When you read a fantasy or sci-fi novel, you might have wondered what lends itself to the authenticity of the story. Is it the intricately detailed setting that is not merely a backdrop to the characters’ action, but is itself a central character? Could it be the ensemble of characters with unique backstories that add weight to the plot?
As an aspiring writer of sci-fi and speculative fiction, one of the most valuable skills you can sharpen is your ability to craft worlds that are believable, authentic and weighty. Far from being a simple landscape, your world needs to envelope character and reader alike, to help and hinder their journey to the triumphant - or bitter - end.
In this interactive workshop for beginners, Dr Sally Gales will teach you the fundamentals of fictional world-building, beginning with practical exercises and leading you through the differences between place and space, what constitutes a ‘world’, and how to make a viable world without committing every last detail to the page.
By the end of the workshop, you will have crafted the initial development of your fictional world, and will leave with a new set of tools to continue building and finetuning it.
Course content
The difference between place and space
The foundations of world-building: examining the everyday
The elements of successful world-building
The creative process - outside of writing
World-building writing exercises
Q&A
This course is for…
Writers with a desire to develop their skills in world-building and writing for sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction
Writers who are looking for support and guidance in creating viable worlds for their fiction
Beginners who want to explore a new creative outlet
Tutor profile
Dr Sally Gale obtained her Doctorate of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Glasgow. Originally from South Florida, she currently lives and teaches in Scotland. Before pursuing her doctorate, she worked as an architect, and she utilises her knowledge of built space to inform the worlds she creates in her speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in the anthology Scotland After the Virus, and is forthcoming in New Writing Scotland 39.
You will be sent a link to the webinar 2hrs before the start time of 6pm (BST).
Details
Date: Wednesday 18 August 2021
Times: 6pm - 8:30pm
Price: £49 (plus booking fee)
6pm BST | 7pm CEST | 10am PDT | 1pm EDT
This masterclass is available globally. If you are joining us from outside the United Kingdom, please use this time zone converter to check your local live streaming time.
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Once a purchase is complete we will not be able to refund you where you do not attend or if you cancel your event booking. Please see our terms and conditions for more information on our refund policy.
