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  • Seminar
  • Online: Zoom
  • Adult (18+)

Fantastic Extremes: the Environments of Speculative Fiction

No Longer Enrolling

  • $75.00 Non-Member
  • $65.00 Member

Class Description

The worlds of speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, dystopia, steampunk, cyberpunk) are worlds of social and ecological extremes. These settings operate on a sensory as well as conceptual level. How can we as genre writers make the most of the environments we create, in terms of character, craft, and sociopolitical implication? This class will explore both environmental speculative fiction and real-world nonfiction that documents the extremes of Earth or considers the philosophy of space. We’ll explore the genres of cli-fi (climate fiction) and ecofiction, discuss the “poetics of space", write, and brainstorm new world ecologies. This is a generative class, and students should expect to leave with new worlds/environments created or with environmental sketches that they can turn toward their existing projects. Writers discussed may include Jon Krakauer, Edward Abbey, Gaston Bachelard, Frank Herbert, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Margaret Atwood.

Scholarships Format/Location

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Zoom Participation:

Students are not required to turn their camera on, but are encouraged to participate any way they feel comfortable through functions such as the live chat, emoji reactions, and unmuting the microphone. Learn more about using Zoom here.

Zoom Accessibility:

We ask that instructors enable closed captioning and send a transcript of the session after class. You can also enable closed captioning at any time during the meeting. If your instructor forgets to send the transcript, just send ’em an email!