Archive for the ‘Information Center’ Category

So, you think your publication is working to advance equity in SFF?

by Sabrina Vourvoulias   First, a quick quiz: Did you read the headline, and automatically compile a mental checklist of the authors and staffers from underserved communities you’ve published or hired?  Congrats, but … you were gauging diversity.  Did you read the headline and start enumerating the kind of outreach you’ve done to ensure underserved […]

Unusual Governments to Take Inspiration From

by Eleanor Konik   Often, speculative fiction relies on common government types, like monarchies and republics, because they’re familiar to readers. History, however, offers other examples of sociopolitical systems. They can be a gold mine for worldbuilding ideas that stretch beyond the mainstream. Informal Governments Many societies worked just fine without strict hierarchical leadership. Power […]

Neurodiversity and the Business of Writing, Part 2: ND Difficulties in Publishing

by Matthew Broberg-Moffitt Part 1 of this series focused on the importance of #OwnVoices stories and the representation of neurodiversity and the neurodiverse (ND) in modern media. Part 2 covers the business of traditional publishing and the unique challenges that the ND face when attempting to get a seat at the proverbial table.  For those […]

Author Advances: An Update for Your Expectations

by Alice Speilburg Nearly every summer, I bring on an intern for the agency, and each week we cover a different publishing topic, focusing on traditional publishing paths in the US. When we get to author payment structures—advances and royalties—I start with a theoretical explanation. An advance is intended to cover an author’s expenses while […]