Spec Fic for Newbies:
A Beginner's Guide to Writing Subgenres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror
by Tiffani Angus and Val Nolan
Ranked a #1 New Release on Amazon US!
Have you ever wondered just HOW to get started writing SF, Fantasy or Horror, or were curious about tackling certain subgenres or tropes? This book is for you! Chock-full of info on 30 different subgenres or major tropes, it contains:
Written by Tiffani Angus (that's me! PhD in Creative Writing) and Val Nolan (PhD in Contemporary Literature), who have combined their two decades of experience teaching writing--with a huge focus on SFF/H--along with their experiences as workshop attendees and published authors.
The Table of Contents includes:
Listed as one of Fantasy Hive's Most Anticipated SFF Books of 2023!
From a review on Runalong the Shelves: "The style is light, witty and enthusiastic and its pacy. This is a book you can explore your favourite genres in but also dip your toes into other areas as well. It’s also useful to remember playing with genre, subverting it and arguing it does need you to still be aware of the genre’s characteristics and failings so this book is helpful – especially if you’re a literary fiction author not aware that time travel or parallel worlds are not new (to say but two infamous examples I can think of!)"
From Alexander Glass's review in Interzone: "The authors draw out the richness of each subgenre, but most interesting are the connections made between different genres and subgenres – noting, for example, that the Borg – Star Trek again – are closely related to zombies. The links are so numerous, and so clearly set out, that it is clear the walls between subgenres – and even between genres – are low, and apt to crumble at a touch. If there are gates, Angus and Nolan have no interest in keeping them."
Author Pete Sutton in his Writing About Writing About Writing review says: "there's a sense of fun and exploration that you don't always get from dusty 'let's teach you how to write' books."
Co-author Val and I did a podcast with Dan at Coffee in Space! We nerd out about apocalyptic fiction and toilet paper, word count restrictions, the subjectivity of squicking people out, the permeability of subgenres, considering your audience and genre context, the fact that ancient humans weren't idiots, theme (which we cover in the book intro!), how our conscious and subconscious minds don't play together well, and having too many writing projects at once.
We did a videocast with Lauren McMenemy at Horrortree, where we talked about writing the book, how subgenres are porous (they're rivers, Val insists!), and how writing SFF/H is really writing about us now.
Read more about the book on our Big Idea post on John Scalzi's Whatever blog.
Spec Fic for Newbies is available in paperback and eBook in the UK and US. Click links below to get your copy! Find various places to order on this linktree or follow the links below:
Luna Press: paperback
Amazon UK: paperback / Kindle
Amazon US: Kindle
Waterstones in UK: paperback
Blackwells in UK: paperback
Barnes & Noble in US: paperback / eBook for Nook
- a quick history of each subgenre/trope
- a list of things to watch out for
- an explanation of why that subgenre/trope is fun to write
- other info such as spotter's guides and writing element spotlights
- and activities to get you started.
Written by Tiffani Angus (that's me! PhD in Creative Writing) and Val Nolan (PhD in Contemporary Literature), who have combined their two decades of experience teaching writing--with a huge focus on SFF/H--along with their experiences as workshop attendees and published authors.
The Table of Contents includes:
- Spaceships
- Apocalyptic Fiction
- Military SF
- Body Horror
- Paranormal Romance
- Sword & Sorcery
- Zombies
- Solarpunk
- Witches
- Gothic Horror
- and 20 more subgenres and major tropes!
Listed as one of Fantasy Hive's Most Anticipated SFF Books of 2023!
From a review on Runalong the Shelves: "The style is light, witty and enthusiastic and its pacy. This is a book you can explore your favourite genres in but also dip your toes into other areas as well. It’s also useful to remember playing with genre, subverting it and arguing it does need you to still be aware of the genre’s characteristics and failings so this book is helpful – especially if you’re a literary fiction author not aware that time travel or parallel worlds are not new (to say but two infamous examples I can think of!)"
From Alexander Glass's review in Interzone: "The authors draw out the richness of each subgenre, but most interesting are the connections made between different genres and subgenres – noting, for example, that the Borg – Star Trek again – are closely related to zombies. The links are so numerous, and so clearly set out, that it is clear the walls between subgenres – and even between genres – are low, and apt to crumble at a touch. If there are gates, Angus and Nolan have no interest in keeping them."
Author Pete Sutton in his Writing About Writing About Writing review says: "there's a sense of fun and exploration that you don't always get from dusty 'let's teach you how to write' books."
Co-author Val and I did a podcast with Dan at Coffee in Space! We nerd out about apocalyptic fiction and toilet paper, word count restrictions, the subjectivity of squicking people out, the permeability of subgenres, considering your audience and genre context, the fact that ancient humans weren't idiots, theme (which we cover in the book intro!), how our conscious and subconscious minds don't play together well, and having too many writing projects at once.
We did a videocast with Lauren McMenemy at Horrortree, where we talked about writing the book, how subgenres are porous (they're rivers, Val insists!), and how writing SFF/H is really writing about us now.
Read more about the book on our Big Idea post on John Scalzi's Whatever blog.
Spec Fic for Newbies is available in paperback and eBook in the UK and US. Click links below to get your copy! Find various places to order on this linktree or follow the links below:
Luna Press: paperback
Amazon UK: paperback / Kindle
Amazon US: Kindle
Waterstones in UK: paperback
Blackwells in UK: paperback
Barnes & Noble in US: paperback / eBook for Nook