In a generative workshop for writers of any genre, author Fran Wilde will provide participants with tools to blend different genres, and participants will leave with the seeds for several new stories. Her workshop, “How to Put Speculative Fiction to Work For You—Even if You Don’t Write Sp eculative Fiction,” will take place June 13 at Good Contrivance Farm and is open to all writers. Seating is limited, so sign up soon! LEARN MORE REGISTER Fran Wilde is a two-time Nebula Award-winner who has published nine novels, a poetry collection, a short story collection, and over 70 short stories for adults, teens, and kids. Her work has been a finalist for multiple Nebula, World Fantasy, Hugo, Locus, and Lodestar awards, including her Nebula- and Compton Crook-winning debut novel Updraft, and her Nebula-winning, Best of NPR 2019, debut Middle Grade novel Riverland. Fran teaches or has taught at Wilkes University, St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and Vermont College of Fine Arts. She also writes nonfiction for publications including The Washington Post, The New York Times, NPR, and Tor.com. Fran graciously took the time to answer some burning questions… Q. Many writers specialize in a single genre of writing for a specific age group of readers. You’ve published fantasy, science fiction, essays, and poetry—and for all ages from middle-school kids to adults. What accounts for this diversity in your writing? For me, the project gets to choose the genre and audience, not necessarily the other way around. I like to play and experiment, and if, while I’m doing so, I find the heart of the work heading in one direction or another, I don’t try to force it into a box that doesn’t fit. NB: This isn’t something one can necessarily do with multiple books or a series under contract, but luckily, once I’ve engaged in enough experiments to ground the work, I find it’s truly rewarding and fun to keep writing in those universes for multiple books or stories. Q. How might a writer who is used to staying in their own lane that’s not speculative fiction—say, essays or literary fiction—benefit from your upcoming workshop on June 13? Lanes are useful for honing a particular set of skills… but sometimes those lanes can become ruts, right? One of the ways my workshop can be useful — even for creative essays and literary fiction — is to provide opportunities to experiment with different toolsets and methods, just as many essayists and literary writers do (tip of the hat to Calvino, Eagan, and others). Of course, it never hurts to learn new things, either! Q. You’re also a prolific writer. Nine novels, more than 70 short stories, a poetry collection, and a short fiction collection — A Catalog of Storms — out last year! What’s the secret to that level of creative output? Not secrets, really: doing the work of writing, working on different kinds of projects, and finishing what I write. That last part is key — even if something is terrible, I try to finish it, so I can revise it (or completely rewrite it) later. Also important: Taking time to set aspirations every year, looking back on what I’ve done, and forward to what I want to do also helps! Q. Your latest novel, A Philosophy of Thieves, is a fantasy novel with elements of sci fi. What led you to combine these two forms of fiction? Thieves is more of a genre turducken — science fiction on the outside, fantasy on the inside (where the magic is money), all wrapped around a series of heists and a family drama. Combining genres is a delight, especially when they work in opposition to raise tension, help reveal particular character notes, or provide a moment of whimsy or awe that increases the reader’s immersion in the story. All things we’ll talk about during the Good Contrivance workshop! Q. Can you also tell us about The Sunday Morning Transport, for which you are the Co-Editor in Chief? I’d be delighted to! The Sunday Morning Transport is a curated magazine of short, speculative fiction (science fiction, slipstream, horror, fantasy, etc.) that publishes a new story on Sundays. We’re in our fourth year, so that’s over 200 stories that you can read online (here’s a trial link), including authors like Ken Liu, Baltimore’s own Sarah Pinsker, Sarah Rees Brennan, Katherine Addison, Andy Duncan, Leslie What, LD Lewis, Yoon Ha Lee, and David Bowles, to name just a few.     Good Contrivance Farm2015 Emory Road Reisterstown, MD 21136 ...read more read less