Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy by Crawford Kilian is a general craft guide to the speculative genres, aimed at writers new to science fiction and fantasy or looking for a foundational overview of how to write them. It covers the core challenges of the genres, developing believable fantasy and science-fiction worlds, handling the conventions and expectations of speculative fiction, and the fundamentals of building stories within them, in an accessible, practical introduction. As a beginner-friendly overview of writing in these genres, it does a reasonable job covering the basics, earning a fair rating, though it is a general primer that sits among many similar guides rather than offering the depth or distinctiveness of more specialized treatments.

It works best understood for what it is: a solid entry point into writing speculative fiction, broad rather than deep, for someone starting out.

A foundational overview

The book’s value is as an accessible introduction to the craft of speculative fiction. Kilian covers the fundamentals a new genre writer needs, how to build believable fantasy worlds and plausible science-fiction settings, how to handle the particular conventions and reader expectations of the genres, and the basics of constructing stories within them, in a clear, practical way suited to someone starting out. For a writer new to science fiction and fantasy who wants a single foundational overview of what writing in these genres involves, it provides that grounding, surveying the key challenges and offering practical orientation. As an entry point, it does the basic job of mapping the territory and getting a beginner oriented in the craft of speculative fiction.

World-building and genre conventions

The book gives appropriate attention to the elements most central to the speculative genres, particularly world-building and genre convention. Building a believable fantasy or science-fiction world is the distinctive demand these genres place on a writer, and Kilian addresses it as a core skill, along with the conventions and expectations that genre readers bring, which a writer must understand to satisfy or subvert them effectively. This focus on the genre-specific challenges, the things that make writing SF and fantasy different from other fiction, is the right emphasis for a genre guide, and the practical orientation helps a beginner understand what these genres demand. It covers the essential genre-specific ground a new speculative writer needs to grasp.

The honest caveats

The caveats are about depth and distinctiveness. As a general, beginner-oriented overview, it covers the basics broadly rather than deeply, so a writer beyond the beginner stage, or wanting thorough treatment of any particular aspect, will find it a starting point rather than a destination and need more specialized resources. It also sits among many similar genre-writing guides, and does not particularly stand out from them in approach or insight, it is competent and useful rather than distinctive. And like all craft guides, its overview must be paired with practice and with deeper study to produce strong genre fiction. These are the normal limits of a general beginner’s primer rather than flaws, and for its intended audience it provides reasonable foundational value.

Verdict

It is a reasonable, accessible beginner’s overview of writing science fiction and fantasy, valuable for surveying the genres’ core challenges, particularly world-building and genre convention, and orienting a new writer in what speculative fiction demands. It earns a fair rating as a competent foundational primer. It is held to that level by being general and beginner-oriented, covering the basics broadly rather than deeply, by sitting among many similar genre guides without standing out in approach or insight, and by the need to pair its overview with deeper study and practice. For a writer new to the speculative genres who wants a single grounding introduction, it does the basic job; for depth, distinctiveness, or advanced craft, more specialized treatments serve better. A sound, general entry point into genre writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy about?

Crawford Kilian’s general craft guide to the speculative genres, aimed at writers new to science fiction and fantasy, covering the core challenges, developing believable worlds, handling genre conventions, and the fundamentals of building stories, in an accessible practical introduction.

Who is it best for?

Writers new to science fiction and fantasy, or looking for a foundational overview of how to write them. It provides grounding and orientation for someone starting out, surveying the key challenges rather than offering advanced or specialized depth.

What does it emphasize?

The genre-specific challenges, particularly world-building, building believable fantasy and science-fiction settings, and the conventions and reader expectations of speculative fiction that a writer must understand to satisfy or subvert. That focus on what makes these genres distinct is the right emphasis for a genre guide.

What are its limits?

As a general beginner’s overview it covers the basics broadly rather than deeply, so a writer beyond the beginner stage needs more specialized resources. It also sits among many similar genre guides without standing out, and its overview must be paired with practice and deeper study.

How does it compare to other genre-writing guides?

It is a competent, accessible primer rather than a distinctive or especially deep one, useful as a foundational entry point but not standing out from the many similar guides. For depth or advanced craft, more specialized treatments of SF and fantasy writing serve better.