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How do I pay my dues?

1. In the left menu, click “Manage Profile” 2. It will ask you for your email. Use the one SFWA has on file for you. Send an email to secretary@sfwa.org to get your temporary password or use the “Forgot my password” option. (The first time you log in the website will ask you to accept […]

Writing SF For Kids

by Justin Stanchfield Is writing science fiction or fantasy for younger markets really different? Well … Yes and No. It’s true that children’s lit, especially for early readers, can follow a simpler format than mainstream fiction. But … Everything you know about writing, all the rules, guidelines and advice you’ve been given before still applies. […]

A Writer’s Guide to Understanding the Copyeditor

by Terry McGarry Originally appeared in the Bulletin of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Spring 1995. Copyright © 1995 Terry McGarry. Reprinted with permission. Many copyeditors prefer to spell the word “copyeditor.” I laughed when I got page proofs of a short story I had written about a copyeditor: the anthology’s copyeditor […]

Murder Your Darlings

It’s the nature of writers to fall in love with words, particularly their own. Clever turns of phrase excite us; we beam like proud parents when our protagonists take on lives of their own; a shapely plot twist can turn our heads. There is nothing wrong with indulging in the occasional fling-as long as it stops in draft. When time comes to make that final revision, however, you must harden your heart, sharpen the ax and murder your darlings.

Doyle’s YA SF Rant

by Dr. Debra Doyle This rant first appeared in the book review section of hwæt!, my zine for Apanage, a children’s literature apa. Later on, I posted it in the Doyle&Macdonald topic on GEnie’s Science Fiction RoundTable. And after that, it seems to have taken on a life of its own. The Giver (the 1994 […]