Archive for the ‘Topical Series’ Category

Butt in the Chair: How Disability Changed My Writing Habits

by Catherine Tavares Editor’s note: This piece is part of an occasional series titled Writing by Other Means, in which authors share personal experiences and industry intel around different production contexts and writing tools. It’s spring 2023. My desk is clean, my laptop on and humming along like a charm. It’s open to a brand new Scrivener […]

Volunteers, Watch Out for Those Invisible Expectations!

by Marie Croke Editor’s note: This piece is part of the series Volunteer Networks: The Heart of SFF, where writers discuss the rewards and challenges of speculative fiction volunteer work. Read twenty-five stories a month. Copy-edit four stories an issue. Attend biweekly meetings. These are quantifiable tasks. They can be scheduled and carefully planned around. […]

Decolonizing History in Brazilian SFF

by Lívian Bonato Editor’s note: This piece is part of a rolling series, Writing from History, in which creators share professional insights related to the work of using historical elements in fictional prose. Despite many recent additions to global science fiction and fantasy (SFF), Eurocentrism is still a challenge in many fictional universes. In post-colonial […]

History in Speculative Fiction: Repeat, Rhyme, or Echo?

by Aaron H. Arm Editor’s note: This piece is part of a rolling series, Writing from History, in which creators share professional insights related to the work of using historical elements in fictional prose. There’s an adage that people like to bring up when discussing current events: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.”* […]

Translation for Video Games: An Interview with Kristin Osani

Editor’s note: This piece is part of the series Perspectives in Translation, where creators discuss the many facets and challenges of translating fiction. The terms “source language” and “target language” will be used throughout this series. Translation is always a challenging process and can become even more complicated when audiovisual materials are involved. Here, SFWA […]

Translation vs. Adaptation: The Continuous Struggle for Optimal Ratio

by Elena Kovalenko Editor’s note: This piece is part of the series Perspectives in Translation, where creators discuss the many facets and challenges of translating fiction. The terms “source language” and “target language” will be used throughout this series. If you’re a writer, translating your work into a different language may seem straightforward. After all, […]

The Many Alt-Histories of World War II

by Jeremy Zentner Editor’s note: This piece is part of a rolling series, Writing from History, in which creators share professional insights related to the work of using historical elements in fictional prose. Fifty million dead, continents in ashes, and the emergence of a global struggle between two superpowers: World War II changed the path […]

Only as Good as Our Tools: Drafting by Hand and Fountain Pens

by Carrie Finch Editor’s note: This piece is part of an occasional series titled Writing by Other Means, in which authors share personal experiences and industry intel around different production contexts and writing tools. Painters have brush and canvas. Dancers have mirrors and marley floors. Musicians have their instruments and the loving maintenance they require. […]

The Revolution Will Be Fantasized

by Samuel Poots Editor’s note: This piece is part of a rolling series, Writing from History, in which creators share professional insights related to the work of using historical elements in fictional prose. In 2009, I met my hero. I was eighteen, painted blue, and wearing a borrowed kilt, a brave choice for November in […]