Can't help telling stories
Yesterday I mentioned that some awards aren’t worth winning, but these are. The Nebulas are among the top honors for science fiction and fantasy. The winners were announced last weekend in Chicago.
Nebula Award Winners Announced – SFWA.
https://www.sfwa.org/2015/06/nebula-award-winners-announced-2/
Without doubt, at least in my mind, Ray Bradbury is one of the best writers ever. Something Wicked This Way Comes, Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles and more — all amazed me as a young reader. In this snippet from an old interview, I learned something about his life and his writing.
Ray Bradbury on Storytelling, Friendship, and Why He Never Learned to Drive: A Lost Vintage Interview, Found and Animated | Brain Pickings.
http://www.brainpickings.org/2015/05/07/ray-bradbury-blank-on-blank-interview/
If you asked me, I’d have to admit to wanting my scifi free of fantasy elements. Can’t help it. While I don’t mind dragons in movies, I’m not so willing to read about them. I want my “Ship who Sang.” You can have those “dragons of Perth.” This post explains the differences, the fusions, and their futures well.
Who Got Fantasy in My Science Fiction? – Charlie’s Diary.
http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/04/who-got-fantasy-in-my-science-.html
I wish I had more time to read. I know I’m a writer because I loved the worlds I found in books. Books that are award-quality generate ideas and demonstrate craft. So these nominees for the Arthur C. Clarke Award are on my “sci-fi to read” list.
2015 Shortlist Announced | Arthur C. Clarke Award
http://www.clarkeaward.com/previous-awards/shortlists/2015-shortlist-announced/
I’ve said it before. I love science fiction. And, much as I love scifi novels, I think I love short stories more. I used to buy every short story collection as soon as it came out in paperback. If you don’t think you like or could learn anything from scifi, this collection might convince you otherwise.
18 Perfect Short Stories That Pack More Of A Punch Than Most Novels
http://io9.com/18-perfect-short-stories-that-pack-more-of-a-punch-than-1692442650
Adding both authors and genres we don’t ordinarily read is a great way to learn as writers. I found Sunili Govinnage’s article from The Guardian intriguing.
I read only non-white authors for 12 months. What I learned surprised me | Sunili Govinnage | Comment is free | The Guardian
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/feb/20/i-only-read-non-white-authors-for-12-months-what-i-learned-surprised-me
For another list of black authors, check out http://chroniclesofharriet.com/2012/11/01/great-black-authors-of-science-fiction-fantasy/.
There are lots of places to study the craft of literary fiction, but fewer for science fiction and fantasy. I just heard about this online workshop — The Brainery — and thought it was worth passing on.
The Strangely Competitive World of Sci-Fi Writing Workshops | WIRED
http://www.wired.com/2015/01/geeks-guide-sci-fi-workshop/
