Tag: Fantasy-Sci-Fi

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Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Stage for Your First Page

There’s a video floating around somewhere online (numerous, probably!) of J.K. Rowling reading her first pages to eager readers. I remember listening and thinking how naturally the words flowed, how it seemed like if she’d written the page any other way it would be wrong.

That’s how our every page needs to be, but especially our first page. So, other than impersonating J.K. Rowing, how do we do so?

Start in the middle of a scene.

For instance, in Harry Potter, readers don’t need to wait more than a few sentences to realize they’ve been thrust into something “strange or mysterious.” Rowling doesn’t start with Harry waking up (a cliché we should all avoid), but tosses us straight into learning about the boy who lived. Another term for this would be starting in media res. Dare to start in the middle of a scene, trust the reader to pick up the details you layer in, and you’ll be surprised how fast you captivate your audience.

Mesh the Unknown with the Known 

A reader is always a little disoriented when starting a new book. That’s the nature of plunging into a new setting with no warning about what’s going on. (Tip: A location tag can help lessen readers’ disorientation.) To combat this and draw a reader in, combine your unique story idea with concrete details readers can connect with.

For instance, if you’re plunging your protagonist into terrible trouble, maybe include their friend offering help in a way that’s relatable to your target audience. This will give readers an anchor point as they dive deeper into your story idea.

Even in the Harry Potter movies, the director included a scene where Harry draws himself a birthday cake and candles in the dust and blows out the candles. Birthday cake is something most readers can connect with, even in a wizarding world.

Give Your Protagonist a Distinct Voice

Readers want to connect with a character in a personal way. The faster you can make readers connect with your protagonist, the more likely they’ll hold on for the whole ride. A good way to do this this by giving your character a distinct voice.

Creating a distinct voice demands knowing your audience and what type of voice they’re most likely to connect with. This takes effort, but it’s effort well spent. One reason Harry Potter did so well is because Harry had a distinct voice. He was just a school kid put in a very unique situation. But school kids around the world connected with his voice because it was their voice.

If you want to write a gripping first page, start in the middle of the action (in media res), mesh the unknown with the known, and give your protagonist a distinct voice.

Do this, and you’re well on your way to success!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

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Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Tightrope We Must Walk

Your main character stands on the edge of a cliff, a five hundred foot drop to jagged rocks below. The villain steadily creeps up, but as a reader, I haven’t connected with your MC yet. I might keep reading because I’m curious to find out what happens, but my heart isn’t involved.

Curiosity doesn’t drive story, heart does.

So, what makes a story compelling? How well we balance tension and character development.

If I don’t care about your MC, the tension won’t matter.

If I care about your MC but there’s no tension, I’ll put the book down.

For fantasy and science fiction, it’s especially important to establish an empathetic main character before bringing in too much tension.

Fantasy and science fiction require good amounts of world building. If I’m a reader trying to both 1) connect to a character from another world and, 2) understand the world the character is in, I’m going to need some help.

As the writer, this is where you shine.

Weave in backstory to reveal the heart of your main character.

Say your first scene starts with a battle. Your reader has no idea who your main character is as a person, what his/her desires are, or what brought them into this battle. Your reader might be curious to see if your MC survives without getting injured, but their heart isn’t in your story yet.

Time to drop in backstory! Have them save a child right before the dragon gets to him (commonly called a pet-the-dog moment), and then have a secondary character say something that reveals a growth in character arc: “I couldn’t have done that if I was her, not after_____.” Please don’t be that obvious, but for the sake of example, bear with me!

Reveal a weakness and why it’s a weakness.

I bet if you’re afraid of something today, it’s because you had a negative experience with it previously. Same goes for your main character (or any, for that matter). Let’s say your MC is a pirate from centuries past who’s turned over a new leaf and now helps ships lost at sea, saving the passengers. He’s brave and daring but terrified of the dark.

Your reader’s likely curious why he’s afraid, but we need to grab your reader’s heart. Instead of leaving it at “he’s afraid of the dark,” drop in some dialogue where your MC and a secondary character chat about how your MC and his family were caught in a huge ocean storm, his daughter was swept overboard, and because it was dark he couldn’t find her.

Now your MC is someone your reader can empathize with. Now your reader has some heart in your story.

Maintaining the right balance between tension and character development is a tightrope all writers have to walk, but done well, it draws readers in not just out of curiosity, but because their heart is invested in your story.

That’s a story worth writing!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

How Writing Blind Will Take Your Fantasy to the Next Level

When it comes to writing, some of us like to picture it in our head and write what we see, while others like to plot every scene before ever sitting down to the keyboard. No matter if we’re a “plotter” or a “pantser,” writing well requires something we often overlook but learned way back in kindergarten–the five senses.

Recently I asked some beta readers for feedback on the first page of my WIP. Many of the comments were positive. They loved the action and felt drawn in from the first sentence. But while many felt intrigued in the story, several also said they didn’t feel like they understood the world.

They couldn’t see where the action was taking place.

As a writer, that’s on me. I could see it all in my head, but I hadn’t communicated the location well enough to my readers. What had I missed? Some of the five senses.

Readers want to see where the story is taking place. They want to hear the wind in the trees and feel the snow crystalizing on their skin. They want to taste the last drops of water your MC shared with his fellow traveler.

A good way to do this is write with your eyes closed.

If you’ve ever tried to take a nap in a crowded room, you can relate to just how much your sense of hearing works overtime. The same is true with sight. When one sense is dulled, others heighten. New writers are often great at describing what things look like, but not what they smell, taste, or feel like.

Smelling the remains of a carcass on the dragon’s breath is much more evocative than telling a reader the dragon has scales.  

It’s easy to forget one sense when focusing on the others. In my example, I’d focused so much on smell and touch I’d mostly forgotten about sight, one of the most important senses when it comes to orienting a reader in the first paragraphs (especially in fantasy and sci-fi!).

Feel free to steal these tips when writing sensory details:

One: Write the first draft focusing on sight only.

Two: Write the second draft focusing on hearing.

Third: In the third draft work in touch.

Fourth: Don’t forget the all-important sense of smell!

Fifth: Finish it off describing the taste of fear, the salty tinge of saltwater on the tongue, etc.

The more you incorporate this exercise into your writing, the more likely it’ll become second nature to you and you’ll find yourself combining steps one and two, or three and five, etc.

Everyone experiences different struggles when it comes to incorporating the senses, but keep at it. After all, all writing is rewriting!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Beginner’s Guide to Props – Using Them to Show Character

You know the phrase, all an actor needs is an empty room and a script? I’ve heard that idea dispelled by an acting coach. Why? Because actors need something to react to, something to work with. A good actor uses the space around him to define his character, personality, and intentions.

In the same way, a good writer puts characters in environments that show their personality, without telling their intentions.

When it comes to fantasy and science fiction, this is especially important. In past centuries writers could get away with long pages of exposition, but in today’s Netflix era, where the next episode is just seconds away, we need readers to want to turn pages faster than Netflix changes episodes.

How to do so? Easter eggs. Easter eggs are a simple way to reference – or show – something deeper within a scene, without ever mentioning it.

Let’s say your character is sitting in the woods. They’re not just any woods, but woods you’ve taken hours to create and build into your fantasy. Your character sits down on a clean, expensive blanket. He or she opens a leather bag and takes a glass bottle full of your world’s equivalent to a specialty drink. They open a fiction novel with a title correlating to something they’d be interested in. In your select sentences of narrative, you mention that it’s morning and there’s a warm breeze.

Based on the above, what do you we know about your character?

  • He’s rich, or at least has high quality taste (expensive blanket, specialty drink in a glass bottle).
  • He’s interested in _____ type of pleasure reading (based on the title you choose for the book).
  • He’s an early riser and appreciates the small pleasures of a morning sunrise on a warm day.

What if we changed the props? How could something as simple as props show the depth of your character? Let’s give it a try.

Your character sits on the ground, ignoring the muddy leaves. He pulls a tattered blanket around his shoulders and a plastic, battered water bottle from a used backpack. Finally, he grabs a book with the title of a difficult school subject, and opens to the first, underlined page.

This time we could deduce:

  • He’s not bothered by dirt, or is too concerned with other things to focus on where he sits.
  • He doesn’t have much money.
  • He’s willing to spend what he does have to further his own study, and either doesn’t worry about the book being new, has used it extensively, or simply can’t afford something nice.

Depending on your specific fantasy setup, you can further play around with these props. Make the drink relate to some aspect of your world, show the bag was made from nearly extinct dragon skin, etc. A few, purposeful props can give countless insights into your character.

What types of props show your character’s motives? Let me know in the comments!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

Fantasy Heroes? This Is How You Make Them Relatable.

One of my friends recently gifted me a book. She’d loved it so much she literally went out and bought a second copy for me to read.

It’s a fantasy, and some of the characters are so heroic they seem fantastic, at least as far as Google defines fantastic: “imaginative or fanciful; remote from reality.”

It’s hard to connect to someone who’s so removed from my own abilities they seem distant. I’d like to believe I’m capable of the things this hero in this book is, but I’m not. The theme of the book is great, just like my friend said, but so far it’s been hard to truly relate to at a personal level.

How can we steer clear of this issue and write fantasy heroes who are very human, physical, and flawed, yet still capable of greatness?

Write Human Characteristics

If you’re writing a fantasy there’s no question you have some very inhuman, creative characteristics in your characters. Maybe some of your supporting characters are not even human at all. Maybe your main character (MC) isn’t! Regardless, in order to be relatable to your human readers, your MC needs to have human characteristics.

Maybe they’re very uncomfortable around a specific supporting character and this shows through their body language. Maybe their natural response to fear is to fight (ever heard of fight or flight, the very human response to negative feedback in the environment?).

Whatever it is for your MC, make it human.

Remember The Physical

Just because they may not be human, your MC is still physical. He/she can still feel the full range of emotion, and demonstrate this emotion through their body.

We all have certain physical limitations. For instance, I dislike running but I run anyway in order to stay healthy. On the other hand, I love getting with friends and experiencing the outdoors with them.

Maybe your main character loves running but experienced an injury that keeps him from running at the time your story takes place. This physical detriment makes him uncomfortable around others. He unconsciously portrays himself through the emotion of insecurity via low power poses.

We all have physical insecurities. Give your MC one too, and he’ll be far more relatable to the average reader!

We’re All Flawed

Whether we admit it or not, we all have flaws in our personal characters. Maybe our reasons for doing something good are skewed, or we see the world through a false lens.

Readers relate to flaws, and flaws enable a full character-arc for your MC.

Wherever your MC starts in the story, make sure he overcomes a personal flaw by the last page. If you can write a fictional character who overcomes, you’ll inspire your readers to overcome.

This won’t only build trust with your readership, but keep them wanting more. Your influence will expand, your writing will grow, and you will experience the pleasure of using your gifts for others.

Happy writing!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

Why Disabled Characters Should Be Included in Your Spec Fic Novel

What does “disabled” mean? Generally, it covers everything from physical limitations, such as blindness or deafness or not possessing specific body parts; to mental illnesses that impact a person’s opportunity to live without ongoing treatment and care; to conditions such as Down’s Syndrome and autism, which are classified as intellectual disabilities.

In many sci-fi and fantasy tales, characters like this can be hard to come by. Heck, sometimes they’re difficult to find in contemporary or even historical fiction (and historically, we know that it was quite common for people to become disabled through disease, war, or accident). So why are they somewhat of a mythical creature in spec fic genres?

Well, it seems to be a combination of lots of science fiction including the possibility that all sickness and impairments can be wiped out; and the notion in epic fantasy that magic could serve as a healing source. Not that I’m bashing any of this. Would our present lives be better without cancer? Yes, of course.

But what about the value of portraying characters who don’t see their disability as a problem? (Just like so many patients, veterans, and folks managing genetic conditions every day in the real world.)

Personally, I’m all for a blind wizard who’s still the best mentor to the boy who would be king; a deaf space shuttle engineer who saves the day; a former warrior with a replacement something who trains the next generation to kick some serious evil rear.

And intellectual disabilities are even more overlooked – not on purpose, just simply due to awareness of what these conditions entail purely not existing on a grand scale in our society. As an adult on the autistic spectrum, the parent of a son with high-functioning autism, and of a little one receiving physical, speech, and occupational therapy nearly since his birth – and as an avid SFF reader – I can concur, there aren’t a lot of fictional people like us out there.

Right there is another, very good reason to expand what sorts of characters you write: Some of your readers will be thrilled to see themselves represented in a medium where they typically aren’t.

So how do you create realistic disabled characters for fantastical or invented settings?

Do your research. It’s one of the most common phrases writers hear, but for infinitely good reason. It’s crucial to the authenticity of a story to find out as many details as you can about the topic at hand, whether it’s deep sea diving, quilting, alternative fuel sources, or disabilities.

Don’t rely solely on medical journals or textbook explanations of conditions. Find real life individuals to interview. Even if you don’t know someone personally, maybe relatives or friends have family members or acquaintances who would be willing to share their life experiences. (And a lot of folks are willing.)

Keep an open mind. Some conditions or illnesses that are legally and medically classified as “disabilities” are in fact not seen that way by the people who have them. And let’s face it, it can be really hard and even frustrating to feel that writing a “disabled” character must mean writing a downtrodden and pessimistic personality. Many abled people do assume that the non-able approach life like this. The truth is, so many of us do not – and wouldn’t it be refreshing to read about a character with MS or one hand or chronic depression who saw the best and brightest things in life?

What’s your ultimate goal? Are you portraying a disabled character to help others gain insight? Are you writing someone of a victim mentality, or an optimist? Or maybe you’re starting out with the former, and showing their journey to the latter. There are already a lot of stereotypes in art and literature surrounding this topic, so let’s do our best to break the mold!

Self-published author and blogger Daley Downing is also a stay at home parent, autistic adult, ballet teacher, and cat lover. She spends her days writing the YA fantasy series “The Order of the Twelve Tribes,” and wrangling special needs children.

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Fantasy-Sci-Fi

How to Write Fantasy and Science Fiction

So, you’re a writer. And you’d like to write fantasy and science fiction. You have a great idea for a story set in a world of dragons, sea monsters, and wizards. Or on a space ship orbiting a distant planet. This all feels so exciting, and you can’t wait to get started. Except.

Except you know very well that dragons, sea monsters, and wizards aren’t real. And that man-made space shuttles haven’t yet found a way to orbit planets at the other end of the galaxy. Also, you’re quite aware that many authors have already established fictional worlds of their own in these settings, and you don’t want to rely too heavily on what’s come before – you want to create your own take and leave your mark on these genres.

How do you go about all of this?

Here are some tips, from a self-published fantasy author who has faced all of this herself.

Do your research. Huh? For stuff that doesn’t exist yet, or may never have existed at all? Yup, that’s right. As we’ve already noted, there are numerous published titles in the fantasy and sci-fi markets, which have created a sort of baseline for the genres. So, find out just what has come before your work – but don’t feel obligated to adhere to any of it. Genre novels run the risk of becoming clichéd, and readers can get tired of hackneyed plot devices and cardboard character archetypes. This brings me straight to my next point…

Be original. Once you’ve figured out what all the tropes (or common elements) of recent sci-fi and fantasy are, attempt to break them. For example, we’ve all read several tales of nasty aliens trying to wipe out humanity by nefarious means. Why not write a novel about kind aliens who want to help us reverse pollution to the environment and cure disease?

Before I started writing my fantasy series, The Order of the Twelve Tribes, I dug and dug through literature on mythology, fairytales, Tolkien and CS Lewis and JK Rowling, hoping to find a “hook” that would make future readers sit up and take notice. In the end, I went with a snippet of Celtic Christian folklore I stumbled across, connecting the origin of fairies to Fallen Angels after the War in Heaven. And one of the main praises from my subsequent reviews has been the originality of the premise.

Where necessary, find out how things really work. Yes, you are building a fictional world, but it still needs to make sense. If you have a magic system, determine early on how it operates. Can your characters acquire it, or do they have to be born with the ability? Does it come from an outside power source or influence (such as the One Ring in Middle Earth)?

Are your characters in a galaxy far, far away, but still human? Then what requirements would their planet/space ship need in order for the survival of their carbon-based life forms? If a race of dragons – or aliens – has remained undiscovered for x number of centuries by your protagonists, how did that happen? Was there a lack of funds for space travel in your home setting? Were the dragons suspected of being extinct, and they used this to their advantage, hiding deep in remote wilderness?

Readers will appreciate that you fleshed out the details.

Self-published author and blogger Daley Downing is also a stay at home parent, autistic adult, ballet teacher, and cat lover. She spends her days writing the YA fantasy series “The Order of the Twelve Tribes,” and wrangling special needs children.

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Perfect Blend of History and Fantasy

Historical fantasy is a genre growing in popularity. Many famous historical figures have earned themselves a retelling of their story, with a fantastical twist to set the story apart from other historical fiction.

My Lady Jane is a fun retelling of the life of Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days’ Queen who replaced King Edward VI in 1553. Although a tragic tale in reality, authors Ashton, Hand, and Meadows were able to create an interesting, magical tale to please a young adult audience. Readers otherwise unfamiliar with Jane Grey’s story have been captivated by the mystery of her very short reign as Queen of England, along with a the unique idea that the entire plot was influenced by shape-shifters.

Earlier this year, Nadine Brandes released her novel, Fawkes, which tells the true story of Guy Fawkes and his involvement in the Gun Powder Plot of 1605. In place of the tension between the Catholic and Protestant faiths, the main struggle within this narrative revolves around White magic and Color magic. Despite the fantastical change, the story is quite historically accurate.

Bookstores have seen an increase in sales of historical novels that have that fantasy spin. So, what is the best way for an author to go about writing a historical fantasy?

First decide which historical figure or event is right for your story. Not all historical events will lend themselves to a fantasy retelling. Evaluate the person you’ve chosen and pinpoint what event(s) in his/her life will make for the book’s climax, then work backwards to decide at what point in their life you will begin telling the story. Too much backstory can slow the story down, so be sure to drop the reader into the tale just as tension develops, sending the main character on the road towards the climax.

The next step is research. Regardless which time period you choose or which historical figure you pick to highlight, knowing the true story of the event is crucial. Understand not only the culture the person lived in, but also the build-up of social and political tensions, as well as any other influences that might make the story unique. Once you know the true history of the event or person, you can begin to piece together which elements can be stretched or changed for the fantasy addition.

Ask yourself what fantasy element fits nicely within their history? The fantasy element you choose should draw the reader in and keep them interested in the history of the story, as well. Keep as much of the history as accurate as possible, while being true to the new fantasy twist. This will impress the reader and keep them reading as they seek to learn the new fictional tale of this very real historical figure or event.

Don’t forget to have fun with your story! Regardless what historical figure you choose to write about, or which part of history they hail from, enjoy the fantasy world you create around the history of your story. A reader that chooses to pick up a fantasy retelling is likely looking for a new, unique twist to enjoy. So, focus on the character and the story they want to tell, and let the fantasy elements take your novel to a whole new level.

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter @lauralzimm and at her website Caffeinated Fiction.

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Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Science Fiction Behind Science Fiction

Since the release of Star Trek and Star Wars, viewers of space-based science fiction have had certain expectations of what a space battle should look like. As a result, most authors have followed suit and written their space opera in the same vein as these examples. But how accurate are these space battles we’ve come to expect? Here are a few surprising differences you would need to make as a writer if you wanted to have a more realistic space battle.

Communication. Currently, our communication can only travel at the speed of light. This means ships communicating to nearby planets or other ships very likely will have a significant time delay between messages. The discussions would not be instantaneous, like they are in the movies. This would probably make the battle long and drawn out, as each side awaits the next order from their Communications Officer.

Ship design. We often see space ships that are built similar to our own aircraft here on earth. However, a ship meant only for travel within deep space would not need wings. Wings are meant only for lift when encountering air, therefore, they would be useless on a space ship since there is no air in space. It’s quite likely the ships would look boxy and plain.

Also, because of the extreme G-force that would be applied within the ship as it moves through deep space, even the smaller ships would have a difficult time utilizing stick-shift style controls. Therefore, control panels would likely be flat touch screens that could be controlled with the touch of a fingertip.

Lack of air in space. As I mentioned before, there is no air in space. With no air, there can be no carrying of sound waves. This would make for silent battles. Gone would be the high-pitched screech of the small fighter ships as they pass by the mother ships. And the massive echoes of explosions would disappear, as well.

Speed. Again, with no air, there is no way for a vehicle to slow down without intention. It would take just as much energy to decelerate, as it would to accelerate. Because of this, there would not be battles in “close quarters.” A ship that got too close to another, unable to slow down in enough time, would cause a collision that would damage both ships, resulting in their demise. Therefore, they’d want to do battle at great distances, to assure there would be no collisions.

The speed of an object in space also affects the type of ammunition used during a space battle. Faster moving ammunition would be best, since the distance between ships would give plenty of time for the targeted ship to move before the strike hits. Therefore, laser weapons would work better than torpedo-type weaponry.

The reality of space battles is that it wouldn’t look like a WWII dogfight—or a battle seen in the movies. The question is, how realistic do you want your sci-fi space opera battle to be? Do you want to write a story that lines up with the majority of other tales, or are you the type of writer who wants to take a chance and write something different, but much more accurate? Take a moment to consider just how real you want to portray your space battle. Your decision just might make your story out of this world.

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter @lauralzimm and at her website Caffeinated Fiction.

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Secret of Your Success by Laura L. Zimmerman

Success.

For writers this word can mean different things. One author may feel success has been achieved once their first book is in print. Another may decide it is only once a certain award has been attained.

Because success is subjective, it can reflect different values within each of us. However, the pitfalls of these ideals are that our perceptions of success can change over time to the point that we are never satisfied with our achievements. This can be particularly difficult for fantasy and sci-fi writers because it is becoming more difficult to sell these genres within the Christian market. If we continue to put our value on our work being published or the accolades it receives, we may never feel we’ve reached true success.

As Christian writers, we have the ability to use a different measuring stick. Instead of applying external measures to guide our definition of success, we can focus on how God measures it. Many authors of faith would say they write because they feel that God has given them the words to write. If you choose to change your idea of what success is, then you may be able to avoid those times of frustration.

Celebrate success each time you complete a short story or a magazine article. Reward yourself for every story you complete—whether it’s for a contest or when you finish that full-length novel. Instead of celebrating years down the road when your work is published, choose to celebrate accomplishment in the moment. This gives you the chance to see success every single day or several times per week! God wants to see his children celebrating the words He has given us to write.

There is no need for external measures of success when you write with God.

The book industry can sometimes feel like a roller coaster ride, and it’s changing every year. The idea that it is harder for fantasy and sci-fi authors to get their work published can be a daunting task. But changing your perspective on how you write just might be the answer to the success of your writing, and the encouragement needed to continue to write with God.

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter @lauralzimm and at her website Caffeinated Fiction at www.lauralzimmerman.com

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Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Bones of Your Fantasy World by Laura Zimmerman

For many, the new year often comes with aspirations of drafting a brand-new novel. Each new idea creates the necessity of laying down the bones of the work—the plot. There are some who are Plotters—those who plan the plot and characters before writing, and some who are Pantsers—those who write as ideas come. Whichever category you may fall into, you will need to sit down and hammer out the specifics of plot at some point in the writing process.

Continue reading “The Bones of Your Fantasy World by Laura Zimmerman”
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Fantasy-Sci-Fi

A New Year for Fantasy and Sci-fi by Laura Zimmerman

It’s a new year. For some writers it is an opportunity to pick up a previous work that had been lost in the daily grind of life and to finally finish your novel. For others it might be stepping into the role of serious writer for the very first time and beginning a brand new story. Wherever you might be in your writing journey, it always helps to have a list of resources to help you tackle that next fantasy or sci-fi story you hope to write! Here are a few websites that might help get your story written.

A great resource for Christian speculative writers is Realm Makers. Although this is an annual conference, they do offer recordings of past conferences for purchase and even offer a consortium for speculative writers to join on Facebook. This is a great place to connect with other Christian writers and to ask questions.

Lorehaven, along with its companion site, Speculative Faith, is a website dedicated to exploring fantasy and sci-fi writing and books with a Christian worldview. Head on over to their sister site, Splickety Publishing, to try your hand at writing flash fiction.

Other sites that are geared toward fantasy and sci-fi but do not specifically have a Christian worldview:

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is one of the oldest organizations dedicated to helping published authors within the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Membership to this organization takes some work to achieve but having this on your resume will set you apart if you’re looking to get traditionally published.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Chronicles is a community of fantasy and sci-fi writers that includes specifics on writing and publishing. Connect with other writers on the forums and check out the listing of writer blogs so you can take your research further.

Worldbuilding Stack Exchange is a place where writers can voice their questions about science and geography to aid in creating realistic fictional world building. This is a great resource to get quick answers if you want your world to be believable with specifics about science and technology.

Critters Workshop is a family of workshops and critique groups for speculative writers. This is a free website that offers discussion forums and book suggestions on the writing craft.

No matter where you are in your writing journey, utilize these resources to make this the year that you tackle those stories God has given you to tell.

Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mama to three daughters and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter @lauralzimm and at her website Caffeinated Fiction at www.lauralzimmerman.com

Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

A Dynamic First Page by Laura Zimmerman

The first page of your book determines whether the reader will continue reading or if they will move on to another book. Sometimes fantasy and science fiction writers forget how important this first glimpse into the story can be for a reader. Far too often I’ve critiqued a fantasy or sci-fi story only to find that the writer has chosen to rely on the book blurb to fill in major gaps within the story. This is a mistake if we want to keep that reader interested. As writers, it’s easy to get excited about the fantasy or sci-fi world we’ve created. We are all eager to get into the meat of the story, but do the reader a favor and pay close attention to that first page.

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