by Ellen Buikema

The death of a popular character has caused more than one angry fan to send email to the author and unfavorable reviews to chat groups and review sites. So, when you absolutely must cause a character’s demise, how do you do that without enraging your readers?… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

(Part 1 of this series can be found here.)

Begin in the Past

When building the world for your science fiction story, consider creating the backstory, or history.

Whether your world is an advanced space-faring civilization, about to encounter aliens, or if a virus wiped out most of the planet’s peopled population, you need to begin in the past.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

To get your science fiction story started, ponder the should, might, and heaven forbid, but what if it happened anyway.

Start by asking, “What if?”

The “What if” question drives the Sci-Fi genre.

Science fiction stories have an element of newness, the new thing that is grounded in reality.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

Magical Realism portrays the real world with a hint of fantasy. By not recognizing the magical aspects as supernatural, these elements become normal. For the characters, there’s nothing surprising about it.

The Beginnings of Magical Realism

Some say that the genre began in 1920s Germany in painting such as Beach of Dangast with Flying Boat by artist Franz Radziwill.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

If you want your readers to keep turning the pages, answering some vital questions early on will help them commit to your story. While developing questions for your readers piques their curiosity, you’ll lose them if you don’t provide them answers.… Read the post