How to write science fiction

Take your writing to new frontiers – let Liesel Schwarz be your guide to creating scintillating sci-fi and fantastic fantasy

Science fiction and fantasy – or speculative fiction – is the literary success story of the twenty-first century. The genre has never been so popular with readers or writers, and the worlds of film and television are dominated by adaptations of SF masterworks, from the epic fantasy Game Of Thrones through to the dystopian drama of The Hunger Games.

On this one-day course, award-winning steampunk novelist Liesel Schwarz will teach you the vital components of writing great speculative fiction, from building credible worlds and engaging characters to devising compelling plots. The course also includes a guest session from Michael Rowley, the editorial director for Del Rey UK. Practical workshops will enable you to finesse your own writing, so you leave with a plan for how to make a book work on every level for some of fiction's most demanding readers.

This course is for you if…

• You're a keen science fiction author and want to improve both your writing skills and your chances of getting published
• You have experience as a writer, but have yet to have any of your work published
• You're an experienced writer who's new to the science fiction genre and wants to better understand how the genre works

Course description

This course is ideal for any budding science fiction or fantasy writers hoping to take the next step toward seeing their work in print. It covers the essentials of producing a polished manuscript and pitching it to agents and publishers, with insight from both literary and industry points of view. Topics covered on the day include:

• World building – setting the stage
• How to create memorable characters
• The pitfalls of plotting
• Practicalities – how editing can transform your writing
• Pitching your work to publishers

Tutor profile

Liesel Schwarz is the award-winning author of A Conspiracy of Alchemists, the first book in her Chronicles of Light and Shadow Steampunk series. A life-long fan of 19th Century Gothic literature, she is a hopeless romantic and loves Victorians, steampunk, fairies, fantasy monsters, the Fin de Siècle and the correct way to drink absinthe. A member of both the British Science Fiction Association and the British Fantasy Society, she is currently completing her PhD in science fiction and fantasy writing at Brunel University. Visit her website here.

Guest speaker profile

Michael Rowley is the editorial director for Del Rey UK, a sci-fi and fantasy imprint from the Penguin Random House group, publishing the newest and most exciting voices in speculative fiction.

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website