The Science of Science fiction Writing

2000-01-01

A fiction-writing text by a well-known sci-fi author, editor and professor.

Author: James E. Gunn

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

ISBN: 9781578860111

Category: Language Arts & Disciplines

Page: 232

View: 496

Download →

A fiction-writing text by a well-known sci-fi author, editor and professor.
Posted in:

The Science of Science Fiction Writing

2000-10-31

Asimov varied his science fiction and nonfiction with detective stories and novels. Asimov, in spite of his success at other kinds of writing and public speaking, never thought of himself as anything but a science-fiction writer who ...

Author: James Gunn

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

ISBN: 9781461673583

Category: Reference

Page: 256

View: 135

Download →

Written by one of the leading authorities on writing, publishing and teaching science fiction, The Science of Science Fiction Writing offers the opportunity to share in the knowledge James Gunn has acquired over the past forty years. He reflects on the fiction-writing process and how to teach it, and the ideas he has shared with his students about how to do it effectively and how to get it published afterwards. The first section discusses why people read fiction, the parts of the short story, the strategy of the science fiction author, scene as the smallest dramatic unit, how to speak well in print, suspense in fiction, how to say the right thing, and how to give constructive criticism. The second section takes a more philosophical approach. Here, Gunn elaborates on the origins of science fiction, its definition, the worldview of science fiction, and the characters that appear in science fiction novels. The third section highlights well-known sci-fi authors: H.G. Wells, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Henry Kuttner, C.L. Moore, and others, and the impact they have had on the development and progression of science fiction.
Posted in:

Putting the Science in Fiction

2018-10-16

This book brings together scientists, physicians, engineers, and other experts to help you: • Understand the basic principles of science, technology, and medicine that are frequently featured in fiction. • Avoid common pitfalls and ...

Author: Dan Koboldt

Publisher: Penguin

ISBN: 9781440353383

Category: Language Arts & Disciplines

Page: 272

View: 891

Download →

Science and technology have starring roles in a wide range of genres--science fiction, fantasy, thriller, mystery, and more. Unfortunately, many depictions of technical subjects in literature, film, and television are pure fiction. A basic understanding of biology, physics, engineering, and medicine will help you create more realistic stories that satisfy discerning readers. This book brings together scientists, physicians, engineers, and other experts to help you: • Understand the basic principles of science, technology, and medicine that are frequently featured in fiction. • Avoid common pitfalls and misconceptions to ensure technical accuracy. • Write realistic and compelling scientific elements that will captivate readers. • Brainstorm and develop new science- and technology-based story ideas. Whether writing about mutant monsters, rogue viruses, giant spaceships, or even murders and espionage, Putting the Science in Fiction will have something to help every writer craft better fiction. Putting the Science in Fiction collects articles from "Science in Sci-fi, Fact in Fantasy," Dan Koboldt's popular blog series for authors and fans of speculative fiction (dankoboldt.com/science-in-scifi). Each article discusses an element of sci-fi or fantasy with an expert in that field. Scientists, engineers, medical professionals, and others share their insights in order to debunk the myths, correct the misconceptions, and offer advice on getting the details right.
Posted in:

The Science of Science fiction Writing

2000

... history is given for either of these two scientists , who are well into middle age and highly respected in their fields . The far - flung locations of the stories are crucial to each plot , and Petronelle Cook , writing as Margot ...

Author: James E. Gunn

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

ISBN: 1578860121

Category: Literary Criticism

Page: 232

View: 302

Download →

Provides a comprehensive survey of series characters created by women authors in crime and mystery fiction from 1867 to 1997.
Posted in:

Saving the World Through Science Fiction

2017-02-27

James Gunn, Writer, Teacher and Scholar Michael R. Page Donald E. Palumbo, C.W. Sullivan III ... Johnson began teaching the Science Fiction & Fantasy Novel Writing Workshop in 2004, served as assistant director of the Center, ...

Author: Michael R. Page

Publisher: McFarland

ISBN: 9781476663098

Category: Literary Criticism

Page: 296

View: 726

Download →

"James Gunn's influence in the science fiction field, as author, editor, teacher and critic, has continued for decades, rising recently to the SFWA Grand Master Award. He has been in my mind from my first days, with his graceful novels and stories, and later a colleague with whom I have engaged in countless spirited discussions. This journey through his work is a fine introduction to a fiercely independent talent."--George Zebrowski, John W. Campbell Award Winner for Brute Orbits and the classic Macrolife "A book devoted to the life and work of James Gunn, anthologist, scholar, and one of science fiction’s most eloquent and influential writers, is long overdue. Michael Page offers us an informative account of Gunn’s life and the ways in which it has shaped his work, along with summaries and analyses of his most important stories and novels; Page also notes the ways in which Gunn directly affected the genre and some of its most important writers. Saving the World Through Science Fiction is an essential guide to anyone interested in the history of science fiction and paints a fine portrait of a man whose influence deserves to be much more widely known."--Pamela Sargent, Pilgrim Award-winning editor of the Women of Wonder anthologies. One of the major figures in science fiction for more than sixty years, James Gunn has been instrumental in making the genre one of the most vibrant and engaging areas of literary scholarship. His genre history Alternate Worlds and his The Road to Science Fiction anthologies introduced countless readers to science fiction. He founded the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction in 1982. But Gunn has also been one of the genre's leading writers. His classic novels Star Bridge (with Jack Williamson), The Joy Makers, The Immortals and The Listeners helped shape the field. Now in his nineties, he remains a prominent voice. His forthcoming novel is Transformation. Drawing on materials from Gunn's archives and personal interviews with him, this study is the first to examine the life, career and writing of this science fiction grandmaster.
Posted in:

Hugo Gernsback and the Century of Science Fiction

2007-07-18

There were critical anthologies featuring essays on science fiction by well- known writers and editors, including Of Worlds Beyond: The Science of Science Fiction Writing (¡947), edited by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach; Modern Science Fiction: ...

Author: Gary Westfahl

Publisher: McFarland

ISBN: 9780786430796

Category: Literary Criticism

Page: 283

View: 423

Download →

"An examination of science fiction editor and author Hugo Gernsback's career, summarizing the science fiction theories of Gernsback and his successors, and for the first time offers detailed studies of his rarest periodicals. An analysis of his ground-bre
Posted in:

On Writing Science Fiction

1981-12-01

Far more people have ideas than will ever write stories, because ideas are so easy to come by. You can research them in scientific periodicals, or they can simply come from life or from your imagination. The important points are that ...

Author: George H. Scithers

Publisher: Wildside Press LLC

ISBN: 9781880448786

Category: Language Arts & Disciplines

Page: 227

View: 808

Download →

Here you will find the collective experience of three writers and editors distilled into a complete guide to writing science fiction. Separate chapters cover Idea, Plot, Character, Background, Science, Tragedy, and Comedy. Twelve stories, each a first sale by its author, illustrate the main points of the book. A foreword by Isaac Asimov gives an overall look at the task of becoming an SF writer, and an appendix by the editors explains exactly how to prepare a manuscript for publication.
Posted in:

The Rise and Fall of American Science Fiction from the 1920s to the 1960s

2019-09-23

Of course, the science fiction writer who became most devoted to writing nonfiction was Isaac Asimov, who began publishing occasional nonfiction works in the 1950s, mostly related to the field in which he earned a Ph.D., ...

Author: Gary Westfahl

Publisher: McFarland

ISBN: 9781476674940

Category: Literary Criticism

Page: 311

View: 426

Download →

 By examining important aspects of science fiction in the twentieth century, this book explains how the genre evolved to its current state. Close critical attention is given to topics including the art that has accompanied science fiction, the subgenres of space opera and hard science fiction, the rise of SF anthologies, and the burgeoning impact of the marketplace on authors. Included are in-depth studies of key texts that contributed to science fiction's growth, including Philip Francis Nowlan's first Buck Rogers story, the first published stories of A. E. van Vogt, and the early juveniles of Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein.
Posted in:

Science Fiction Canonization Marginalization and the Academy

2002-01-30

The Science Fiction Novel: Imagination and Social Criticism. Chicago: Advent Publishers, 1959. de Camp, L. Sprague, and Catherine Crook de Camp. Science Fiction Handbook—Revised: A Guide to Writing Imaginative Literature.

Author: Gary Westfahl

Publisher: ABC-CLIO

ISBN: 9780313077401

Category: Literary Criticism

Page: 192

View: 811

Download →

Science fiction occupies a peculiar place in the academic study of literature. For decades, scholars have looked at science fiction with disdain and have criticized it for being inferior to other types of literature. But despite the sentiments of these traditionalists, many works of science fiction engage recognized canonical texts, such as the Odyssey, and many traditionally canonical works contain elements of science fiction. More recently, the canon has been subject to revision, as scholars have deliberately sought to include works that reflect diversity and have participated in the serious study of popular culture. But these attempts to create a more inclusive canon have nonetheless continued to marginalize science fiction. This book examines the treatment of science fiction within the academy. The expert contributors to this volume explore a wide range of topics related to the place of science fiction in literary studies. These include academic attitudes toward science fiction, the role of journals and cultural gatekeepers in canon formation, and the marginalization of specific works and authors by literary critics. In addition, the volume gives special attention to multicultural and feminist concerns. In discussing these topics, the book sheds considerable light on much broader issues related to the politics of literary studies and academic inquiry.
Posted in: