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" In a sense, fantasy is a freer play of the imagination. You can achieve exactly the situation you want with less groundwork, less of a need to fill in all of the background. For science fiction, I would use a lot of sources to set up, for instance, what a being from another planet would be like. "

Roger Zelazny

Situation

Science

Imagination

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Roger Zelazny

University

Reputation

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" I got the idea for my novel 'Lord of Light' when I cut myself shaving just before I was to go on a panel at a convention. I had to go out there with this big gash in my face. I remember that I thought, 'I wish I could change bodies.' "

" I try to sit down at the typewriter four times a day, even if it's only five minutes, and write three sentences. "

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" I am fascinated, I suppose, by a flawed man with a streak of greatness. "

Roger Zelazny

Greatness

Flawed

" I read poetry every day. I look at it as an exercise, a kind of T'ai Chi for writers. It teaches economy of form. "

" Robots are very tricky to design and expensive, whereas humans are cheaply manufactured. Humans can handle things with greater manual dexterity than most robots I've known. "

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" I find fantasy easier to write. If I'm going to write science fiction, I spend a lot more time thinking up justifications. I can write fantasy without thinking as much. I like to balance things out: a certain amount of fantasy and a certain amount of science fiction. "