Sunday, May 15, 2011

Science Fiction Tropes

What would science fiction be without the "science" of an entire genre?  Here's a brief introduction to the fantastic tropes of science fiction, some of which are more scientific than others.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Monsters by Gareth Edwards: Character Driven Science Fiction Movie

Is it low-budget? Yes. Are the actors annoying? Yes. But is it a good movie? Oh yes, really good.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Creativity Exercises to Keep the Inspiration Going

Inspiration is never as abundant as we'd like.  Here are some exercises to help you find inspiration when you don't exactly feel like writing.



Day 8 - We Can All Be Writers

As writers, you've each progressed in setting up real conflict for your characters and building the tension in your stories.  For our wrap-up day, we'll focus on the longer-short-story workshop and some techniques to keep the writing going long after you finish the course.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Day 7 - Character, Narrative, and Plotting

The interplay of character and conflict is crucial for the development of tension and plot.  Today we talk about the different types of protagonists and how they determine the direction of the plot.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Day 6 - Writing the Coherent Narrative

Plots - be they linear or nonlinear - must still be coherent.  Regardless of how strange or outlandish our stories may become, we still want our readers to understand what's going on and why.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Day 5 - Short Story Workshop

Effective stories come out through the interplay of conflict, character, and details.  Here are some areas to look for in the stories you'll workshop today.

Day 5: Short Story Workshop