A type of story or literature that is set in a world that is different from the one we live in, or that deals with magical or imagined future events.

Well, gee, that clears it up. Insert eye-roll here. More like encompass two massive genres and a smattering of others. So, how do you differentiate between them, and why is it important to? On the surface, it sounds like a dumb question. I mean, Fantasy is fairies and junk, and Science Fiction is all about the aliens, right? Mmm… not so much. 

Think of Speculative Fiction as North America, then Science Fiction and Fantasy as Canada and the USA, respectively. The problem being that in this alternative universe, the USA’s Northern border is in dispute, and in some places, non-existent. The same can be said down south, and Mexico’s got a direct portal to Canada. But SFFH is a whole ‘nother article—we’ll come back to Horror another time. Suffice to say, there’s crossover, which makes for one heck of a tangle.

The term SFF is used to paint a broad stroke across the top two-thirds of our map. When talking about generalities, like topics at a conference, ok fine. When pitching your manuscript? Not so much. That’s like trying to get your European parents to foot the bill for a flight to North America without telling them exactly where you’re going. There’s a big difference between New York City, New York, and Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan—not to mention a whole lot in between.

Which is why knowing what makes Science Fiction, Science Fiction, and Fantasy, Fantasy, is important. Granted, there are sub-genres that do fall on that nebulous border, but they have names, and you should use them. In my opinion, saying your work is SFF is a cop-out. Yeah, I said it, but I can understand the temptation. I mean, trying to distinguish between Science Fiction and Fantasy can be more work than sorting Aunt Bev’s button collection.

And trust me, that’s a freaking job… but it doesn’t have to be.

When differentiating between Science Fiction and Fantasy, it all comes down to one thing.

Technology vs. Transcendental

Sounds clear-cut enough, right? Yeah, you’d think so, and you’d be wrong again. 

Prime example? Star Wars is technically a Fantasy and a Space Opera, with Science Fiction elements. Say what? Seriously. Check out the ins and outs of that can of worms here. 

Yeah, went over my head too, so let’s go super basic by consulting two of my buddies, Cambridge and Webster: 

What’s considered Fantasy?

A type of story or literature that is set in a magical world, often involving traditional myths and magical creatures, and sometimes ideas or events from the real world, especially from the medieval period of history.

And that Space Opera thingamabob?

A futuristic melodramatic fantasy involving space travelers and extraterrestrial beings.

Right, I get that. But it still doesn’t really answer my question, or does it? When you think about Star Wars, what’s the overwhelming theme, regardless of which book or movie you’re binging on, like, even before the starships in a galaxy far, far away?    

It’s all about the Force.

Yep. That nebulous universal power that’s manipulated by good and evil throughout the series’s extensive volumes. It’s the core theme that the world is built around, driving the story, from plot to character, and everything in between. It’s what defines the work.

See, Science Fiction, at its root, is:

A form of fiction dealing mainly with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals. It must have a scientific factor as an essential orienting component.

Ahh… now you see where I’m going with this? Basically, if the Force resulted from a genetic mutation or a nuclear event, Star Wars would be classified as Science Fiction. Since it’s not, it’s a work of Fantasy, and nuts to the Death Star. Pretty tricky, huh?

Yep. The Devil’s in the details… and often the sub-genres.

So if Fantasy boils down to the transcendental, and Science Fiction’s all about the tech, what happens when a fallen angel and a guy infected with a lab-borne virus that causes vampirism hook up at a bar?

Whelp, like any good literary, alcohol-fueled one-night stand, a sub-genre is born. In this case, Urban and/or Paranormal SFF, with a heavy dash of Romance thrown into the mix.

Yes, Romance. Look, despite what your personal feelings on the genre may be, let me just mention that it’s been the highest-grossing genre by a landslide for decades. Now think about it; with SFF holding its own in the top five, is it any wonder successful authors combine them?

Exactly.

Unfortunately, no-brainer or not, that just further muddies the genre issue. I mean, as a reader, I don’t care how Amazon classifies books as long as my vamp/angel rendezvous comes up when I plug the title into the search bar. But as an author, it’s in your best interest to seek clarity. 

Now we come back to the why of it. If readers don’t particularly care what you call it, why should you?

Because if you want to effectively market your book, you need to know where it will sit on the shelf. 

Sure, you can toss it under the generic category of Speculative Fiction or SFF, but that really doesn’t give an agent or a publisher any idea of where your book might fit into their catalog at a glance.

And that’s a problem—because remember my Aunt Bev’s button collection? Reviewing a slush pile is basically like sorting buttons for a living. 

Guess what happens to the generic ones from my Uncle Harvey’s dress shirts. 

Buh-bye.

Yeah, ouch. Taking your time to understand the nuances of genres hidden beneath the SFF cloud, and where your two acres are on that continent, will help you land the agent that’s right for your book. How? Well, by tailoring your query letter to highlight the aspects of your manuscript that will most appeal to them. It will help you find those dreaded comp titles too.

I’ll dive more into that next time. In the interim, instead of throwing up your hands and succumbing to the SFF cop-out, check out the lay of the land. There’s nothing better than finding out where you belong, kicking up your feet, and getting to know the neighbors.

Still confused about SFF and sub-genres? There’s a great round-up of the more popular SFF sub-genres with their definitions here. Keep in mind, it’s not an exhaustive list (Notably, Paranormal Fantasy is missing) But it’s a great place to start, and for a quick rundown of the top 35 genres, Reedsy does an awesome job with this blog post.

AK Nevermore is an emerging author of science fiction and urban fantasy with spice. She enjoys operating heavy machinery, freebases coffee, and gives up sarcasm for Lent every year. Unable to ignore the voices in her head, and unwilling to become medicated, she writes about dark worlds, perversely irreverent and profound, and always entertaining.
You can find her on her website or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

The post Science Fiction or Fantasy? Defining SFF appeared first on DIY MFA.

Stephanie is a Jesus-centered, young adult and fantasy author, writing in the universe of Elledelle about black angels in magical worlds with impressive powers that mirror the human condition.

She loves writing stories centered around feisty angels with complicated pasts, unexpected futures, learning to take up causes bigger than themselves, who may or may not fall in love along the way.

Stephanie is a Canadian-born, Haitian-raised, Congolese descended, North American dweller who lived a colorful life in south Florida that cultivated a perspective on the world as unique as her background.

As the author of The Seraphim Resistance Prequels and The Transcendents serial, Stephanie has built her own self-publishing empire. She is also an avid reader of fantasy and fiction, and columnist for DIY MFA.

In this episode Stephanie BwaBwa and I discuss:

• How comic books helped her develop the world in her YA fantasy universe.
• Her method for crafting a serial series and dealing with the unknowns.
• Why she loves world building and how she avoided sharing too many details at once.

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

About Stephanie BwaBwa

Stephanie BwaBwa is a Jesus-centered, young adult and fantasy author, writing in the universe of Elledelle about black angels in magical worlds with impressive power that mirror the human condition.

She loves writing stories centered around feisty angels with complicated pasts, unexpected futures, learning to take up causes bigger than themselves, who may or may not fall in love along the way.

Stephanie is a Canadian-born, Haitian-raised, Congolese descended, North American dweller who lived a colorful life in south Florida that cultivated a perspective on the world as unique as her background.

Stephanie has authored the The Seraphim Resistance Prequels, and The Transcendents serial, and is an avid reader of fantasy and fiction. 

Jesus is her Lord, Disney+ is her safe place, she dreams of being a monkey mama and she’s always penning a new story in Elledelle. 

You can usually catch her going for a walk through a park, or simply binging Disney+ with too many snacks.

You can find Stephanie on her website or follow her on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Bookbub, and Reedsy.

The Crescent and the Ash Queen

A deadly assassin seeking freedom. A manipulative queen seeking power. A depraved court hanging in the balance.

Zavala Nightingale is a deadly assassin with a slick mouth, and devastating magic. Even though she’s the most feared Crescent in the Bones Court, she still wants out.

Zavala has one more job to finish, then she’ll collect her coin and leave…

But the Ash Queen has other plans for her.

When the Ash Queen declares Zavala as her heir and the next Crescent Queen, Zavala will be faced with one of two choices:

Accept and be a Crescent for life, or deny the Ash Queen, drawing the wrath of every assassin alive.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 380

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 380: World Building and the Fantasy YA Serial – Interview with Stephanie BwaBwa appeared first on DIY MFA.

This time around, I’m exploring the tarot as a mythic storytelling tool. This will be a three-part series. In this first part, I’ll introduce you to the tarot. In part two, I’ll look at the various tarot books written with writers in mind. Finally, I’ll choose one method to explore the structure of a couple of well-known novels, one science fiction, and one fantasy.

Let’s get started.

The Origins of the Tarot

The basis of the tarot was a deck of playing cards, not dissimilar to the playing cards we know today. Instead of 52 cards (four suits, ace through ten, plus three face cards), however, the core of the deck was 56 cards. In this case, one, or ace through ten, plus four face cards, page, knight, queen, and king, per suit.

This deck of cards was brought to Italy, France, and Germany from the Islamic countries, some experts say Egypt, but it could easily have been Spain. In the other European countries, an additional 22 cards, called triumphs, or trumps, which had no suit, were added. The first tarot decks were recorded as being used in Italy around 1440. The game played with these cards was related to bridge and was variously called triumph, trionfi, tarocco, or tarock.

It would be three centuries before the tarot started to be used in cartomancy or reading the cards to tell the future. Again, Italy led the way with the first tarot cartomancy guidebook dating to 1750. The French would refine the process and deck through the remainder of the 18^th century.

The Minor Arcana

The core deck I mentioned above is also called the minor arcana. Like our playing cards, it’s divided into four suits. These suits correspond not only to the suits you’re familiar with, but also elements and qualities.

The face or court cards are like character archetypes and though the queens may be the only identifiably female card, any of the court cards can represent either (or any) gender. Think of the court cards as representing a spectrum of experience and archetypal role.

The pages represent youthful or innocent characters, the knights are young adults entering the world and encountering its challenges, the queens are parental figures, and the kings are elders. Pair these with the elements and qualities identified with their respective suit, and you can identify archetypes like the young romantic (page of cups) or the crone (king of swords).

The Major Arcana

The 22 cards of the major arcana are numbered zero through 21. While each card has a specific meaning associated with it, people who read the cards for esoteric purposes, or for creative purposes, can simply look at the card and let their intuition lead them to its meaning.

0 – The Fool: Depicts a person walking, sometimes off a cliff, blithely unaware of what they’re getting into. Often accompanied by a small animal, occasionally harassed or held back by that animal. Represents inexperience, the beginning of a journey, or potential as yet untapped.

1 – The Magician: Shows a person with a wand and other tools of the magical trade. Somewhere in the picture is an infinity symbol, or lemniscate. The meaning is transformation, which is related to magic and alchemy. Also, the ability to change the world with knowledge. The magician could also be a charlatan.

2 – The High Priestess: Pictures a woman, sometimes seated. She could be wearing robes or a headdress. The original name of the card was the papess, or female pope. The card means hidden secrets, prophecy, revelations, or intuition.

3 – The Empress: A woman with a crown and sceptre. Representing creation and procreation, the empress is the mother of a nation. She protects and nurtures.

4 – The Emperor: Depicts a man with crown and sceptre, the defender of the realm. Could mean either the masculine virtues, or the masculine weaknesses.

5 – The Hierophant/Pope: Shows a pope, often blessing children. Means good advice or spiritual guidance.

6 – The Lovers: Two people accompanied by Cupid. Other than the obvious meaning, the card also conveys harmony, people working together toward a common goal, or opposites coming together for a greater purpose.

7 – The Chariot: The image is self-explanatory. Could mean travel or riding into battle.

8 – Strength: Usually depicts a woman holding open the jaws of a lion. The card means fortitude or calmness in the face of danger.

9 – The Hermit: Usually a male figure with a walking stick and lantern. Represents a mentor figure, the wisdom of age, or voluntary separation.

10 – The Wheel of Fortune: Depicts the wheel with animals or iconic figures at the four cardinal points. These will vary depending on the focus of the tarot deck. The wheel of fortune means the circle of life, changing circumstances (for better or worse), or evolution.

11 – Justice: Usually shows the scales, but sometimes the figure of justice or blind justice. It represents the law, fairness, and considered decision-making.

12 – The Hanged Man: The image is not what you’d expect, but shows a person hanging upside down from one foot. Generally does not actually mean punishment or hanging, but a change in perspective, self-sacrifice, or trials.

13 – Death: While the card depicts death or the grim reaper, its meaning isn’t literal. The death card means the end of something, loss, or stagnation.

14 – Temperance: This card can show a number of different images, but the meaning is balance, everything in moderation, waiting, or the deferral of a goal.

15 – The Devil: The images vary, but all depict a devil of some variety. Again, the meaning of this card is not literal. It means that a deal is made, or a bond is formed.

16 – The Tower: Shows a tower being struck by lightning and/or on fire. It means disaster or ruin. This is the big bad card of the deck (rather than death or the devil).

17 – The Star: Depicts either an actual star or a young woman. It represents hope or achieving one’s desires, but not in the expected way.

18 – The Moon: The images will show various representations of the moon. The card’s meaning is secrecy, deception, and the ability to see the truth.

19 – The Sun: Shows various depictions of the sun. The best card in the major arcana. It means happiness, peace, or the achievement of a goal.

20 – Judgment: Typically depicts some version of the Biblical judgement day. The meaning of the card is metaphorical, though. It means outcome or result.

21 – The World: While it may show an image of the world, it more often shows a person in harmony with the natural world. It means completion, success, or the proof of lasting change.

Next Time

If you’ve studied any of the mythic structures, you should be able to see similarities with some of the cards of the major arcana. The whole of the tarot is useful as a brainstorming or structuring tool. It can be used to help you through a block or difficulty in your story.

Next time, I’ll be looking at five books on using the tarot cards as a writer.

Until then, keep speculating and see where it leads you!

Melanie Marttila creates worlds from whole cloth. She’s a dreamsinger, an ink alchemist, and an unabashed learning mutt. Her speculative short fiction has appeared in Bastion Science Fiction Magazine, On Spec Magazine, and Sudbury Ink. She lives and writes in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, where she spends her days working as a corporate trainer. She blogs at https://www.melaniemarttila.ca and you can find her on Facebook and Twitter.

The post Mythic Storytelling: An Introduction to the Tarot appeared first on DIY MFA.