Introduction

Welcome to September, Authors of Tomorrow!

I hope everyone’s writing is going well. Whether that’s pages written or edited. I’m on the last round of edits before I send my Dystopian WIP to my favorite editor (AKA my wife). I’m also wanting to find some beta readers to give me some more outside feedback on the story. My first attempt at beta readers with Extoria was a hard way to learn the wrong way to find beta readers. Feel free to offer any advice.

That’s enough about me for now. Let’s look at what you’ll find in this month’s newsletter.

Research skills are essential for science fiction and fantasy writers, whether you’re looking up scientific facts, or common elements of fantastical folklore. No matter what you write, a little research never hurts. Today’s article will dive into the essential element of science fiction and fantasy.

You’ll also get to learn more about the author, Brandon Sanderson. He’s popular as another local Utah author, but there are plenty outside of Utah who have yet to read his work. His magic systems are also unmatched across his various series.

Essentials of Science Fiction and Fantasy: 5-Research Skills

Research has been the backbone of effective world-building and storytelling in science fiction and fantasy for as long as it has been around. The great stories that pushed the creative limits of fiction started with known facts and played with the “what if” or “how about instead” scenarios. Knowing where to start is the best way to create the possible future.

Research also provides writers with the groundwork to ground the story in facts, lend to authenticity, and provide credibility in the speculative worlds they create. Whether hard or soft, sci-fi or fantasy, the time we put into research as writers pays direct dividends into our books and reader satisfaction.

As Authors of Tomorrow, you’ll often find yourself pushing the boundaries of imagination. Finding the connective tissue of your story through research will strengthen not only the credibility, but the book as a whole. The goal in research isn’t to translate everything directly, but to give you the basic key details to support your fantastical elements on a foundation of truth. You can find examples of this in stories like the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. In it, the characters use metals as energy sources for their magic. Just as in tool production, the purer the metal, the better the energy source the metals provide. If the metals are impure, they can cause issues with the magic and the user. If metals used in tools or devices have impurities, they wear out easier and are more likely to break at their times of greatest importance.

I can’t say that’s exactly where Sanderson pulled the idea from, but it’s a good way to practice. Find the root of your favorite magic systems in the stories you already love. Sometimes this will pop up in interviews with the author, and other times you’ll extrapolate and find what makes the most sense to you.

Not only will your research benefit your reader experience, but it will build your confidence as a writer of the story. Building a solid understanding of scientific principles, historical contexts, and cultural nuances, you’ll be able to know that yes, this in fact would be possible in my world. The knowledge and amount of research may not always appear in the book, but the depth of understanding will present itself in your accuracy and consistency throughout. Allow me to speculate another story’s logic and this one is a bit of a spoiler alert if you haven’t read the Kingfall Series by David Estes.

Do not click this unless you want to read the example and risk a spoiler of the Kingfall Series by David Estes.

In one of the later books, it’s revealed to Mage Quill that all magic borrows things from other places. If you use magic to create a fire, it steals the fire from someone else’s already lit fire in the world. To fly, you steal the ability of flight from a bird or dragon. Every magic spell pulls a true resource from something already using it. You could say that this follows the concept that matter is never created or destroyed. Also known as the Law of Conservation of Mass.

Research doesn’t just help with advanced technological and magical aspects. Your research will also drive the basis of how your world is created, from the way the inhabitants appear to the buildings they build. There are so many factors to consider that it’s easy to get lost in the weeds. But think about your story, find what’s important to it, and research those aspects for the best possible results.

Author Spotlight Brandon Sanderson

Brandon Sanderson is a science fiction and fantasy writer that’s gained a local popularity that is unmatched in for many Utah authors. His growing success stems from his intricate world-building, compelling characters, and innovative magic systems. The Mistborn series and The Stormlight Archive have been his most popular series, but he’s written many more amazing stand alone books and series. He’s also known for co-authoring the final Wheel of Time books after Robert Jordan passed away.

Research Skills and Methodology

Sanderson’s worlds are rich on every page. From geography and history to the cultures and languages, Sanderson adds a depth that immerses his readers into every new world visited. In The Stormlight Archive, he developed an ecosystem and weather patterns that influence the world’s plant and animal life.

Recognized for his commonly “hard magic” systems, Sanderson has always set clear rules and limitations for each system. The practice of writing hard magic systems isn’t the easiest, but he somehow makes it seem so natural and logical. Much of this may be tied to his research into the scientific principles that he bases these systems off. My personal favorite has been the Alomancy from his Mistborn series. Using metals, the Alomancers can access different powers to help them with everything from strength to emotions to travel. It’s a magic system well worth studying!

Expansive Universe

The Cosmere is one of Sanderson’s most ambitious projects, showcasing his impressive world-building skills and storytelling prowess. This expansive cosmere landscape comprises an interconnected fictional universe that spans multiple series, offering readers a rich tapestry of worlds, characters, and magical systems to explore.

Through his career, Sanderson has meticulously woven together the intricate threads of the Mistborn series, The Stormlight Archive, Elantris, and Warbreaker universes, creating a cohesive and compelling narrative that captivates readers across various literary landscapes. The Stormlight Archive is a series where the stories intertwine, creating a fascinating and intricate world. Reading the different series enhances the reader’s experience and reveals Sanderson’s incredible storytelling.

Research-Based World-Building Exercise:

1. Choose a scientific principle or concept that interests you (e.g., conservation of energy, evolution, quantum mechanics).
2. Spend 30 minutes researching this concept, focusing on its basic principles and any interesting applications or theories related to it.
3. Now, create a magic system or advanced technology for your fictional world based on this scientific concept. Consider:
   • How does it work?
   • What are its limitations?
   • How does it affect the environment or society in your world?
4. Write a short scene (500-1000 words) that showcases this magic system or technology in action. Make sure to:
   • Demonstrate how it works
   • Show its impact on characters or the world
   • Hint at potential consequences or ethical implications
5. After writing, reflect on how your research influenced your creation. What elements of real science did you incorporate? How did you adapt or expand on the concept to fit your fictional world?

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering research skills is crucial for science fiction and fantasy writers. It provides the foundation for credible world-building, innovative magic systems, and compelling narratives. By grounding your fantastical elements in real-world concepts, you create stories that resonate with readers and stand the test of time.

Remember, like Brandon Sanderson’s intricate Cosmere, your research doesn’t all need to appear on the page – but it will enrich your writing and boost your confidence as an author. Keep exploring, questioning, and imagining – that’s the essence of being an Author of Tomorrow.

Essentials of Science Fiction and Fantasy Summaries

• World-Building and Why We Care
  • Maintain consistency and immersion within the rules and logic of the world you’ve created. Ensure that the details, such as technology, magic systems, and societal norms, align with the established world-building elements. Contradictions or convenient plot choices that defy the world’s internal logic can break the reader’s suspension of disbelief.
  • Craft a detailed and immersive world that serves as a foundation for characters and stories to unfold naturally. World-building elements like geography, culture, history, and systems of magic or technology should impact the plot, character actions, and thematic exploration. Well-developed world-building can create opportunities for conflict, character development, and thematic depth, while also providing an engaging escape for readers.
• Character Development and Connection
  • Ground the narrative and provide an emotional connection for readers through well-developed characters. Characters serve as a lens through which readers experience and perceive the new worlds you’ve created. Fully fleshed-out characters with inner struggles, emotions, and unique perspectives help readers invest emotionally and make the fantastical elements feel real.
  • Use characters to expand the reader’s understanding of the world and its complexities. Give characters contrasting viewpoints, opinions, and subjective experiences of the same world. This highlights different facets of the world-building and raises thought-provoking questions, enriching the reader’s immersion in the fictional universe.
• Plot Structure
  • Plot structure is a key element in science fiction and fantasy writing. It helps build the world, develop characters, and keep the story flowing smoothly. It gives readers a cozy and familiar reading experience, even in unusual or magical settings.
  • Try different plot structures to find what works best for their storytelling style, like Save the Cat or Three-Act Structure. When a plot is well-structured, it adds tension, conflict, and resolution to make the reading experience more satisfying and memorable.
• Theme Exploration
  • Science fiction and fantasy let writers tackle complex ideas and provoke thought among readers, exploring larger questions about existence, technology, and society in a thought-provoking way.
  • Well-crafted themes in a book give purpose to every word and can make the story more appreciated by challenging readers to analyze and discuss the world and future possibilities. This leads to more engaging and memorable works.
• Research Skills
  • Research is crucial for effective world-building in science fiction and fantasy, providing a foundation of facts that lend authenticity and credibility to speculative worlds, as exemplified by Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series.
  • While not all research may appear directly in the story, it enhances the writer’s confidence and understanding, leading to improved accuracy and consistency throughout the work, as illustrated by David Estes’ Kingfall Series and its magic system based on the Law of Conservation of Mass.

Previous Post: Genre Mashups: Successfully Combining Fantasy, Sci-Fi and More

Previous Newsletter: August

Next Post: Utopias vs Dystopias: Exploring Imagined Societies