by Amelia Wiens

One of the best parts of science fiction and fantasy is the worldbuilding. A key part of creating interesting worlds is creating diverse cultures that vary in some way from our own norms. That being said, it can be so hard to get out of our own culture’s point of view and redefine elements that we unconsciously take for granted.

by Suyi Davies Okungbowa

It’s virtually impossible to do ALL of your SFF worldbuilding prior to writing your book/story. How much weight is given to each stage depends on the author (some prefer to do a lot before starting, some build nothing before writing). My own preference is to build the foundation–just enough to get me started, then build more along the way, and go back and change stuff after I’m done.

James A. Moore (03 September 1965 – 27 March 2024) was a prolific, versatile, and award-winning horror, dark fantasy, comic, and game writer. He crafted a diverse set of multi-media and beloved works over three decades, from his debut novel Hell-Storm through his Tides of War and Seven Forges series and including Bram Stoker Award […]

by Austin Conrad Fantasy’s enduring appeal stems from our imaginative exploration of the impossible. Each branch of speculative fiction asks the question “What if?” in their settings and stories. Many flowers on these branches portray a world which is plausible—outlandish and beautiful, but similar in nature to our own. In contrast, fantasy’s flowers enable us […]

By Austin Conrad Fantasy worlds often include a single “common” language spoken by a majority of the setting’s inhabitants. Often simply called Common, this shared language smooths over communication challenges in both fiction and games. Dungeons & Dragons is perhaps the most infamous example of a work utilizing Common in this way. This convenience is […]

Each year since 2020, our Nebula Conferences have launched over the conference weekend, but they continue online all year long with plenty of great professional development and networking opportunities open to SFWA members and nonmembers alike. And what’s better? The ongoing 2023 Nebula Conference registration price has just been reduced to $75! What does that […]

By Anthony W. Eichenlaub Whether it’s the one-two punch of a duology or the sprawling epic of multiple loosely connected trilogies, there is no doubt that science fiction and fantasy readers love series. For an author, series can be amazing. Good sales on the first book can lead to good sales on the second, third, […]

by Yilin Wang Note: This article first appeared in The Bulletin #216 in October 2021. When I tell other writers who are not familiar with Sinophone literature that I am writing short stories and a novel that play with the wuxia fiction genre in English, I am often met with one or more of the […]

by K. S. Villoso Note: This article first appeared in The Bulletin #216 in October 2021. Reading is a privilege. To have the means to obtain books, to see yourself in the material you consume, to pick truths that most accurately reflect how you view the world and your place in it are easily taken […]

by Sandra M. Odell

I love intricate, detailed worldbuilding; it’s the backbone of science fiction and fantasy stories, even those set in the modern era. Sadly, few things make me stop reading faster than the realization that a writer gave more thought to the description of a meal than they did to the how or why an accommodation for a character with disabilities came to be in a story. Inclusion and representation matter, and so do the supports that allow an individual with disabilities to interact with a writer’s world.