Of Worlds Beyond: The Science of Science Fiction Writing, A Symposium

by Robert A. Heinlein, John Taine, Jack Williamson

Seven detailed and informative essays on the science and art of writing science fiction, by Robert A. Heinlein, John Taine, Jack Williamson, A. E. van Vogt, Edward E. Smith, Ph.D., L. Sprague de Camp, and John W. Campbell, Jr. They offer valuable tips and insights to the writer breaking into science fiction, and give the general reader fascinating behind-the-scenes information on story construction. Originally issued in 1947 by Fantasy Press, Of Worlds Beyond soon became a collector's item. Advent has returned the book to print for the benefit of present-day students of science fiction as well as those who were unable to obtain the first edition. This edition is photo-reproduced from the Fantasy Press original; we have added an index. As courses in science fiction have proliferated, many instructors have chosen Of Worlds Beyond as either required or supplementary reading. Although it is over fifty years old, it remains one of the few (and best) explanations of how science fiction stories are written. It is full of useful insights for writers, editors, and readers.

Genres: Science Fiction, Writing, Literary Criticism

104 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1947

About the author

Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His plots often posed provocative situations which challenged conventional social mores. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
Heinlein became one of the first American science-fiction writers to break into mainstream magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post in the late 1940s. He was one of the best-selling science-fiction novelists for many decades, and he, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke are often considered the "Big Three" of English-language science fiction authors. Notable Heinlein works include Stranger in a Strange Land, Starship Troopers (which helped mold the space marine and mecha archetypes) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. His work sometimes had controversial aspects, such as plural marriage in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, militarism in Starship Troopers and technologically competent women characters who were formidable, yet often stereotypically feminine—such as Friday.
Heinlein used his science fiction as a way to explore provocative social and political ideas and to speculate how progress in science and engineering might shape the future of politics, race, religion, and sex. Within the framework of his science-fiction stories, Heinlein repeatedly addressed certain social themes: the importance of individual liberty and self-reliance, the nature of sexual relationships, the obligation individuals owe to their societies, the influence of organized religion on culture and government, and the tendency of society to repress nonconformist thought. He also speculated on the influence of space travel on human cultural practices.
Heinlein was named the first Science Fiction Writers Grand Master in 1974. Four of his novels won Hugo Awards. In addition, fifty years after publication, seven of his works were awarded "Retro Hugos"—awards given retrospectively for works that were published before the Hugo Awards came into existence. In his fiction, Heinlein coined terms that have become part of the English language, including grok, waldo and speculative fiction, as well as popularizing existing terms like "TANSTAAFL", "pay it forward", and "space marine". He also anticipated mechanical computer-aided design with "Drafting Dan" and described a modern version of a waterbed in his novel Beyond This Horizon.
Also wrote under Pen names: Anson McDonald, Lyle Monroe, Caleb Saunders, John Riverside and Simon York.

Reviews

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the 1971 edition, which is not on Goodreads, while I own a copy of the first edition.

Seven of the top science fiction writers of the 1940's provide their thoughts on successfully writing science fiction stories and novels. While much of Heinlein's essay has been reprinted many other places. I found all of these essays hold-up and remain relevant to today's writers. Not every point is for every writer, but every SF writer will get something positive from this book.

There things I learned from this book:

1. Published in 1947, Heinlein reveals he is thinking about or working on "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress," my favorite of his novels, which was published in 1966.

2. L. Ron Hubbard wrote 3,000 - 4,000 words per hour! That is nuts.

3. E.E "Doc" Smith didn't know much about writing science fiction. (He wrote fantasy set in space.) He had high and accurate praise for A. Merritt. While I agree with his thoughts on Merritt, Smith is praising Merritt's fantasies and this is a book about science fiction. This says a lot about Smith.

[Richard Pulfer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still holds up for the most part.

I was overjoyed when I found this in a used book store, and it didn't disappoint. The book provides a wealth of writing advice from Who's Who of classic science fiction writers - including Robert A. Heinlein, L. Sprague de Camp and John W. Campbell, Jr.

Now the traditional caveat about writing advice and its usefulness applies here now more than ever. After all, there's plenty of writing advice on the internet at all given time and its usefulness is debatable in the best cases. Now imagine said writing advice is well over fifty years old. Some of it - such as Campbell's thoughts on first person vs. third person - definitely needs to be taken with a grain of salt, even if the theory behind it still holds some value.

The genre of science fiction has changed a lot and this book definitely reflects that transformation. Still, it's worth a read, especially for anyone who is a fan of classic sci-fi.