Writing Speculative Short Stories with Lisa L. Hannett

Short stories are alive and well in the field of speculative fiction, with dozens and dozens of international markets publishing the many genres and sub-genres that comprise this type of fiction. But what exactly is speculative fiction, and how can we write stories that encapsulate and effectively communicate its big ideas in so few words?

This workshop highlights some essential elements of speculative fiction in order to help you to craft sharp and striking short stories within this thriving field of literature.

• Key elements of the genre: strong world-building, engaging characters, inventive plots, and captivating narrative structures
• To strengthen the shape of your stories so readers are hooked from the first line
• How to convey strange settings and situations in a succinct way
• Tips to refine your writing style

This course should take you 6-8 hours to complete, but it can also be accomplished in short stages. We encourage you to approach this material not just as lessons to be finished once and for all, but also as a collection of resources to which you can return time and again.

Scroll down to see the full course curriculum and a list of frequently asked questions.

"Thanks for the excellent speculative fiction course from Lisa L. Hannett. I followed the exercises and wrote a short story, which was accepted for publication in The Big Issue's annual fiction edition! This is the first time I've tried writing fiction since university days (15 years ago), and wouldn't have happened without the course, so thank you!"

KYD Members receive a 10% discount on this course and all other KYD online courses throughout the year. Become a member here, or contact [email protected] for more information.

Want to buy a course for a friend? Purchase a gift voucher here.