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Science Fiction & Fantasy |
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Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy (Self-Counsel Writing) (Self-Counsel Writing)
written by Crawford Kilian
Studio : Self-Counsel Press
by Self-Counsel Press
Publisher : Self-Counsel Press
Released : 1998-10
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9781551801896
UPC : 069635801895
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 13 reviews)
List Price : $14.95
Our Price : $5.00
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Book Description |
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- Learn how to get the science and the magic right - Develop believable fantasy worlds - Challenge your readers’ imagination - Written by a successful novelist |
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Excellent Book for Aspiring Fiction Authors! |
I myself am an aspiring fiction author, and when I saw this book, I thought "Oh, yeah, another boring book on writing!" Previously I had quit reading all of the books on writing I had started, for they were boring and uninformative. But I forced myself to read this one, convincing myself that there would be something in it that would be useful. So I started ... and couldn't put it down! It was an awesome read, packed full of user-friendly information! The writer, Crawford Kilian, has got in touch with the reader and helped him or her to understand what he is trying to convey across to them. He does not write like a standoffish school professor, but as a friendly parent or tutor. There was no need for me to feel scared about reading the book.
For all you fantasy and science fiction writers out there, this is a MUST HAVE!!! |
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Usefully concise |
When I started researching the craft of writing SF, I bought Card's book. I have yet to read its equal. That said, this book reawakened the concepts and advice I thought I knew and used.
This book offered no insights I did not know - nothing new, nothing profound. If you are even remotely versed in the topic, it won't likely reveal anything new to you, either. There probably isn't that much left that can be expressed in a book. It will remind you of what you're supposed to be doing.
I sponsor a high school sci-fi club and find this book's chapters to be perfect outlines for group discussions and lessons for budding writers. Every writer should know this stuff and be reminded often. I am going to leave the book by my toilet - not as a commentary on its quality, but so I can read pieces of it periodically and unendingly.
The disk included with the book I found largely worthless. No new exercises that weren't in the book, nothing extra but a few essays. Don't be afraid to buy this used without the disk. |
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Reading to write |
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I use this book constantly when trying to write my fantasy stories. It's full of suggestions, hints, flat-out explanations, and a fun read. I recommend it highly. |
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One of the two best references on the subject. |
After having read almost every available book on writing science fiction and fantasy specifically, I think that the combination of this volume and Orson Scott Card's "How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy" constitutes the most complete, practical and useful source of advice and information for any writer interested in stepping into or perfecting the craft of writing in either genre, in any form, any length or any language.
This concise, well-organized, excellent reference is written in a warm, enthusiastic and conversational style that's as pleasing to the mind as the voice of a dear friend is to the ears, and you will be drawn to read it cover to cover in just one sitting. But with its highly detailed table of contents and easy-to-use format, it's also perfect if you only want to do a quick check-up or consultation on a specific topic or idea.
The author begins by offering a detailed description of what the genres and subgenres of science fiction and fantasy are, and a general summary of the elements considered to be essential to each - ideas that although seemingly obvious as a starting point for this type of book are surprisingly either just barely touched or completely overlooked on most other titles. He expands on this topic by carefully detailing the relevance and influence that diverse areas of knowledge like mythology, history, sociology, philosophy, science, have on both genres.
Then, he examines a wide variety of subjects on each genre in particular as well as on the craft of writing in general, from idea generation to organization to researching, from character development to point of view to voice, style and tone, from structure to editing to English grammar and punctuation, from word processors and manuscript formatting to work habits. He masterfully uses many excellent examples to illustrate each point being made, and while most are taken from well-known classic and contemporary titles, some are from the author's own works, allowing us a glimpse at the quality of his storytelling abilities.
The section on marketing and publishing is especially helpful to beginners and unpublished writers as it discusses topics like choosing the right market, editor, publisher, and agent, and understanding contracts and copyrights. In the appendix, the lists of related readings and websites are truly an added bonus for those seeking a deeper treatment of any area discussed by the author, and the multiple exercises present throughout the book are a stimulating way to introduce us to some new creative methods for generating story ideas.
While you can't really learn how to write by reading any one reference or any one guide - only lots and lots of writing practice and lots and lots of reading from the genre you want to write in will make you an effective writer - there are a few books that can actually help you polish your craft and fine-tune your ideas, and this is one of those. From reading this book you can expect three basic things: a) to get a clear picture of the craft, business and life of writers; b) to acquire a thorough understanding of the essential elements of the genres and subgenres in both fantasy and science fiction; and c) to discover invaluable, time-tested advice, tips and techniques from a published author on how to improve your craft and avoid some common pitfalls that could hinder your development as a writer.
If you are serious about creating science fiction and fantasy stories fit to print, then get this nifty resource and follow its advice, and you'll stay on the right track, guaranteed.
Also recommended: "How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card.
--Reviewed by Maritza Volmar |
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One of the best books for aspiring genre writers |
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I've read several books aimed at writers of science fiction and fantasy. This one has proven to be the most useful to me. Kilian covers a lot of information in his book--beginning with the elementary teachings of the Knowing Your Genre section--without going into tedious detail. The parts at the end of the book on actually getting published were fine, although this information can be found in countless other books and on many websites. The part of the book I found the most helpful and illuminating was the middle part, entitled The Craft of Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy. It includes the following sections:
Developing Efficient Work Habits
Research and Soul Search
Elements of a Successful Story
Developing Characters
Plotting
Constructing a Scene
Narrative Voice
Exposition and Dialogue
Symbolism and All That I found the last section on symbolism and the hero's quest especially interesting. If you want to write sci-fi or fantasy but aren't really sure where you should begin, this would be a great book to pick up. I highly recommend it. |
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