Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course
Gain the skills required to write any form of speculative fiction – from novels and short stories, to scripts and video games
Fast-track your progress on this specialised writing programme
Do you have an amazing idea for a fantasy, science fiction or paranormal story? This course for beginners and seasoned writers alike takes you step-by-step through the processes that successful speculative fiction writers use to develop screenplays, novels, graphic novels, comics and games.
The Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course Gives You...
No Automated Marking
We use traditional methods of assessing work, as editors at publishing houses would. No generic feedback!
A Flexible Schedule
Work wherever and whenever you want. You can easily fit our courses around work and other commitments.
Relevant, Usable Content
Easy-to-digest course notes that capture a lifetime of writing experience, ready for you to apply to your own writing.
Ongoing Assessment
Your writing is assessed continuously as your course progresses.
Expert, Individual Feedback
Get prompt, honest, detailed feedback on every assignment from an award-winning writer. We focus on your unique writing strengths.
No Peer Reviews!
You will only be assessed by your tutor, a leader in their field. No more guessing and wondering how to write; you'll be guided line by line.
Explore how to write science fiction and fantasy stories
With the help of an experienced tutor, turn your unique, creative ideas into a manuscript
The Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course gives you all the writing techniques required to write credible, compelling speculative fiction. Practise your skills in 12 writing assignments, with feedback on each from award-winning author, Sonny Whitelaw.
Whether you want to sell the short story that you produce, enter it into a writing competition, or use it as the basis for a novel, this course can fast-track your writing goals.
As you work through each module, you will learn why the many genres of speculative fiction are so successful, where to find countless ideas for your stories, and how to create realistic characters and the worlds they inhabit.
By the end of the course, you will have written a 1500-word short story that you can confidently submit to a publisher or use as the foundation for your much larger alternate universe series.
Learn to write science fiction and fantasy stories. Start writing today
With the help of an experienced tutor, turn your unique, creative ideas into a manuscript
The Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course gives you all the writing techniques required to write credible, compelling speculative fiction. Practise your skills in 12 writing assignments, with feedback on each from award-winning New Zealand-based writer, Sonny Whitelaw.
Whether you want to sell the short story that you produce, enter it into a writing competition, or use it as the basis for a novel, this course can fast-track your writing goals.
As you work through each module, you will learn why the many genres of speculative fiction are so successful, where to find countless ideas for your stories, and how to create realistic characters and the worlds they inhabit.
By the end of the course, you will have written a 1500-word short story that you can confidently submit to a publisher or use as the foundation for your much larger alternate universe series.
‘I learned an incredible amount from this course, but the best was how to make wild ideas credible. I have no doubt I'll be re-using the course material for every future spec draft. Sonny is an incredible tutor. She believes in your story and does her best to help you bring it to life. I'm always amazed at how the story progresses between drafts with her guidance.’
Danielle Ramaekers, Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course
Course Overview
COURSE FEE
R 7 995.00
Price includes VAT
NUMBER OF ASSIGNMENTS
12
The assignments vary in length.
NUMBER OF MODULES
5
These modules include around 120 pages of course notes.
COURSE DURATION
6
Work at your own pace – up to a maximum of six months.
START DATE: ANYTIME
Working with an individual tutor means you can start the course at any time.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Basic writing skills are essential.
- Computer skills, e-mail and Internet access required.
- No previous tertiary qualification required.
Our Graduate Students' Successes
We are proud of our graduates who have achieved success. Here are a few among dozens of our creative writing success stories.
Tutor for this Course
Sonny Whitelaw
Sonny Whitelaw has enjoyed a successful career as a writer for over 30 years. Her work as a photojournalist has appeared in dozens of international magazines, including National Geographic.
She won a Draco Award for her first novel, The Rhesus Factor, and all eight of her novels, including five based on the television series Stargate, have been international bestsellers.
A qualified adult educator with an MA in Creative Writing, Sonny taught creative writing in Australia for several years before moving to a small property in rural New Zealand. She now splits her time between teaching creative writing, editing fiction and non-fiction, and returning to her roots as a climate scientist, working as a science writer.
Sonny tutors the Write a Novel Course, the Literary Short and Flash Fiction Course, the Advanced Novel Writing Course, and the Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course.
Course Curriculum
Module 1
- What exactly is ‘fiction’?
- The many genres of speculative fiction
- Setting the scene in four parts
- The six elements needed in every story
- Making your implausible story, plausible
- Task: Complete and submit four short exercises, one of which includes the opening lines of your short story using the prompts in the exercises.
Module 2
- Where to get your ideas
- Ingredients I: ancient origins and modern interpretations
- Ingredients II: the premise
- The three-step process: building your bridge between the known and the unknown
- Making the rules and then breaking them
- Task: Complete and submit one exercise and submit the first draft of your short story
Module 3
- Anthropomorphising your characters
- Perception: how your characters sense their world
- Point of view: whose story is it?
- Cosmology and mythology
- The hero’s quest
- Rules for your characters
- Building your own mythopoeia
- Task: Complete and submit three exercise and submit the second draft of your short story
Module 4
- The three different approaches to creating ‘places’
- How to reveal ‘places’ while avoiding the dreaded info dump
- Mapping out your settings
- Submit two short exercises, one optional exercise, and the third draft of your short story
Module 5
- The key features of civilizations and how these influence characters
- How civilizations evolved so that you can build your own, and then break them
- Using technology consistent with your level of civilization
- Understand and use different speculative fiction themes
- Case study: fortified medieval city and battle plan in the novel Stargate Atlantis: The Chosen
- Submit two short exercises and the final polished draft of your short story
‘I learnt so much from this course. The course material is well structured, gradually becoming more complex with each module. Sonny’s experience as a speculative fiction writer and her knowledge of the genre are what make this course so good. Her comments were insightful, helpful and always honest. She made me a better writer.’
Sarah Bailey, Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course
Get These Additional Benefits
Lifetime Course Access
Benefit from free lifetime access to future course updates and access to our writing resources.
Work at Your Own Pace
Our courses work around you. You can pace your course around your busy life.
500+ Bonus Articles on Our Blog
A superb, constantly updated resource with articles on writing and interviews with writers.
Work Opportunities
Top students are invited to join our writers and editors for hire service.
Be the First to Know About Writing Competitions
We'll help you keep up to date with the latest competition announcements
Join a Community of Writers
You will have access to our friendly Facebook community, daily writing tips and writing inspiration.
Risk-Free 100% Money-Back Guarantee
We are so confident that you will love your course that if you’re not 100% satisfied with the quality of our training, simply ask for a refund within 30 days.
Complete the Application Form to Enrol on the Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy Course
You will receive an approval email and invoice within one working day.
Should your form not submit, please let admin know at admin@sawriterscollege.co.za
Questions?
We've Got Answers
The course consists of five modules. Detailed course notes covering the content of each module are emailed to you. At the end of each module, you will be required to complete writing exercises. In total, the course includes 12 writing assignments, all of which count towards your final result. Once the writing assignment has been completed and emailed to your tutor, an assessment and feedback will be sent to you and the module will be considered complete. You will then download the next module from the Student Centre.
Absolutely. You have direct communication with your tutor for the duration of the course. The more questions you ask, the more you will get out of the course.
You will get lifetime access to the course. You will also benefit from future updates and improvements to the course.
For the majority of our courses, only your tutor will see your work. It will remain completely private unless you get it published. The journalism courses might see your work published in the public domain, but you do have the final say as to whether or not this happens.
Students will receive a Writers College Certificate upon successful completion of the course, provided they meet the following conditions:
- Students must complete all 12 writing assignments
- The course must be completed within six months of registration
- Students are expected to attain a minimum average of 50% for the course
- Basic writing skills are essential.
- Basic computer skills, as well as email and Internet access are required.
- No previous tertiary qualification is required.
Because you will work with an individual tutor, you can start your course as soon as your application has been approved. There are no specific start dates as would be the case with a traditional college.
An application is usually approved within one working day. Once we receive proof of payment, your can start your course.
You could be starting your course today!
There is no research required for this course, just planning and writing. The speed at which you work is entirely up to you. You have six months to complete the course (and an extra 21 days if your course runs over the Christmas and New Year break).
You are welcome to finish the course sooner if you want to, but we wouldn’t want you to rush the process too much!
Once your application has been approved, you will receive notification of approval and an invoice via email. As soon as we receive proof of payment, the first module as well as your tutor’s email address and your login details will be sent to you. Your tutor will also be in touch to welcome you.
Any work created on our courses is owned by you. We will never make a claim to anything you produce. We follow the rule that copyright subsists with the creator (you).