon archetypal myths and the quintessential struggle between a few good people against overwhelming forces of evil, epic fantasy is best represented by author J. R. R. Tolkien’s classic The Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Eos authors of epic fantasy include New York Times bestselling Raymond E. Feist (The Serpentwar Saga) and Adam Lee (The Dominions Of Irth). Some other popular epic fantasy authors are Robert Jordan, David Eddings, Terry Brooks Court Intrigue A subcategory of epic fantasy that’s currently popular and is the fantasy equivalent of Dumas’s The Three Musketeers. Good examples of this are Robin Hobbs’s Assassin trilogy, George R. R. Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire trilogy, Martha Wells’s The Element Of Fire, and Avon author Dave Duncan’sThe King’s Blades trilogy. Quest Fantasy A major subcategory of epic fantasy in which the hero endures many hardships while retrieving an object of power that will defeat the enemy. The Lord Of The Rings trilogy is a classic quest fantasy. The Shadow Eater: Book II Of The Dominions Of Irth is a quest fantasy by Adam Lee. Historical Fantasy A sub-genre in which historical events are given a fantasy treatment, or myths are given an historical treatment. Actual historical events are mixed with imaginary ones, bound together by magic. For example, Parke Godwin’s The Last Rainbow is an historical fantasy based on the life of St. Patrick. Stephen R. Lawhead’s bestselling Pendragon Cycle are Arthurian novels which make an attempt at historical accuracy combined with strong fantastical elements. Contemporary Fantasy A sub-genre of fantasy which posits that magic exists in our modern-day world, and often wrestles with contemporary issues. Examples of contemporary fantasy include Eric S. Nylund’s Dry Water, and Tim Powers’s novels Last Call and Expiration Date. Urban Fantasy A subcategory of contemporary fantasy, urban fantasy is set in a contemporary city. Often co-existing with the familiar city life is a hidden, magical aspect of the city frequently including magical creatures. Jim Butcher is one of the primary authors of urban fantasy. To some extent, Mark Helprin’s A Winter’s Tale is an urban fantasy as well as Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere. Science Fantasy A hybrid and subset of speculative fiction describing worlds in which either both magic and science work, science is so sophisticated it simulates magic, or characters possess psychic powers so strong they resemble magic. Eric S. Nylund’s A Game Of Universe is a science fantasy of the first type (an assassin who can cast spells travels through space in search of the Holy Grail), as is Sheri S. Tepper’s The Family Tree (which includes time travel, genetic engineering, and wizards). Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonrider series is a science fantasy of the second and third types (genetic engineering on an alien reptile species has created “dragons” that breathe fire and who communicate telepathically with their riders). Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover series (concerning the history of a planet whose industry is not based on machines and physical labor, but on the potent psychic powers of the inhabitants) are science fantasies of the third type.
What’s a critique? The point to writers groups is not only to write, but to gain feedback. Every writing teacher has a different way to soliciting feedback. My old writing teacher was a fan of the Gun Method, which is exactly what you think it is, others prefer to talk about only the positives in a circle. I believe both have merit. However it is my preference to use the standard literary critique method since this is the same method incorporated by editors. To critique a piece of writing is to do the following: 1. describe: give the reader a sense of the writer’s overall purpose and meaning 2. analyze: show how it is put together by dividing it into its main sections or aspects 3. interpret: define the significance (meaning and importance) of each part) 4. assess: make a judgement of the work’s worth or value A good critique benefits both the writer and the critiquer. The benefits to the writer receiving the critique should be obvious. There is no place for derision or ridicule of either the work or the writer within a critique. The writer submitting work for critique has placed their intellectual child in the hands of the critiquer expecting the work to be respected. Critiquing the work of others helps you become a better writer. There is no mystery to writing a good critique. The following pointers may help improve your skills with this important element of the craft. Read the submission. Read the submission. This redundancy is intended, not a typo. Read it at least twice to be sure you have not misread or misunderstood any part of it. Read it the first time as a reader. After your first reading write down your general impression from a reader’s perspective. • Did it makes sense? • Did you enjoy it? • What kind of reader would enjoy this piece? • The second time through, read as a writer. Begin making notes to yourself. Start with the main focus of your critique. Remember that your purpose is to give feedback on what needs changing and how to make it better. A “that’s nice” or “enjoyable read” comment alone is not constructive. The writer has submitted this work for critique because they believe there is room for improvement. If they had wanted an “atta boy--that’s nice” comment, they would have asked their mother to read it. Such comments are nice to hear but do not serve the reason for the critique. Praising the writer when you have enjoyed the work is appropriate, when done separately from the critique. Begin your notes with something you really liked about the piece. Describe for yourself why you liked it. The more specific you can be, the more it will help the writer, and the more it may help your own writing. Focusing on what you don’t like about a piece is usually a dead end. It annoys the writer. It is perceived as an attempt to make the critiquer appear superior. Superiority is something a good writer can rarely afford to feel, without doing violence to his/her own writing. Honesty without compassion is cruelty.
Your critique should include some information about the following points. 1. Characterization: Did the people seem real? What did the writer do to make them come alive? If the characters appeared shallow, what might the writer do to more fully develop a character? Is too much time spent inside the character’s head? Excessive internalization slows the story. If the character is thinking or wondering about every action, the writer foreshadows the plot and alienates the readers desire to continue reading. 2. Continuity: When you finished reading, were there loose ends that were left unresolved? Was there anything that needed further explanation? Were there any inconsistencies? Did the writer intrude himself into the story? 3. Do the characters plod through the story? It’s not necessary to record each step a character takes. Can some details be deleted allowing the reader to take an active role through imagination and inference? Example: 4. Techniques: Was the English readable? Were there typos, grammatical errors, misuse of punctuation, run-on sentences, or any other errors that need correction? You should indicate the kind of errors you found and give the writer credit for sufficient intelligence to make the appropriate corrections. 5. While there is no need to point out every error, some should be noted. Be careful of eyes. Does the writer have a character’s eyes dance around the room or fall to the floor? Does he mean “gaze”? Watch for pet words and phrases such as: began to; sort of; kind of; very; just; only; that; there; it; a little; some; laying; I guess; I think; I began; I started. Most of these are qualifying or non-descriptive words. 6. Format of the Text: Was it easy to read or too difficult to follow? Were the paragraphs too long or too choppy? Did the author use too many long sentences making it difficult to follow? Were transitions used skillfully to move from one point to another or did you have to play catch up to find out where it was going? Was the point of view (POV) clearly established and maintained, or was a scorecard needed to keep track of the POV shifts? 7. One of the common problem areas many writers have is falling in love with their words. They lose sight of the clutter caused by their verbosity. Regardless of whether you write short fiction, novels, or nonfiction contemporary publishers will not accept obese work. It must be lean, trim, and tight. Emerging writers often feel the need for a prologue or introduction. The critiquer’s job is to help the writer whittle away the excess until the story emerges as a finished sculpture. 8. Dialogue: Did the words seem natural to the characters and fit their personality? Was there too much or not enough dialogue? It’s okay to tell the reader some of the thoughts of the main character, but we should only know the thoughts of other characters through their words and actions, i.e. did the writer show us the story or did he tell it to us? Whose story is it? If dialect is used, is it used effectively and appropriately? Were there enough/too many beats in the dialogue. Was the dialogue used to move the plot forward or as a weak way of cramming in backstory? 9. Plots: Was the main plot clear and believable? If it is a short story, were there too many subplots? If it is part of a novel, could it be improved by more attention to the subplots? Or should it have more subplots? If nonfiction, was the work organized clearly and succinctly? Did it end where it should? 10. Pacing: Did the plot/subplots move fast enough to keep your attention? Did it skip around too much to keep track of the characters and plots? If nonfiction, can it be tightened? Are there enough examples? If so, where and how does the writer need to improve the pacing? 11. Are action and dialogue balanced? Characters should be somewhere doing something while they speak; actions alone will keep the reader at a distance—outside looking in. Pages of description can make your reader lose contact with the characters. Static dialogue is no better than empty space. Speech that neither defines character nor moves plot can be deleted. In general no more than four lines of dialogue should be written without a break: some action, even a gesture. 12. Conflict: Did the conflict and tension in the fictional plot(s) and subplot(s) come to a reasonable conclusion? Were you left hanging still unsure of how or what happened? Was the resolution appropriate for the character development? Did the writer use an appropriate denouement.
What to read? Suggested Reading List - Fiction • The HandMaidens Tale - Atwood • Snow Crash - Stephenson • Neuromancer- Gibson • Stranger in a Strange Land - Heinlein • Fahrenheit 421 Bradbury • Old Mans War - Scalzi • Ringwold - Niven • Hyperion -Simmon • Frankenstein - Shelly • The War of the Worlds - Wells • Dune- Herbert • Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep? Dick • A Time Odyssey- Clarke • Foundation- Asimov • Parable of the Sower- Butler • Left Hand of Darkness - Guin • The Years Best Science Fiction • Masterpieces: The Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century Suggested Reading - Writing/Helpful • Steering the Craft-Guin ** • Bird by Bird- Lamont • Writing Down the Bones -Goldberg • 642 things to Write about • Outlining your novel -Weiland • On Writing- King • The Artist Way - Cameron
Who’s driving this bus? Amanda Tveidt Twelfth Dimension Writers Group Organizer @manda84 |
[email protected] Amy Herndon Sci-fi Commons Co-founder @AmyH70 |
[email protected] David Taylor Sci-fi Commons Co-founder @TheRealDavidT |
[email protected] | mobile/text: 425-922-9766 For more information and resources, visit www.scificommons.com/twelfthdimension
www.scificommons.com | @scificommons | 425-922-9766
