Writing Speculative Fiction: Creative and Critical Approaches

by Eugen Bacon

Overview

In this engaging and accessible guide, Eugen Bacon explores writing speculative fiction as a creative practice, drawing from her own work, and the work of other writers and theorists, to interrogate its various subgenres. Through analysis of writers such as Stephen King, J.R.R. Tolkien and J. K. Rowling, this book scrutinises the characteristics of speculative fiction, considers the potential of writing cross genre and covers the challenges of targeting young adults. It connects critical and cultural theories to the practice of creative writing, examining how they might apply to the process of writing speculative fiction. Both practical and critical in its evaluative gaze, it also looks at e-publishing as a promising publishing medium for speculative fiction.

This is essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students of creative writing, looking to develop a critical awareness of, and practical skills for, the writing of speculative fiction. It is also a valuable resource for creators, commentators and consumers of contemporary speculative fiction. Chapter 8, 'Horror and the Paranormal' was shortlisted for the Australasian Horror Writers Association (AHWA)'s 2019 Australian Shadows Awards.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781350309296
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	04/24/2019
Series:	Approaches to Writing
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	196
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Eugen Bacon, MA, MSc, PhD, is a computer scientist mentally re-engineered into creative writing. Her stories have won, been shortlisted and commended in international awards, including the Bridport Prize, Copyright Agency Prize, Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Award, Nommo Award for Africans and Fellowship of Australian Writers National Literary Awards. Her creative work has appeared in literary and speculative fiction publications worldwide, including Award Winning Australian Writing, British Science Fiction Association's Vector Magazine, AntipodeanSF, Andromeda, Aurealis, Bards and Sages Quarterly, Meniscus, TEXT, The Victorian Writer, Unsung Stories, the Canberra Speculative Fiction Guild and through Routledge in New Writing. Publications: Claiming T-Mo (Meerkat Press). Writing Speculative Fiction (Red Globe Press). In 2020: Her Bitch Dress (Ginninderra Press); The Road to Woop Woop&Other Stories (Meerkat Press) Hadithi (Luna Press Publishing); Inside the Dreaming (NewCon Press).
Eugen Bacon, MA, MSc, PhD, is an African Australian author of several novels and collections. She's a British Fantasy Award winner, a Foreword Indies Award winner, a twice World Fantasy Award finalist, and a finalist in other awards. Eugen was announced in the honor list of the Otherwise Fellowships for 'doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction'. Danged Black Thing made the Otherwise Award Honor List as a 'sharp collection of Afro-Surrealist work' and was a 2024 Philip K Dick Award nominee. Eugen's creative work has appeared worldwide, including in Apex Magazine, Award Winning Australian Writing, Fantasy, Fantasy&Science Fiction, and Year's Best African Speculative Fiction. Visit her at eugenbacon.com.

Table of Contents

The non-introduction
There's a story in you
Vogler's hero/ine's journey
The speculative: a problem with definitions
Genres and subgenres of speculative fiction
Fantasy
Science Fiction
Horror and the paranormal
Cross genre
Literary speculative fiction
Short story
Targeting young adults and new adults
Critical and cultural theories
e-Publishing.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

As a book it is quite comfortable setting the writing of speculative fiction within the broader approaches to writing and linking those back to the giants of speculative writing over the last half-century or more. It is a concise and well-structured book that gently leads readers through the basics, while at every stage addressing its topic with appropriate examples, and exercises. – Shane Strange, University of Canberra, Australia

This is an exciting book from a writer who knows how to enliven her prose with ideas, analysis, anecdotes and stunning quotations from her deep and wide reading. The compelling beauty of this book is the way it moves between ideas and stories, between analysis and narrative. – Kevin Brophy, University of Melbourne, Australia

The insights are often provocative and always useful. It sensibly focuses on how a writer can approach the idea of speculative fiction, and then brings in a critical perspective. – George Green, Lancaster University, UK

Indispensable, rich and enabling: no writer of speculative fiction should be without this book. Obligatory reading for students of creative writing. Working from examples and providing easy-to-use analytical tools, Writing Speculative Fiction provides essential reading for anyone involved in the creation or consumption of speculative fiction in its many guises… This is a generous offering, relaying well-researched advice leavened with encouragement and a gentle, wry humour. – Dr Clare E Rhoden, author of The Pale and Broad Plain Darkening

As boundaries between genres increasingly break down, editors and educators need to put aside genre cringe and assumptions of genre limitations. Writing Speculative Fiction comes as a timely and valuable addition to the bookshelves of students, writers and educators alike. Writing Speculative Fiction is a valuable addition to writers at any stage of development. Bacon delivers practical information, stimulating exercises and thought-provoking analyses with enthusiasm and authority. – Melissa Ferguson, scientist and author of The Shining Wall

Eugen Bacon’s book offers a paradox that is extraordinarily liberating. On the one hand it provides carefully researched, nuanced distinctions between fantasy, science fiction, horror and paranormal genres and their sub-genres to include fairy tales, dark fantasy, myths and legends, and magical realism, for example. On the other it embraces speculative fiction as an umbrella for bending traditional genre fiction, crossing into hybrids, or cross-genre forms rich with playful text that is also literary. – Louisa John-Krol, Australian Fairy Review

Writing Speculative Fiction is Eugen Bacon’s new and exciting non-fiction stroke of genius. The book explores creative and critical approaches to writing speculative fiction. But, regardless of your preferred genre, if you’re an aspiring writer of any style this impressive guide is for you! – Angela Wauchope, Other Terrain Journal, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.

Eugen Bacon weaves together extracts from a variety of creative texts, commentary about storytelling, and anecdotes from her experiences as a teacher of creative writing to build a palatable, engaging, and endlessly useful guidebook. – Rebecca Langham, Celestial Book Reviews

Writing Speculative Fiction is permeated by an upbeat and playful tone that is entertaining and motivating. It is an informative and enjoyable read that will serve as a valuable resource for creative writing students and their teachers, and indeed anyone interested in the mechanics of writing and publishing dynamic and engaging speculative fiction. The book is packed with helpful advice for writers of any genre – covering diverse topics such as form, characterisation, voice, plotting, poetic expression, research, establishing a writing practice with discipline, and discerning reputable online publishing markets. – Dr Bronwyn Lovell, TEXT Journal

Writing Speculative Fiction is a resource worth revisiting again and again. It is a book designed for notetaking, highlighting, and dog-earing pages - the perfect companion for any writer of speculative fiction – Glam Adelaide

Editorial Reviews

"Writing Speculative Fiction is permeated by an upbeat and playful tone that is entertaining and motivating. It is an informative and enjoyable read that will serve as a valuable resource for creative writing students and their teachers, and indeed anyone interested in the mechanics of writing and publishing dynamic and engaging speculative fiction. The book is packed with helpful advice for writers of any genre - covering diverse topics such as form, characterisation, voice, plotting, poetic expression, research, establishing a writing practice with discipline, and discerning reputable online publishing markets." --Dr Bronwyn Lovell, TEXT Journal

"As a book it is quite comfortable setting the writing of speculative fiction within the broader approaches to writing and linking those back to the giants of speculative writing over the last half-century or more. It is a concise and well-structured book that gently leads readers through the basics, while at every stage addressing its topic with appropriate examples, and exercises." --Shane Strange, University of Canberra, Australia

"This is an exciting book from a writer who knows how to enliven her prose with ideas, analysis, anecdotes and stunning quotations from her deep and wide reading. The compelling beauty of this book is the way it moves between ideas and stories, between analysis and narrative." --Kevin Brophy, University of Melbourne, Australia

"The insights are often provocative and always useful. It sensibly focuses on how a writer can approach the idea of speculative fiction, and then brings in a critical perspective." --George Green, Lancaster University, UK

"Indispensable, rich and enabling: no writer of speculative fiction should be without this book. Obligatory reading for students of creative writing. Working from examples and providing easy-to-use analytical tools, Writing Speculative Fiction provides essential reading for anyone involved in the creation or consumption of speculative fiction in its many guises ... This is a generous offering, relaying well-researched advice leavened with encouragement and a gentle, wry humour." --Dr Clare E Rhoden, author of The Pale and Broad Plain Darkening

"As boundaries between genres increasingly break down, editors and educators need to put aside genre cringe and assumptions of genre limitations. Writing Speculative Fiction comes as a timely and valuable addition to the bookshelves of students, writers and educators alike. Writing Speculative Fiction is a valuable addition to writers at any stage of development. Bacon delivers practical information, stimulating exercises and thought-provoking analyses with enthusiasm and authority." --Melissa Ferguson, scientist and author of The Shining Wall

"Eugen Bacon's book offers a paradox that is extraordinarily liberating. On the one hand it provides carefully researched, nuanced distinctions between fantasy, science fiction, horror and paranormal genres and their sub-genres to include fairy tales, dark fantasy, myths and legends, and magical realism, for example. On the other it embraces speculative fiction as an umbrella for bending traditional genre fiction, crossing into hybrids, or cross-genre forms rich with playful text that is also literary." --Louisa John-Krol, Australian Fairy Review

"Writing Speculative Fiction is Eugen Bacon's new and exciting non-fiction stroke of genius. The book explores creative and critical approaches to writing speculative fiction. But, regardless of your preferred genre, if you're an aspiring writer of any style this impressive guide is for you!" --Angela Wauchope, Other Terrain Journal, Swinburne University of Technology, Australia

"Eugen Bacon weaves together extracts from a variety of creative texts, commentary about storytelling, and anecdotes from her experiences as a teacher of creative writing to build a palatable, engaging, and endlessly useful guidebook." --Rebecca Langham, Celestial Book Reviews

"Writing Speculative Fiction is a resource worth revisiting again and again. It is a book designed for notetaking, highlighting, and dog-earing pages - the perfect companion for any writer of speculative fiction" --Glam Adelaide

From the Publisher