According to Wikipedia, “Speculative fiction is a broad category of fiction with elements that do not exist in reality, recorded history, nature, or the present universe.” This brings me the heart of my article: How can authors get their readers to believe in a chimerical world that does not (and likely cannot) exist in reality?…
Tag: world building
Just-In-Time World Building
You’re sick of hearing “Show, don’t tell.” Got it. But then you’re told to use vivid descriptions and detail-rich settings to enrich your story. So how do you describe the world your character inhabits without “telling” about it? This is a constant balancing act, whether you’re writing space operas, historical fiction, a beach-themed romance, or…
WORLD-BUILDING WARREN’S WAY
By Warren Hammond Why do you read fiction? You might say compelling characters. Or high-stakes drama. Maybe you love the plot twists you didn’t see coming. Those are all valid responses, but when taken alone, isn’t each of them inadequate? Don’t you read fiction for all those reasons, plus probably dozens of others that I…
It’s All Relative
By Ross Willard I’m cold. I know, I know, it’s winter and we’re all cold, but, if you can hang on for a moment and trust me, my being cold is actually kind of relevant. You see, I’m visiting my parents in a small town in Texas where we have a farm. Right now, it’s…