I’m a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy. I cut my teeth on Star Trek—literally. One of my earliest memories involves sitting in my daddy’s lap watch the original TV series. I also love the classics—all the Narnia books and Lord of the Rings.
So it shouldn’t be much of a surprise that when I picked up my pen to write a novel I chose science fiction as my genre of choice. The book isn’t published, but the manuscript did win an award this year in the
My Book Therapy Frasier Contest. One of the books that I really enjoyed as a resource was
The Writer’s Digest Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy.
This book has gotten mixed reviews, but I found it to be a good investment. One of the complaints is that it’s just a reprint of previous books by the same authors. In some cases that is true, but all that means is instead of consulting several books, I just have to look at one to find what I need.
It has extensive chapters on world building and how to make a world scientifically viable. It also has great chapters for those writing fantasy. It discusses ancient cultures and how they can be incorporated into the world you’re developing. It even has a blueprint of an ancient castle.
One thing missing from this book is any mention of J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter. That oversight has been attributed to many things and really the reason doesn’t matter. I wish it had been discussed, if only peripherally. Other than that one missing component, I was very pleased with my investment and don’t hesitate to recommend it if you’re considering writing in one of these genres.
Let me know what you think.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
