Study Along Science Fiction Craft Workshop

How To Write Gripping and Unique Science Fiction

Study Along with the Las Vegas Science Fiction Craft Workshop.

For those of you who do not know, Kristine Kathryn Rusch teaches the craft workshops in Las Vegas (I get to help on one of them). To put it lightly, the workshops are intense. (grin)

And we screen who we let in to make sure the intense work and pressure will not hurt anyone, but instead help them learn and advance their writing.

In 2019 we have three craft workshops scheduled and three planned in 2020. (All are at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, NV.)

What happens, in general, at these workshops is that there is a reading list about five months ahead that Kris sends everyone. Everyone must have it all read by the workshop. It is not a small list and Kris has reasons for each story and book on the list. Just the reading list in a learning experience.

Then two weeks ahead of the workshop or so you get a story assignment to a specific topic to write and bring with you to the workshop.

Then over the five days in Las Vegas you write two or three more short stories, do a bunch of exercises and craft things focused on helping you get better at the topic of the workshop. Kris talks about the books you read in depth, also about the assignments and the stories in the two sessions a day of meetings. And she has lectures about the topics to help the writers move forward.

As I said, these are intense and will jump your writing ahead. (If interested, write me.)

Study Along Workshops

Since the in-person Vegas workshops with Kris are very limited and also you must qualify and be in the right place, many writers either don't qualify yet or can't make the trip to Vegas for one reason or another.

So Kris and I have come up with a way to allow writers of any skill level to study along. It won't be the full workshop by a long ways, but it will still be pretty nifty.

First, you will get the same reading list that Kris sends out five months ahead. Same deadline to get it all read.

You will get the first story assignment. It must be turned it at exactly the same time Kris's writers in Vegas will turn their stories in.

Kris will do short videos about the reading books that will be released a little each day. (Writers in Vegas will also have access to all this as well for review later.)

I will do a series of recorded videos that will be opened up each day talking about learning the topic of the workshop, similar to regular online workshops.

You will get the short story assignments and deadlines at exactly the same as the Vegas writers. I will respond to your short stories. Kris will not read them, but I will. Then I will do a short webinar for each short story assignment where I talk about the stories and the reason for the assignment.

Only the Vegas writers will get all the other craft assignments and hear Kris's lectures and how that all builds. But the Study Along students will get her comments recorded about each book in the reading list and my lectures on the topics plus comments on the stories and a webinar about the stories.

Study Along Science Fiction Craft Workshop

This workshop focus is on how to write science fiction in all the different sub-genres. It focuses on how to create science fiction worlds and characters readers will want to follow.

This workshop works for writers of all levels who want to write gripping science fiction.

Details About the Science Fiction Craft Workshop

This workshop will be held in January, 2020 from Friday the 24th to Tuesday the 28th.


Your Instructor


Dean Wesley Smith
Dean Wesley Smith

With over twenty-three million copies of his books in print, USA Today bestselling writer Dean Wesley Smith now brings you original fiction every month for the past three years in his own magazine, Smith’s Monthly.

Dean wrote over twenty-five original Star Trek novels, the only two original Men in Black novels, plus Spider-Man, X-Men, Iron Man novels, and others. He wrote many gaming novels including Final Fantasy.

He wrote novels and stories under almost fifty pen names and did scripts for Hollywood as well as being an editor for various magazines. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife, writer Kristine Kathryn Rusch. You can follow his writing life at www.deanwesleysmith.com


Course Curriculum


  Introduction to Study Along Fantasy Craft Workshop
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Reading List
Available in days
days after you enroll
  First Story Assignment
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Reading Videos Friday Morning
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Reading Videos Friday Afternoon
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Second Story Assignment
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Reading Videos Saturday
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Third Story Assignment
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Reading videos Monday
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Monday Video
Available in days
days after you enroll
  Tuesday Last Day Stuff
Available in days
days after you enroll

Frequently Asked Questions


When does the course start and finish?
For lectures and classic workshops, the course starts now and stays on your dashboard for as long as you like! They are completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish. For the monthly regular workshops, each has a start date and each week's lectures will appear on the same day. After the course is finished it will remain on your dashboard for as long as you like.
How long do I have access to the course?
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
How do I contact someone about a course?
If you have any questions at all about anything in a course, simply email dean with the word "workshop" in the subject line. His email is [email protected]

Get started now!