You’ve tried your hand at writing a few stories. You’ve even submitted them to the Asimov’s or Realms of Fantasy -- and gotten your share of form letter rejections. Or maybe you’re just beginning to dabble with a few ideas. Where do you go to learn (and hone) the craft of writing science fiction and fantasy? Aspiring genre writers have a number of options these days, including books, online courses, critique groups, and workshops.
Read a Book
A good starting place for any writer is the written word. Read the magazines and novels in your genre. And read about the genre as well as the basics of fiction writing. Writers’ Digest Books—among others—has published several introductions to the field: