Science fiction & fantasy is one of the most challenging--and rewarding!--genres in the bookstore. But with New York Times bestselling author Philip Athans & fantasy giant R. A. Salvatore at your side you'll create worlds that draw your readers in--and keep them reading! Just as important you'll learn how to prepare your work for today's market. Drawing on his years of experience as one of the most acclaimed professionals in publishing Wizards of the Coast editor Athans explains how to set your novel apart--and break into this lucrative field. From devising clever plots & building complex characters to inventing original technologies & crafting alien civilizations Athans gives you the techniques you need to write strong saleable narratives. Plus! Athans applies all of these critical lessons together in an unprecedented deconstruction of a never-before-published tale by the one & only R. A. Salvatore! There are books on writing science fiction & fantasy & then there's this book--the only one you need to create strange wonderful worlds for your own universe of readers!