Brian Aldiss said: "There are two kinds of writer: those that make you think, and those that make you wonder. He described it as ‘part of fantasy in a general sense’, while Miriam Allen de Ford separated the two genres: ‘Science Fiction deals with improbable possibilities, fantasy with plausible impossibilities.’ But both deal with things that don’t exist."

Science fiction is a genre that offers a wide range of possibilities for the writer, from wondering about how present scientific breakthroughs will alter our lives to great, dramatic storylines set in fantastical locations. Whatever genre you are writing in, it is important that you know the readers’ expectations. In this two-week introductory course, we’ll be looking at the world of your science fiction story. How to make it distinct. How essential it is to the story you are telling.

Before we get started, a quick plug for the National Centre for Writing's online community of writers on Discord. It's free, you'll find lots of writers from around the world and it's the perfect place to discuss your writing. You can join up by clicking here.

The Characters & Point of View and Plotting & Endings courses are also available separately.