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worldbuilding
Secrets Of Great Characters, According To 6 Science Fiction Authors
Amazing stories need great characters. And when you're writing a story set in a futuristic or fantastical world, it's more important than ever for readers to be able to relate to your characters. It's also harder than ever, because your characters' lives and experiences will be totally different than your readers'. How do you make people identify with someone who lives in the future, or on another planet? How can your main character stand out, against a bizarre and colorful backdrop? We asked six great science fiction authors for their advice. More » -
sharedworlds
SharedWorlds Creative Writing Program Gets a Sequel
If you're a teenager and you spend a lot of time thinking about worldbuilding, then the SharedWorlds creative writing program at Wofford College is basically your homeland. The week-long program, co-organized by io9 contributor Jeff VanderMeer, took place in late July. Teens got to build their own worlds and then write about them, with input and help from VanderMeer, as well as other amazing authors like Ekaterina Sedia and Tobias Buckell. In fact, the program was such a success that program director Jeremy Jones ordered up a sequel. So you can go to SharedWorlds in 2009. Not convinced? Here's what Jones and VanderMeer had to say about this year's program. More » -
worldbuilding
The Rules of Quick and Dirty Worldbuilding
Worldbuilding is the art of creating an alternate universe where the rules of present-day Earth life don't apply, and you have been appreciating that art for as long as you've been reading or watching science fiction. Some worldbuilding is epic in scale, and requires thousands of people: the Star Wars universe is like that, if you think of all the people who have helped create the movies, books, art, TV and games from that world. But other worldbuilders work alone. Ursula Le Guin wrote several novels set in her "shared worlds" universe without any help and without spawning any spinoff tales by other people. But worldbuilding doesn't have to be something that just the pros do. You can get in on the cool create-your-own universe action any time you want, and fast. Just follow our five simple rules for whipping up a universe in your spare time.
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9:59 AM on Wed Aug 20 2008
By Annalee Newitz
7,514 views, 45 commentsLatest by the_wiggle: @Grey_Area: looks quite interesting & a nice change from the usual alt world break points what've been done to death. please more »
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