Doug LeMoine: “In 1978, Philip K Dick published an essay called “How to Build a Universe That Doesn’t Fall Apart Two Days Later.” The title sort of says it all; it’s about how to envision the world of a story in a way that lasts. He cuts right to chase, too, confronting the hard question that most writing how-to’s like to gloss over: What is worth writing about? Where to start? How to make a statement that doesn’t age badly?”