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Publishing Industry Terms and Contracts: Some Resources, and Some Advice
I often see small presses using a contract template they’ve picked up from somewhere, which may employ outdated terminology (such as referring to plates or unbound sheets) or contain unnecessary language (such as including a revised editions clause in a…
When is a Dodgy Publisher Like a Stopped Clock?
A stopped clock is right twice a day. A dodgy publisher is right…well, less often. But sometimes
An Interview with Jason Heller
I love worldbuilding. I love using symbolic and metaphorical social constructions to exaggerate and concentrate the issues we deal with in the real world.
SFWA Announces Honorees of the 2012 Solstice Awards
The Solstice Awards were created to acknowledge members who have had a significant impact on the science fiction and fantasy landscape. It is especially meant for those who have made a consistent, positive, major difference in the genre.
Nebula Awards Interview: Connie Willis
Research is a lot more fun than writing. I could go on looking things up forever, and sometimes that’s a problem.
Last Day to Nominate for the Hugo Awards
On Sunday, March 11, 2012, at 11:59 PM (Pacific), the window to nominate works for this year’s Hugo Awards and John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer will close.
When a Writing Contest Has a Hidden Agenda
If you’ve been reading this blog for long, you may have guessed that I’m not a big fan of writing contests.
An Interview with Myke Cole
I absolutely love the military, but I’m not blind to the challenges and limitations of the life either. Control Point was definitely a steam valve in some respects.
Why You Can’t Always Trust the Source
Many writers assume that a literary agent’s inclusion in a market guide or listing–whether it’s a print book, such as Jeff Herman’s Guide, or a website, such as QueryTracker–is an imprimatur of reputability. Surely the agent wouldn’t be listed if…
Guest Post: The Joy of Discovery
…I firmly believe that the joy found at the heart of reading is the same joy found at the heart of writing: it is the joy of discovery.
New French Law Seizes Digital Rights
The issue of orphan works–out of print, still-in-copyright books, films, photographs, etc. whose rightsholders can’t be found–is one that has been much in the news lately.
Voting for the 2011 Nebula, Bradbury and Norton Awards Now Open
Voting for the 2011 Nebula Awards, the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and the Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book is now open to all SFWA Active and Lifetime Active members. Ballots…
2012 Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop
Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop, held in Laramie, Wyoming, is now accepting applications for its 2012 session.
Nebula Awards Interview: Christopher Barzak
I’ve written too many stories and books now to not notice patterns of theme, image, character type, etc, emerge over and over. It can be a bit disconcerting to see ones own obsessions so clearly after a while. …
In Memoriam: Mark Bourne
Author Mark Bourne, 50, died Saturday February 25, 2012.
His short fiction appeared in Asimov’s Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Realms of Fantasy, and numerous anthologies.
Guest Post: Who Controls Your Amazon E-book Price?
While there are certainly advantages to Amazon’s program, anyone who thinks Amazon is in this to help authors is a fool. Amazon, like pretty much any other business, is in this to make money.
Why Poets Should Not Seek Literary Agents
Writer Beware hears from a fair number poets. Much of the time, they’re contacting us to ask about self-publishing, or to check the reputation of a journal or a contest. Sometimes, unfortunately, they’ve gotten mixed up with one of the…
Script Frenzy hits this April
Script Frenzy is an international writing event in which participants take on the challenge of writing 100 pages of scripted material in the month of April.
Nebula Awards Interview: Aliette de Bodard
Basically, genre is a very useful guideline for grouping together novels that share certain characteristics, but I think it can also be a trap–what Ursula Le Guin and many others referred to as the ghetto. It tends to create books…
2011 Nebula Awards Nominees Announced
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America is proud to announce the nominees for the 2011 Nebula Awards (presented 2012), the nominees for the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation, and the nominees for the Andre Norton Award for…
Guest Post: What’s Wrong with the Cheesecake? — A Brief Introduction to Antagonists
…I’m not going to discuss the importance of goals today. Instead, I’m going to discuss how worthless they are.
Tidbits
The recent mega-success of self-epublishing authors such as Amanda Hocking, John Locke, Darcie Chan, and Kerry Wilkinson has generated a lot of media attention over the past year or so. But the mega-successes aren’t the only ones who are doing…
BookTango: Author Solutions Rolls Out Ebook Distribution Services
Posted by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware
Just introduced from self-publishing conglomerate Author Solutions (owner of the iUniverse, Xlibris, AuthorHouse, and Trafford brands, and the power behind the outsourced self-publishing divisions of Harl…
Nebula Award Nominations Close Today, Feb. 15th
SFWA Active and Associate members, today is the last day to nominate for this year’s Nebula Awards. You may do that online with the Nebula Awards nomination ballot. Your ballot must be received by Wednesday, Feb 15th, 2012, at 11:59pm…