Fantastic Characters

Our workshops are moving to the virtual classroom! Through the magic of Zoom, you can fully participate–respond to prompts and exercises and interact with your instructor and fellow writers. The day before your workshop you’ll receive an email with your link to Zoom for your session.

Member Price: $22
Instructor: Alison Lyke

Learn how to craft characters who feel authentic while they adventure through your science fiction and fantasy worlds. Practice techniques to help your characters act and react in otherworldly situations, far removed from anything you (or any other human) has ever experienced. With approaches pulled from such sources as the world of Dungeons & Dragons, screenwriting, and psychology, you’ll imbue your original sci-fi and fantasy characters with genuine personalities, dialog patterns, and rich backstories. Study character development and story arcs exclusive to fantastic worlds. Cultivate figures unique to sci-fi and fantasy, such as aliens, artificial intelligence, elves, and wizards.

Alison Lyke is an English professor and the author of two science fiction and fantasy novels. Inspired by her artist father’s mythological painting series, her first novel, Honey, uses fantasy to explore the interplay between religion and legends while following a young woman’s spiritual awakening. Her second novel, Forever People, follows cyberpunk conventions, delving into a world of technology generated immortals seeking to undo the consequences of their achievements. Alison also contributes macabre poetry and horror short stories to literary magazines, including Aoife’s Kiss and Sounds of the Night.