Fantasy or Science Fiction Story

 

You are to write a science fiction, fantasy, fairy tale, or mythic  story of your own creation.  Stories should be between 1000 and 3000 words.  Rough Draft is due March 4th, 2nd Draft is due March 11th)

 

Types of Science Fiction Stories

  1. Aliens:  Aliens have landed on earth and are interacting with human beings (V, E.T, War of the World Ender’s Game,.)
  2. Human exploration of other planets:  (The Red Planet, Avatar, Star Trek, )
  3. Speculative Fiction:  scientific advances in the real world and their affects on society (I am Legend, Jurassic Park, The Time Machine, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea)
  4. Futurism:  imagine a time in the future and the way the world has changed (Minority Report, Hunger Games)
  5. Other Worlds and Other Universes (Star Wars)

 

Elements and Types of Fantasy Fiction:

  1. A quest
  2. an outsider
  3. magic, wizard, witches
  4. monsters or creatures
  5. diminutive figures elves, dwarves, fairies
  6. interactions between humans and the fairy worlds
  7. anthromorphic figures (animals that have human qualities
  8. interaction between humans and gods
  9. struggle between good and evil

 


Animal Tales (Aesop’s Fables, Little Red Riding Hood)

Fantasy Tales have no basis in fact, emphasize miraculous happening and fantastic transformations (Snow White, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid)

Legends set in a particular time or place deal with a local tradition and relate adventures ascribed to a local figure (Paul Bunyan, Legend of Sleepy Hollow)

Mythical tales:  set in the distant past, often involve gods or the creation motif (Odyssey, Greek mythology)

Faerie Stories: (involve the interaction between humans and a magical world, often a quest, and an effort of good over evil Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter)

Transformation Stories:  humans are transported to a different world through some device or action—a closet, a tornado (Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Chronicles of Narnia)

Horror Stories:  interactions between humans and monsters or evil set usually in the present or near past (Frankenstein, Dracula)

Romance:  unrealistic setting or drama, usually in a historic period (pirate stories, knight stories)

 

Extra Credit Opportunities:  You will receive 25 extra credit points if you submit your work to a writing contest. You may submit your work to any contest you would like, below are some suggestions.  You do not have to submit to these particular contests.  Notice that some contests do not accept science fiction or fantasy.

You may submit your work by May 1, 2011 to receive extra credit. Just bring proof that you submitted it.  Check submission deadlines.

 

Minnesota Science Fiction Writers Contest

 

http://misfit.org/writingcontest/rules.htm

 

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing Contest

http://wof.webstudioswest.com/contest-rules

 

Robyn Herrington Science Fiction and Fantasy Contest

http://www.writtenword.org/in_places_between/

 

 

Teen Ink Fiction and Poetry Writing Contest

http://www.teenink.com/submit