85 of 85 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
NOT Just for SF/F Writers..., March 6, 2003
Only the first two of Card's five chapters deal exclusively with SF&F. The other three apply to all genres. Card spends the first chapter defining just what is SF, what is F and how to tell the difference. SF&F have many sub-genres (space opera, hard SF, cyperpunk, sword & sorcery, etc.) and Card shows the reader that they all have several elements in common. The second chapter focuses on creating believable worlds that readers will want to explore. SF&F is not an "anything goes" genre; you must have rules and follow them, especially with regard to time, space, and magic. You also have to work out problems in your world's history, language, geography, and of course science.
Chapter 3, Story Construction, has already opened up new worlds for me (no pun intended). Almost every story, no matter what your genre, falls into one of four categories: milieu (the time or place of the story is the most important element), idea, character, and event. Knowing which your story is will help you write it better. Very helpful examples are given.
Chapter 4, Writing Well, shows how to unfold your story. True, this chapter is geared to the specifics of SF&F, but contains extremely valuable information. How much information should you share with the reader early on? How much is too much? Have you dropped enough clues or interesting pieces of information early on to keep the pages turning? This chapter answers those questions and more.
Chapter 5, The Life and Business of Writing, is probably the most honest look at the writer's life that I've ever read. Not only does Card offer advice on how to get your stories published, he also covers the pros and cons of conventions, classes, workshops, conferences, contests, handling your finances, and a subject that doesn't get addressed enough: balancing your writing life with your home life.
How to Write SF&F is a book written by an author that cares about the genre and cares about writers. He doesn't pull any punches, but you come away with the sense that Card wants (and expects) you to succeed as a writer. I was extremely impressed with the way he uses examples from other writers' work and not his own. I've read so many books and articles in which the author cites, "In my book 'Pluto Goes to Town with Gorfzork,' I deal with the problem of faster-than-light travel in a new and fascinating way." Not Card. He praises others instead of himself.
Again, this is a book for ALL writers. The book has already made me re-examine several of my own stories. Now I can look at them and say, "I knew something was wrong with it...NOW I know what it is."
137 pages
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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Useful Guide for Beginners & Intermediate Writers, March 13, 2003
If you're looking for the ultimate tome and guide that will take you from simply reading science fiction and fantasy to a best-selling writer of it, then this book is not for you. However, NO book fills that role, nor can it, as writing is something best learned by doing, not following a formula in a book.
Card, like most writers, is well aware of that fact and does not take the pretention that his book is a how-to that will have you churning out sci-fi and fantasy like a pro. However, for those enthusiasts who aren't sure where to begin or what mistakes to avoid, Card's guide is a good, if ill-titled, one; it describes the different types of stories (idea, character, event, etc.), plus offers tips on building a world with consistent and believable rules, what constitutes sci-fi/fantasy, etc.
More advanced writers or even rather astute readers may find some of the book's guidance obvious or a matter of common sense, and the book is not the only one an aspiring writer might wish to own (Writer's Market, various plotting, characterization, marketing, etc. books also being invaluable), but it is a good starting point for the average sci-fi enthusiast.
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39 of 42 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful reading, December 8, 1999
I am not biased for or against Orson Card. I simply own the book, and I have the right to say that there is nothing wrong with it. I've noticed people complaining that the author doesn't keep up with science, is biased against Star Trek, gives nonsemsial info in order to confuse you, etc.
This is not true. Moreover, that is not what the book is for. The author encourages you, gives you examples, and makes you comfortable with writing fiction. Card doesn't give you specific advice ( insert character A here). He gives you examples of tone. He doesn't give you a compendium of data on the medieval world. He shows you what it feels like to write about it. He points you in the right direction, gives personal pointers, uses fine humor. You supply your own storylines. Enjoy this book.
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