Planetside Full Archives

We are pleased to announce that our online anthology Publishing Taught Me now has a full roster of contributors! In addition to currently published essays by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki and James Beamon (which are available here–https://www.sfwa.org/sfwa-publications/publishing-taught-me-a-sfwa-anthology-project/), we have essays upcoming from Diana…

by Georgina Kamsika Have you ever read something that you knew was incorrect? Sometimes, research has fallen short of convincing people who know better, even though other readers might not notice anything wrong. For those who know, it can be…

Locus magazine has a long history in our field; from a one-page zine founded to support a Worldcon bid, it has grown to become the premier industry magazine for science fiction and fantasy publishing. For decades, they’ve covered the news…

by Austin Conrad Fantasy’s enduring appeal stems from our imaginative exploration of the impossible. Each branch of speculative fiction asks the question “What if?” in their settings and stories. Many flowers on these branches portray a world which is plausible—outlandish…

by William C. Tracy Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series from William C. Tracy. Part 1 will focus on publishing and release costs, comparing traditional and indie publishing. Part 2 will present marketing resources, including a…

by J. D. Harlock Boxing (pugilism) is a martial art and combat sport in which fighters trade punches for a predetermined amount of time on a raised platform (boxing ring or squared circle). Forms practiced today include bare-knuckle boxing, kickboxing,…

The Grants Committee of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) has awarded 34 organizations, activities, and public interest programs with Givers Fund Grants. These micro-grants ranged from $375 to $2900 each, for use for projects taking place in…

by James Beamon I take my humor seriously. You have to, as a humorist, and even more as an editor looking for funny stories. The bulk of my editing experience has been scrutinizing speculative short fiction for the Unidentified Funny…

Welcome to the March edition of the SFWA Market Report. Please note: Inclusion of any venue in this report does not indicate an official endorsement by SFWA. Those markets included on this list pay at least $0.08/word USD in at least…

by Austin Conrad Fantasy worlds often include a single “common” language spoken by a majority of the setting’s inhabitants. Often simply called Common, this shared language smooths over communication challenges in both fiction and games. Dungeons & Dragons is perhaps…

by Jeremy Zentner  In the ever-changing age of technology, the opportunities for publication are as daunting as they are diverse. I don’t think anyone can argue that it’s easy to find success as a writer. However, as a writer, it…

by Noah Sturdevant You write, right? You write books, novellas, poems, screenplays, comics, demented scribbles on the subway, etc. That makes you an author. Simple, isn’t it? It should be. But for some reason, we tend to forget our favorite…

by John Dale Beety What do your characters spend? Currency, the forms of money used in a setting, can add rich and suggestive detail to your worldbuilding. Here are eight key questions to answer when creating fictional currency. Does Your…

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) is pleased to announce that the 2024 Kevin O’Donnell, Jr. Service to SFWA Award will be presented to James Hosek at the 59th Annual SFWA Nebula Awards® for his outstanding work on behalf…

By Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki So, does the writer’s identity matter? The short answer is, well, yes.   But the question people mean to ask when they ask if the writer’s identity matters is: should the writer’s identity matter? Whether something matters…

By Holly Henderson Poetry can be one of the shortest forms of fiction, but it has the ability to make an outsized impact on the reader. This is especially true when poetry is combined with fantasy and science fiction—both forms…

Welcome to the February edition of the SFWA Market Report. Please note: Inclusion of any venue in this report does not indicate an official endorsement by SFWA. Those markets included on this list pay at least $0.08/word USD in at least…

Publishing Taught Me, the SFWA online anthology project supported by a grant from the NEA, is seeking pitches for four essays to be included in the anthology. We are looking for contributions addressing the experiences of BIPOC authors, editors, and…

By Austin Conrad Editor’s Note: This is the second in a two-part series from Austin Conrad on acquiring illustrations for tabletop games. Part 1 focused on working directly with an artist, while Part 2 presents additional resources. High-quality art plays…

by the SFWA Safety Committee Listen, so there’s this prince in Nigeria who really needs— Hey, wait, where are you going??? I’m joking, of course. If there’s one scam we all know, it’s the classic Nigerian Prince swindle, a modern…

by Marie Andreas New year, new you, new stories! And, as always, new ways to increase your productivity. Every January, writers look at ways to increase their output. Whether you’re a casual writer or one making a living at it—we…

(Kind of like the Star Trek Experience—lots of diversity that some accept, some fight, and others never see) by Elle Ire   Concluding Mission Our exploration of the experiences of various members within the LGBTQ+ spec-fic community concludes by examining…

By Rachel Craft I’ve recently gotten hooked on writing “challenges,” multi-round contests that give participants a creative prompt and a tight deadline to write a short story. Sometimes it’s a week, sometimes it’s as little as 24 hours. If that…

By Hildy Silverman Sharing story creation and developmental duties with a writing partner might seem daunting, given that we authors tend to invest a certain amount of ego (to put it mildly) into our work. Writing alone, we can be…