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Guest Post: Where’s the Diversity, Hollywood?
As fans clamor for the latest cinematic thrills, we decided to focus our next Diversity Gap study on the level of racial and gender representation in these ever-popular genres that consistently rake in the big bucks for movie studios.
Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop: A Reflection
Two weeks ago, a group of writers descended upon the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming for the Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop.
2014 World Fantasy Award Nominees and Life Achievement Award Winners
The 2014 World Fantasy Awards Ballot has been announced.
Life Achievement Winners
Ellen Datlow
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
Caren Gussoff and the Birthday Problem
In an industry where success is difficult to quantify, there are certain writing benchmarks that denote achievement and validate your work to your peers and your readers. Becoming SFWA-qualified is one of them.
Prometheus Award Winners Announced
The Libertarian Futurist Society has announced its Prometheus Award winners for 2014.
The Prometheus Award, sponsored by the Libertarian Futurist Society (LFS), was established in 1979, making it one of the most enduring awards after the Nebula and Hugo awards, and…
Support the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund with a Great Deal on Awesome SF!
Pay what you want. Support charity. Get exceptional titles. Last year, the Humble Book Bundle raised over $55,000 for the SFWA Emergency Medical Fund. Offering pay-what-you-want pricing, you could receive the following titles…
Overcoming Self-Doubt as a Writer
by Matthew Kressel
It’s become a cliché, the tortured writer beset by periods of crippling self-doubt. But things become clichés simply because they have been true for so many. Writing, for most people I know, is an experience of few victories…
Guest Post: Yog’s Law and Self-Publishing
by John Scalzi
Many years ago, writer Jim Macdonald postulated “Yog’s Law,” a handy rule of thumb for writers about the direction money is meant to flow in publishing:
“Money flows toward the writer.”
New Board Members at SFWA
On July 1st, 2014, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers welcome Cat Rambo as the new Vice President and Sarah Pinsker as incoming Director at Large (elected from the Eastern Region*).
SFWA Policy on Self-Publishing: Comments Welcome.
The SFWA Board of Directors is asking members to share their opinions of self-publishing over the summer.
Philip K. Dick in Orange County
“Philip K. Dick in Orange County” website has launched with the following background provided by SFWA member, Dr. David Sandner: In 1972, Philip K. Dick moved to Fullerton, California, in Orange County, at the behest of Dr. Willis McNelly, Professor of English…
Sunburst Award Society Announces The 2014 Shortlists
The Sunburst Award Society has announced the short-lists for this year’s awards.
Guest Post: Cooking the Books with Ann Leckie
by Fran Wilde
In ANCILLARY JUSTICE, tea is sometimes a staple, sometimes a luxury item – for instance, citizens relying on the baseline free supplies from the Radchaai don’t get tea, or not very good tea. Can you talk about the…
You Talkin’ ‘Bout Me?: Finding Replacements for Google Alerts
by Caren Gussoff
I wanted to find services that acted like Google Alerts did in its healthy heyday: rounding up every mention across the web, without guessing that mention’s possible relevance, and sending to me on a regular basis.
Six ways to win the Andre Norton Award
by Katie Sparrow
In 2013 I had the pleasure of being on the wonderful Andre Norton jury and getting to read a metric ton of young adult and middle grade books (there were vampires! Zombies! And multi-world theory adventures, sometimes with…
Prometheus Award Finalists Announced
The Libertarian Futurist Society has announced its Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) finalists for its annual Prometheus Awards. The awards will be presented during Loncon 3, the 72nd annual World Science Fiction Convention August 14-18, 2014,…
Interstitial Arts Foundation Announces Indiegogo Campaign
The Interstitial Arts Foundation, a genre-smashing nonprofit founded in 1999, announces a crowdfunding Indiegogo campaign to raise $8,500 to support its journal, Interfictions Online.
SFWA Signing Schedule at BookExpo America
SFWA Signing Schedule at BookExpo America
2013 Nebula Awards Winners Announced
The 2013 Nebula Awards were presented May 17, 2014 at the SFWA’s 49th Annual Nebula Awards Weekend in San Jose CA. And the winners are…
Guest Post: Using foreign language in your story – the balancing act!
by Juliette Wade
I love to use non-English languages in a story. To me, a foreign language behaves like a form of music – it creates mood and atmosphere for the readers who don’t understand it, and it further creates a…
Guest Post: Thoughts On Writing (This) Graphic Novel(s)
I can’t tell you much about the experience of writing a graphic novel in general. I can only tell you specifically about my experience for this particular graphic novel I’ve been writing for the past six months.
Video Profile of SFWA Grand Master Samuel R. Delany
Open Road Media presents Samuel R. Delaney, our 2014 Grand Master.
“I consider Delany not only one of the most important SF writers of the present generation, but a fascinating writer in general who has invented a new style.” —Umberto Eco
Vernor Vinge to receive a Special Prometheus Award
The Libertarian Futurist Society has chosen Vernor Vinge to receive a Special Prometheus Award in 2014 for lifetime achievement.
SFWA at BookExpo America
SFWA will once again be present at BookExpo America, May 29-June 1. While we won’t be participating in panels, we will have a table and will host signings.