THE ICE PICK

Worlds of Wonder: How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy, by David Gerrold. Cincinnati, Writer’s Digest Books, 2001. 246 p. $14.99. Includes index and recommended books and software. ISBN: 1-58297-007-6.

In this book, Gerrold, the author of Star Trek’s most popular episode, "The Trouble with Tribbles," takes you through the process of writing your own science fiction or fantasy stories and--with a light touch and gentle humor--gives you valuable tips and hints from his own experience.

He begins with the three basic questions all storytellers must answer. "What’s happening?" which gives you your plot. "Who is it happening to?" or who are your characters? "And why should we care?" which is the most important question of all.

He discusses dialogue and structure, theme and style, viewpoint and tense, love scenes and sex scenes, and first lines, last lines, and punch lines.

As to setting and world-building, Gerrold says, "Both science fiction and fantasy . . . require strict adherence to the rules and structures of believability. . . . The reader will suspend disbelief--he won’t suspend common sense." And Gerrold devotes several chapters to explaining how to build a believable science fiction or fantasy world, along with how to show your setting rather than merely telling about it.

In showing your setting, Gerrold explains the importance of writing the story from within your characters and their world.

He tells how to create a hero, develop him, her, or it, and make the reader care. I was especially impressed with the questions he lists in the chapter on creating your main characters. He also discusses the necessary transformation of character that must take place in what he calls a "flipover" scene.

Why he hid this neat term in a footnote in his chapter on structure, I don’t know. Sometimes I questioned the organization of the book, or lack of it, and I disagreed with some of his philosophy on why people have problems, crises, and challenges in life, but that does not affect the validity of what he says about plot, character, etc. All I can say is that you will never agree a hundred percent with any author, and in arguing with him or with any other writer, you may discover other truths or deeper understandings for yourself.

"A story," says Gerrold, "is about the experience of problem solving and the lessons learned." The writer must evoke the experience by sharing what it feels like with the reader, and throughout this book, Gerrold gives you tips on how to choose the words to do that. He discusses the building blocks of sentences, paragraphs, similes, metaphors, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, passive and active verbs, rhythm, clarity, word choice, and the manipulation of language.

Lastly, anytime, but especially when you feel blocked, or your writing seems dried out, read his chapters on why we write and on discipline. You may find the inspiration and help you need in them or in his "The First Million Words," "Ten Pieces of Good Advice" or in the first chapter of the book: "Start Here."

There are many books that tell you how to write, but very few that specifically deal with the problems and challenges of science fiction and fantasy. If you are seeking such a book, this one was written for you.

"Write from your heart and you will go into stardrive."

{Published in SF and Fantasy Workshop Newsletter, July 2003.}