What I Learned From Reading the Year's Best SF&F

I recently finished reading Rich Horton's The Best of Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015. I've often picked up anthologies and Best Of series but only read through them casually, often skipping stories that didn't catch my interest right away, or skimming those that weren't relevant to my tastes. But this time, I decided to read with the idea that (1) I'd finish the story no matter what, and (2) I'd make notes of what I liked and didn't like in each story in order to find what I'd like to focus on in my own short stories.

I finished every story, save for one. That one was just too dry for me. I absolutely could not make myself read it. I think a lot of people enjoy that style, but it reminded me of required reading in grad school and I sort of wanted to stab myself in the eyes. But I finished all the other stories. A few started out slow or confusing, but after a page or so, they got really interesting, so I'm glad I gave them a chance.

There were a few things that I enjoyed across the stories that worked best for me. I prefer clear prose over that which is too rich. Not that clear prose is always simple, but it conveys the idea and the image just right. I also enjoyed those stories which surprised me, or that subverted my expectations. This is a hard one for me to pull off in my own writing. A strong emotional resonance was always appreciated, especially those moments that made me nod my head and said, "Yes, that's how those things are." There was a truth in the emotion portrayed. And finally, the best stories had layers. Images worked literally and metaphorically and tied into the theme clearly. They were repeated often, but not too often, throughout the story, and so tied it together.

Those things I didn't care for included stories I found too confusing. Sometimes I felt there were too many characters or too much going on, especially in the beginning when I was trying to ground myself in the story. And often, as I read along, I felt it unnecessary to have cluttered the beginning with so much. But other times, it seemed necessary. Tied into beginnings, but on the other end of the spectrum, I found some of the starts slow. Those are normally stories I might put down after a page, but because I was determined to read on no matter what, many of them turned out to be enjoyable. And finally, I didn't care for most of the stories where there was no discernible plot. I like things to happen, even if they're quietly happening, but some of the stories struck me as pretty prose and interesting observations or characterization, and not much more.

Of course, this is all a matter of taste. Another reader might love the things I don't and strive to make their stories more like that. But I'm going to try to incorporate the things I enjoyed into my own short stories going forward, which is easier said than done, of course.

My favorite three stories of the collection were "The Scrivener" by Eleanor Amason, "How to Get Back the Forest" by Sofia Samatar, and "The Grand Jeté" by Rachel Swirsky. There were about ten other stories that I really enjoyed as well, and I learned quite a bit from the lot of them.

Books on the Craft of Writing

I'm one of those people who loves books on writing. I have tons on my shelves, I've checked out plenty from the library, and I have quite a few on my e-reader. I enjoy hearing the books that others found useful, so I decided to share some of my favorites here, and if you have any that you've read and loved but don't see on the list, please share them!

In no particular order:

(1) The 90 Day Novel by Alan Watt. I've talked about this one before. This book takes you through a month of writing exercises so that you get to know your character, and then guides you through the next two months in order to write a rough draft. There are over two hundred questions in the book that allow you to explore your protagonist and antagonist as thoroughly as you want (and really, you can apply them to secondary characters as well). I didn't use all 200-plus questions, but at one point while working on these, things clicked, and I suddenly felt like I knew my characters very well. I will definitely use these questions as guidelines in the future.

(2) To Each Their Darkness by Gary A. Braunbeck. Braunbeck has taken some of the most horrific things that ever happened to him (and trust me, they're pretty awful) and turned them into fiction that just takes your breath away. I recommend this for finding the courage to write about your own darkness and fears.

(3) Save The Cat! by Blake Snyder. It's a book on screenwriting, but it's also applicable to writing fiction. I'm going to try the techniques to help outline my next novel.

(4) The 10% Solution by Ken Rand. When it's time to edit, this book can help with whittling down words and strengthening your prose.

(5) The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. Not a writing book, per se, but many writers have been influenced by him. Star Wars (episode IV, not those crappy prequels) was heavily influenced by Campbell, for example.

(6) The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maass. This is just a great overall guide for breathing life into your characters and your world.

(7) Bullies, Bastards, and Bitches by Jessica Page Morrell. First of all, I've never had so many people interested in what I was reading until I toted this around and pulled it out in public. The title grabs you, that's for sure. Also, it helps with making complicated, nuanced villains and not just the two-dimensional, mustache-twirly kind.

(8) Dynamic Characters by Nancy Kress. A good introduction to writing characters.

(9) Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury. A collection of essays on writing. I considered highlighting to most important passages, but then realized I would've highlighted every word.

(10) Steering the Craft by Ursula K. Le Guin. Writing exercises that can be done by yourself or in a group. What you write may surprise you, and will definitely delight you.

Which ones would you recommend?