World-Building: Foundations for Concrete Storytelling Bundle
Worried that your readers won’t be immersed in your world? Need a hand understanding how to make your storytelling more concrete? This bundle will give you everything you need for world-building success! Whether creating a rich fantasy landscape or working with multiple timelines, writers of long- and short-form stories must construct a rich, compelling world for their characters to navigate. Including eight OnDemand webinars by expert genre authors and the digital editions of Writer’s Digest magazine’s November/December 2021 and March/April 2023 issues—both of which focus on a variety of genre writing topics—this bundle is a one-stop resource designed to make you a confident world-builder.
Creating Compelling Near Future Worlds in Science Fiction (OnDemand Webinar): Writers will learn the definition of near future as it pertains to science fiction, how to create the elements of a compelling near future science fiction story, including setting (creating the near future world), plot (asking “what if?”), theme (why tell this story?), characters (the heart of the story), and science (integrate, don’t lecture!). While this presentation will focus on science fiction specifically, there are lessons here that writers of all genres can apply. ($79.99 value)
Digestible World-building for Writers (OnDemand Webinar): The process of building a science fiction or fantasy world can sometimes feel overwhelming. Where do you begin? Where do you stop? In this OnDemand webinar, author Valerie Valdes presents her worldbuilding approaches, tips, and tricks to make your imaginary places feel real. ($79.99 value)
The 3 Keys to Successful Portal Fantasies (OnDemand Webinar): Portal fantasies are both evergreen and surging in popularity. The classic trope of people traveling from one universe to another is rich with possibility, and every generation has their iconic portal fantasy, from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe to Every Heart a Doorway. One aspect of portal fantasies that attracts authors in the SFF genres is its simplicity: The fundamental mechanic of a portal fantasy instantly injects tension, mystery, and adventure into your plot while leaving you free to do the fun work of building a fictional universe from the ground up. But as sturdy as they are, even portal fantasies can go very, very wrong. This OnDemand webinar covers the three keys to writing a successful one. ($79.99 value)
The Art of Restraint in Exposition (OnDemand Webinar): Including exposition in your story is one of the most difficult balancing acts a writer can make. How much is too much? How much is too little? Bryan Young walks you through strategies to keep exposition to a minimum and helps you find ways to layer it in naturally, making your story or script better and more readable. ($79.99 value)
Speculative Realities for Dystopian Times (OnDemand Webinar): In this OnDemand Webinar, Alexander Weinstein explores ways to use the material of our daily lived reality to create fantastical worlds, otherworldly settings, and futuristic landscapes. He demonstrates writing techniques that will allow you to use your own experiences of love, parenthood, heartbreak, and joy to create the hearts of characters who live in slightly (or vastly) more surreal landscapes than this one. ($79.99 value)
How to Give Your Sci-Fi or Fantasy Universe a Lived-In Feel (OnDemand Webinar): World-building is a special challenge in SFF literature because it’s easy to slide into something that feels artificial and ‛made up.’ But getting that ‛lived-in’ feel is easier than you think. One problem with creating fictional universes is verisimilitude—getting a believable, ‛lived-in’ feeling. But there are a few simple rules to follow that will help. In this OnDemand Webinar, Jeff looks at avoiding shmeeping, revealing imperfections, and more. ($79.99 value)
Magical Worlds, Imaginative Realities, and Worldbuilding in Short Fiction (OnDemand Webinar): In this OnDemand Webinar, we explore the craft of worldbuilding. From capturing the hometowns and cities we know, to the wild and magical worlds of speculative worldbuilding, the ability to vividly portray setting is an essential element of storytelling. Instructor Alexander Weinstein discusses strategies for making your settings come alive as well as the pitfalls of worldbuilding. ($79.99 value)
Need a Future? Look at the Past (OnDemand Webinar): In this OnDemand webinar, Jeff Somers discusses how to use real history as a template for your futures (and even your fantasy settings), and how to spot the Constants that never change even when technology surpasses them, and how using these Constants grounds your universe in ways readers can identify with, increasing their sense of verisimilitude and their suspension of disbelief. ($79.99 value)
Writer's Digest November/December 2021 Digital Edition (Digital Edition): Sometimes writing contains magic and sometimes the act of putting words on the page itself feels like magic, especially when the words come easily. In this issue, we shine a light on both. From articles that help writers find the technique that will bring their writing to life to articles and interviews with authors who’ve created systems of magic in the worlds they’ve created, this issue aims to give writers of all genres the tools to tap into all of the magic they can create. ($7.99 value)
Writer's Digest March/April 2023 Digital Edition (Digital Edition): No one can deny that genre fiction makes up a huge portion of the publishing landscape. Readers can’t get enough romances, mysteries, thrillers, fantasies—the list goes on. But for novelists, what does it take to write a genre novel that satisfies readers, a novel that both fits genre expectations but doesn’t feel like something that’s already been done? This issue breaks down those exact questions to help writers of any genre find success. ($7.99 value)
