A Look at Genre: Fantasy and Science Fiction

It’s not real life. Its science fiction and fantasy, and it's easy to get lost in a galaxy far far away. Spaceships and dragons can carry a person's imagination to unknown worlds. Festivals with ancient forest elves and giant worms likely to devour you on some distant planet. Oh yeah, this is sci-fi and fantasy. The worlds are bizarre places, created by whimsical minds, where anything is possible.

It’s hard though, with so many different versions of each creature in both science fiction and fantasy, and so many different clichés to avoid or make use of. Everyone wants their story to stand out, and there’s a terrifying possibility of overloading your story with unnecessary lore.

No reader wants to get dragged down by in-depth descriptions of a space pirate that they never meet.

It’s fine though, lore in a story is wonderful in moderation. Little bits of information that might, or might not, become relevant to your plot later are all well and good.

I don’t want to scare anyone away from starting an epic fantasy novel or journey through space, so there are a few things I want to leave you with:

1. Read like crazy.

Read other peoples’ work. There are so many ideas that you can get from other authors. I’m not saying steal the worlds or the characters; I’m saying use it as research and take inspiration.

2. Question things.

I’m not saying question authority, but especially in science-fiction, you have to have some crazy ideas. One of my favourite conversations I’ve had with a fellow science-fiction lover was while we were watching one of the new Star Wars movies. We started questioning if they had bees on whatever planet they were on. The next question was “if they don’t, what pollinates the flowers?” We never came up with a solid answer, but it was an inspiring conversation, that taught me the delicacies of world-building. You don’t have to have an answer to these questions, but sometimes it’s fun to think of the little things.

3. Have fun.

Let’s be honest, if you aren’t having fun wondering whether or not your gremlins are cannibals, you might not be writing in the right genre. Give magic realism or cyberpunk a shot. Or just keep it classic with elves and dwarves. You can’t go wrong with a little rivalry like Legolas and Gimli from the Lord of the Rings.

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As a kid, Alyssa liked to dream of dragons taking over the world. Now that she’s grown up, she just writes about them. As well as writing fantasy and science fiction, she’s a dedicated musician who also loves journals and colourful pens.

Am I Organized?

There’s an important question not too many writers ask themselves: “Am I organized?” Some of them are, with notes sorted by characters, plot, research, setting, etc. Some, however, aren’t. There are pens and pencils strewn across their desk, half-empty mugs of coffee everywhere, loose pages and snack wrappers in the drawers of their desks.

Sometimes it’s flipped. A writer can seem organized on the outside, but on their computer there are folders inside folders, all titled “untitled” with few variations. I find a mess on my desk (or in my computer) reflects into my writing, turning it all into incoherent jumbles. If this sounds anything like you, read on, dear writer. Maybe your writer's block can be broken by a clean workspace.

If you’re reading this. . . you aren’t writing. So, I’ll start with some motivation. Gather up your mugs, clean them, and make yourself a fresh pot of coffee (tea or hot chocolate work too). Feeling better already? Now take those pens and put them in something; a cheap holder, a jar, one of those clean mugs, just get them out of your way. Beautiful. Those snack wrappers need to go, that one seems easy enough, you know what to do. Finally, those loose papers will take some time. If they’re important, file them this instant. There’s no point in losing important documents. If the paper is blank, put them to good use. Make some origami, or write more notes. Just be careful they don’t pile up again!

Now that you have a clean writing space, does your mind feel clear? Mine would. Let’s get down to the tough part. Go into your writing folders. Are they a mess? Do your folders and documents look like you’ve simply slapped your keyboard and hoped for the best? Then you’ve got some work to do. This part is harder to coach from the internet. It depends on your preference, organization style, and how in-depth you want everything. I like going by projects. One big folder for the project and all the drafts, and a few small folders inside for planning documents such as character sheets and setting descriptions.

I promise: once you have these places organized it’ll be like a big breath of fresh air. No more searching for a clean mug or for the description of your character’s house that you just can’t remember where you put.

Now, all you must do is write! Best of luck!

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As a kid, Alyssa liked to dream of dragons taking over the world. Now that she’s grown up, she just writes about them. As well as writing fantasy and sci-fi, she’s a dedicated musician who also loves journals and colourful pens.