Speculative fiction is often the domain of the young, able, heroic, physically remarkable protagonist overcoming extreme odds, with their health generally intact. Sometimes there is romance! However, as the readers and writers in the genre age, they may be interested in reading about and writing about characters over sixty. Eschewing the wise old wizard, the hag woman, the mysterious herbal healer, doting grandparents, or the ancient evil villain, the workshop participants will brainstorm characters and plot lines enlarging on these tropes, finding new ways to express, in speculative fiction, the multitude of emotions, genre goals, characteristics, physicalities, social standing and occupations of the non-young.

• Part 1: Analyzing all the stereotypes, with some examples from Spec fiction
• Part 2: Experimenting with new scenarios and characters
• Part 3: Writing short fiction or character descriptions
• Part 4: Reading to the group (if desired) + feedback.

About Marcy Arlin

Marcy Arlin’s speculative fiction publications include Daily Science Fiction, Diabolical Plots, perihelionsf.com, Kaleidocast podcast, Plays about Reproductive Freedom, Man.In.Fest Journal of Experimental Theatre. She has written reviews for the NY Review of Science Fiction, blogged on the Clarion newsletter, and been a producer/director/actor for Kaleidocast’s Seasons1 & 2. She studied SFF with Kij Johnson, Andy Duncan and Chris McKitterick at the Kansas CSSF and at the Writers’ Institute (Andre Aciman), NYC.

Other publications include Czech Plays: 7 New Works and articles on Eastern European Theatre in Slavic & Eastern European Performance. She received the OBIE for Theatre as Artistic Director of Immigrants’ Theatre Project and teaches theatre at City University of New York. Marcy is a member of the Brooklyn Speculative Fiction Writers and is a Fulbright scholar to Romania and the Czech Republic.