“Science fiction is well known for the evocation of that peculiar emotion characterized as the ‘sense of wonder,’ ” says local author and UT Dallas lecturer Tony Daniel.

To teach students how to cast that imaginative spell, he will join forces with award-winning science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer Saturday, Sept. 18, in a “One-Day University” for science fiction writers (and hopefuls). The event is presented by The Center for Values in Medicine, Science and Technology at UT Dallas.

The seminar will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the School of Management building (SOM 2.722). Daniel and Sawyer will lead workshops for small groups of writers who want to learn more about the sci-fi creative process, answer questions and provide feedback. 

“The key to the existential examination of the possibilities of human experience is excellent storytelling, and that’s what we’ll concentrate on in this class,” Daniel said. “We’ll explore idea generation and plausible world-building within science fiction.” He is thrilled to be working alongside Sawyer, one of his mentors. 

Additional topics to be covered include the importance of infusing philosophical and thematic content into stories, techniques for writing about beings more intelligent than we are, and how point-of-view choices can make fiction come alive in the reader’s mind. 

Tony Daniel, a Hugo award finalist for his short story “Life on the Moon,” is also a lecturer at UT Dallas, where he teaches the literature of science fiction and fiction writing. The author of five books, including Metaplanetary and Superluminal, he has appeared numerous times in Gardner Dozois’ The Year’s Best Science Fiction anthologies. 

Robert J. Sawyer, winner of Nebula and Hugo Awards for best science fiction writing, is the author of more than 20 sci-fi novels, including Hominids, The Terminal Experiment and Mindscan.  

 “One-Day University” is part of UT Dallas’ “Incite Your Curiosity: Exploring Human Enhancement” lectures.  The cost to attend is $125 per person, which includes breakfast and lunch. Space is limited to 50. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit values.utdallas.edu.