Speculative Fiction Writers Association
An Online Critique Group with Members from Coast to Coast
What is an author’s voice, and how can we cultivate it? An author’s voice is the unique way we share and express our story, using an imaginative framework of words to develop characters, settings, ideas, and emotions. A cultivated writer’s voice immerses readers in the story, making them feel like …
In one of my recurring nightmares years ago, I walked through the barracks at Air Force basic training while nondescript men leered at me. I ran but found no way out. I froze in terror and rage as they assaulted me. The Science According to researchers, approximately 2-8% of adults …
This much-awaited sequel to Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing entitled Iron Flame was released November 7, 2023. Early special editions include “sprayed” black page edges. The book’s blurblet cover tagline reads: “Burn. It. Down.” Fourth Wing won most major awards, so this book was highly anticipated. Trilogy Theme The trilogy focuses …
Using a trademarked product in your fiction can set a scene or tell the reader about a character. Sure, you can have someone drink a soda, but so much more is conveyed to the reader if that soda is described as a Coke, a Pelligrino blood orange, or a Kroger …
Sensitivity Readers: What They Do and Why You Need Them Learn From My Mistakes It all began with my fascination with the Navajo Code Talkers. Their ability to rapidly send messages in a code they invented, using their native language, provided a huge advantage to U.S.Forces fighting in the Pacific …
Expression of emotions in speculative fiction writing is crucial to engage readers and create a vivid, immersive experience. As a novel writer who struggles with adding emotion to my characters, I did Internet searches on the topic to help me. Lots of writers and educators have suggestions. I asked chatGPT …
My writing home is Speculative Fiction Writers Association. The members are incredibly accepting of imaginative writers. If I ask about recent changes to Einstein’s theories or where forest elves live… they can help. When it comes to the craft of writing, the group gives lots of advice, and they have …
Award Winning Novel Written by Martha Wells, this series has won the Nebula and Hugo. All Systems Red is the first novella of the series. Emotional Portrait of One Robot In sharp contrast to the classic I, Robot novel by Asimov—an intellectual exercise tied together by loosely related short stories—All …
Red Rising, by Pierce Brown, takes place in a dystopian version of our galaxy, where a dying Earth sent pioneers to terraform the other planets in the solar system and altered their genetics to ensure their success, using hair and eye color to differentiate between the different levels of hierarchy. …
Character Symptoms: emotionless, bland, and uninteresting Imagine a critique partner reads your first chapter and says: DIAGNOSIS: Your character is not relatable It’s time for a transplant of personality, humanity, emotion, and agency. Character’s Emotional Reaction to the Plot Characters should show emotion in how they react to situations confronting …