Writing Speculative Fiction

Eugen Bacon MA, MSc, PhD is an African Australian author of several novels and collections. She’s a British Fantasy Award winner, a Foreword Book of the Year silver award winner, a twice World Fantasy Award finalist, and a finalist in the British Science Fiction Association, Aurealis, Ditmar and Australian Shadow Awards. Eugen was announced in the honor list of the 2022 Otherwise Fellowships for ‘doing exciting work in gender and speculative fiction’. Danged Black Thing by Transit Lounge Publishing made the Otherwise Award Honor List as a ‘sharp collection of Afro-Surrealist work’. Eugen’s creative work has appeared worldwide, including in Apex Magazine, Award Winning Australian Writing, Fantasy Magazine, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Year’s Best African Speculative Fiction. Visit her website at eugenbacon.com.

Writing Speculative Fiction is permeated by an upbeat and playful tone that is entertaining and motivating. It is an informative and enjoyable read that will serve as a valuable resource for creative writing students and their teachers, and indeed anyone interested in the mechanics of writing and publishing dynamic and engaging speculative fiction. The book is packed with helpful advice for writers of any genre – covering diverse topics such as form, characterisation, voice, plotting, poetic expression, research, establishing a writing practice with discipline, and discerning reputable online publishing markets.

• The non-introductionThere's a story in youVogler's hero/ine's journeyThe speculative: a problem with definitionsGenres and subgenres of speculative fictionFantasyScience FictionHorror and the paranormalCross genreLiterary speculative fictionShort storyTargeting young adults and new adultsCritical and cultural theoriese-Publishing.