Hugo and Nebula Award-winning novelist and screenwriter Gerrold passionately discusses the challenges and excitement of writing sf. Creating believable new worlds in which to tell universal stories of conflict, growth, and transformation requires not only imagination but also the discipline to ask and answer tough questions. As in writing other genres of fiction, careful attention to setting, plot, character, and dialog must be observed, along with the mechanics of grammar, tense, sentence structure, and paragraph transition. But writing successful sf and fantasy, Gerrold contends, demands an even greater commitment to the integrity of language to create and define reality. In a chatty, informal, and even humorous style, he provides numerous exercises and questions, challenging the would-be writer to imagine the answers. Examples from films, novels, stories, and television supply practical evidence of his suggested techniques. Gerrold is a first-rate writer, best-known for his Star Trek writings. Given the rising popularity of sf, this book would be a welcome addition to any public library. Denise S. Sticha, Murrysville Community Lib., PA

Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The prolific Gerrold, creator of those beloved Star Trek nemeses, Tribbles, turns to the how-to-write book, which won't surprise Gerrold devotees, who know his cogent remarks on the craft from his books of ST commentary. How-to-write mavens won't be surprised, either, as Gerrold proffers a fairly standard set of the basics, though he does put his own characteristic and occasionally touchy-feely spin on each. Aspiring sf and fantasy writers will appreciate his clarity and lack of condescension and his exemplification from his own writing. Even at his most idiosyncratic, he is unlikely to lead beginners seriously astray.