001 Instructor: Beckerman | MWF 1:25 PM – 2:20 PM
Over the last several decades we’ve seen a “legitimization” of genres that have historically been othered within the world of mainstream fiction. Science Fiction and Fantasy are no longer the domain of nerds—instead, they often some of the most widely read books (and regularly populate the bestseller lists). In this course we will look at worldbuilding and narrative strategy as agreements that authors of Science Fiction and Fantasy make with their readers, and consider the tensions between meeting and subverting readers’ expectations. Students will be asked to write three independent short stories over the course of the semester (which is to say, while they can take place in the same world/universe, each story will need to stand on its own and not require outside knowledge on the reader’s part). Those with questions should feel free to contact beckecs@mail.uc.edu.