ENGL 070Q. Fiction: Writing Fantasy and Other Worlds

This class will introduce students to the art and craft of writing fantastical worlds. We will engage in close readings of selected fantasy/Sci-Fi published texts by well-known writers such as Octavia Butler, Adam Johnson, N.K. Jemisin, James Tiptree, Jr., and many more. Students will be required to participate in class discussions and creative writing assignments, to be completed both in and outside of our class sessions. Students will also be required to workshop two full-length pieces of their own. Basic craft elements such as plot, setting, character development, dialogue, scenes, imagery, voice, figurative language, point of view, clarity of thought, and sociocultural significance of theme(s) will be discussed during workshops. But more importantly, the course will focus on intricate world building techniques (The Magic and Its Rules, The Goal/Quest and the Obstacle in Its Way, The Unique Inhabitants, Naming Names, Movement of Time & Age, and Defining the Landscape). Attendance at readings required. Limited to 12 students.
Graded CR/NC.
Humanities.
1 credit.
Fall 2022. Okparanta.
Spring 2024. Okparanta.
Catalog chapter: English Literature
Department website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/english-literature

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