Table of Contents
Introduction
Welcome xi
Unique Features xiv
Organization and Approach xv
Your Guides xvi
Wonderbooknow.com xviii
The journey xix
Instructional Art
The History of Science Fiction xii
Novel Mountain: A Typology of Discovery xix
Chapter 1 Inspiration and the Creative Life
Introduction 1
The Importance of Imaginative Play 3
The Fantastical and the Imagination 9
Imaginative Outputs 13
The Scar or the Splinter 16
Inputs for Inspiration 17
The Strangeness of the Imagination 29
Instructional Art
Inspiration: Outputs 14
Inspiration: Inputs 21
Essays: "The Muse" by Rikki Ducornet (p. 4), "What Is/What If: The Beauty of Mystery" by Karen Lord (p. 27), "Writer's Block" by Matthew Cheney (p. 34)
Spotlight on: Scott Eagle (p. 23)
Writing Challenge: Using an Absurd Prompt (p. 25)
Chapter 2 The Ecosystem of Story
Introduction 41
Narrative Life Forms 43
The Elements of Fiction 46
A Closer Look at Some of the Elements 47
Point of View 47
Dialogue 48
Description 53
Style 59
The Greater and Lesser Mysteries 64
The Complex Relationship Between Story Elements 66
The Roles of Types of Imagination 69
Instructional Art
Dialogue in Action 52
Approaches to Style 62
Lifecycle of a Story 70
Essays: "Point of View: Subjective Versus Objective and Roving" by Nick Mamatas (p. 49), "Thoughts on Exposition" by Kim Stanley Robinson (p. 56), "A Message About Messages" by Ursula K. Le Guin (p. 67)
Writing Challenge: Texture, Tone, and Style (p. 61)
Chapter 3 Beginnings and Endings
Introduction 73
The Lure of the Hook 79
Elements of a Good Beginning 82
When Not to Commit 87
Bad Beginnings? 90
Novel Approaches: Finch 91
Other Approaches to Finch 96
Style, Tone, and Voice 108
Finch as Shore Story 109
The End of Beginnings 114
The Beginning of Endings 119
Expectations and Elements 122
Falling Down at the End 126
The End of Finch 131
The End of Endings 132
Instructional Art
The Widening Context 74
Myster Odd Presents: Beginnings 76
Story Fish 80
Myster Odd Presents: First Lines 84
Doors to Narrative 102
Letting Light into the Eye 104
Finch Opening: Analysis 110
Modulations of Tone and Style 112
The Middle Zones of Story 116
Arrows and Targets 120
Myster Odd Presents: Final Lines 124
Essays: "The Beginning of American Gods" by Neil Gaiman (p. 88), "The Challenges of Endings" by Desirina Boskovich (p. 127)
Writing Challenge: "Kraken!"-Where to Begin? (p. 78)
Chapter 4 Narrative Design
Introduction 133
Plot 137
Structure 145
Unlikely Synergy: Ben Metcalf's Against the Country and Amos Tutuola's The Palm-Wine Drinkard 151
Creating Scenes 154
Pacing: Beats and Progressions 155
The Beginnings and Endings of Scenes 157
Repetition and Invisibility 160
Cutting Scenes 162
Intercutting Scenes 166
Translating Movie and Television Technique into Fiction 167
What Not to Dramatize 169
The Uses of Interruption and Contamination 172
The Role of Time 173
Instructional Art
Natural and Dramatic Scenes: Story versus Situation 134
Plot Diagrams 139
Plot Lizards 141
Life Is Not a Plot 142
Plot Devices 144
The Structure of Iain M. Banks's Use of Weapons 148
Tire Structure of Angela Carter's Story "The Fall River Axe Murders" 149
The Structure of "The Leonardo" by Vladimir Nabokov 150
Myster Odd Presents: Structure 152
Beats Examined (Under the Microscope) 156
Fred the Penguin and Danger Duck: Progressions 159
The Hand of Possibilities, The Eye of Cause and Effect 161
Cutting Scenes: Airship Disaster 163
Intercutting Scenes: Conflict on the Island 164
Flay and Cook: Gormenghast and the Action Scene 170
The Science of Scenes 174
Spotlight on: Nnedi Okorafor (p. 146)
Writing Challenge: Beyond Standard Plots (p. 140)
Chapter 5 Characterization
Introduction 177
Types of Characterization 178
The King and His Hippo: Full versus Flat 183
Whom Should You Write About? 185
Getting to Know Your Character 189
Mistakes to Avoid 192
Creating Further Depth and Nuance 197
Character Arcs 204
Instructional Art
Protag/Antag 179
Mystery Odd Presents: The Character Club 186
Transfer of Energy and Emotion 199
The Secret Life of Objects 201
Types of Character Arcs 202
Mexican Wrestler Monomyth 205
The Zeros Relapse 208
Essays: "Writing The Other" by Lauren Beukes (p. 193), "The Zero's Relapse" by Michael Cisco (p. 207) Spotlight on: Stant Litore (p. 180)
Writing Challenges: Animals as People (p. 191). Secondary Characters (p. 196)
Chapter 6 Worldbuilding
Introduction 211
Worldview versus Storyview 216
Language and Wordbuilding 218
Characteristics of a Well-Realized Setting 220
Dangers and Opportunities 233
The Strangeness of the World 238
Instructional Art
All Our Fictional Worlds (types) 214
Myster Odd Presents: Worldview versus Storyview 218
Essays: "What Everyone Knows" by Catherynne M. Valente (p. 223). "The Role of Maps in Narrative: The Heroes" by Joe Abercrombie (p. 227), "On the Synthesis of Minor bur Noteworthy Universes" by Charles Yu (p. 236)
Spotlight on: David Anthony Durham (p. 221)
Writing Challenge: Investigation of a Floating City (p. 222)
Chapter 7 Revision
Introduction 245
What is Revision? 246
Drafting Strategies 248
Specific Questions for Writers of the Fantastical 250
Systematic Testing 256
Step 1: Reverse Outlining 257
Step 2: Interrogating Your Characters 260
Step 3: Paragraph-Level Edits 261
Your Process: To Keep in Mind 264
Choosing First Readers 268
Reconciling Feedback 274
Don't Kill the Spark 277
Instructional Art
Chart of Revision 252
Peter Straub Manuscript Pages 258
Grandville Character Circle 262
Bestiary of First Readers-To Avoid 270
Story Fish That May Require Revision 272
A Tale of Resurrection 278
Essays: "Thoughts on Revision" by Lev Grossman (p. 265), "Finding My Way" by Karen Joy Fowler (p. 275)
Spotlight on: Peter Straub (p. 258)
Writing Challenge: Transformation by Increments (p. 260)
Workshop Appendix
Letter from the Author 282
LARP and Writing by Karin Tidbeck 283
George R. R. Martin on the Craft of Writing 287
Shared Worlds: Tie Benefits of Collaborative Storytelling 296
Let's Find the "Duck": Conceptual Art and You by Rosie Weinberg 304
Theo Ellsworth on Comics and the Organic Impulse 308
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah: Intercutting Scenes for Maximum Effect 312
Gormenghast: Flay Vs. Cook, "Blood at Midnight" Action Scene 318
Normal: First Scenes 322
Annihilating Annihilation Book-To-Film 326
The White Deer Terroir Project 332
Unconventional Ways of Approaching Narrative 339
Additional Writing Exercises
Cannibalism & Constraint: Finding the Story Right in Front of You 346
Stealing the Skeleton: Goldilocks and the Three Nubs 348
Cause and Effect: Tbe Case of the Wheelbarrow Deer, the Severed Finger, and Your Mcssed-Up friends 349
Found History: Everything's Personal 350
Tactile Experience: GO! 352
Can You Taste the Light Your Third Eye Brings You? Exploring Beyond the Five Senses 353
Fantastical Monsters & You: What is Monsrrour and How Do You Write It? 354
The Forgotten Works of Cassandra N. Railsea 356
"The Leonardo" Variations: Living Without Fantasy 358
Stages of (Fantasy) Writer Development 360
Creator Biographies & Acknowledgments 362
Credits 364