Characters are the lifeblood of any work of fiction, but only in speculative fiction are they not always human. This workshop will explore what it takes to develop complex, interesting characters within a speculative context. How can a character from another world still be relatable to readers? How does the world they come from tie into character creation? What makes an alien truly alien? In this workshop, we’ll explore all these questions and more through discussion, examples, and imaginative writing exercises. Expect to come away from the class with techniques for developing new characters and revisiting old ones.