Planetside Full Archives

by Jeffe Kennedy In interviews, I’m often asked how I ended up writing a blend of fantasy and romance. It’s become a more frequent question, in fact, in the year since I’ve been president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy…

As of May 11, 2022, the SFWA Independent Authors Committee is seeking novel submissions for our next fantasy StoryBundle to be released this fall. Submissions will be accepted through May 30, 2022 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. This is a great…

by Marie Brennan Recently, I’ve seen a number of online discussions about stories without conflict, especially stories from outside the Western narrative tradition. I’m not the right person to discuss those specific approaches, but listening to the conversations has made…

by Kim Fielding Until fairly recently, it was impractical for most self-published authors to produce audiobooks. Now, however, almost anyone can easily produce a high-quality one. This is good news, because audio constitutes a significant—and profitable—portion of the publishing market….

By Lorraine Wilson Statistics are easy to quote, but difficult to connect to, don’t you think? It’s easy to say that 20% of people in the UK are disabled, but within publishing we account for only 5%. To say migraines…

by Claire Davon I blame my reading habits on Dragonflight. I’ve been a reader all my life, fueled by a wide collection of available books in the family home, coupled with repeated visits to the library. Though I started with…

By Kathy Flann We think of humor as something that just … happens. Yet, as someone who writes both humor and fiction, I’ve learned that each is a distinct craft with challenges that can multiply when combined—not unlike when Ray,…

By Nicole Valentine Note: This blog post is not an endorsement by SFWA of the products discussed within it. If you’re anything like me, the pandemic has cut into your ability to focus and write. It’s also changed the way…

By Renan Bernardo In the second century A.D., Lucian of Samosata wrote A True Story, a tale of space trips and alien life-forms. His first language was Syriac, but to reach the people of Athens, he wrote the tale in…

Bill Johnson (October 4, 1956–March 17, 2022) began publishing science fiction in 1977 with the story “Stormfall,” which appeared in Kate Wilhelm’s anthology Clarion SF. Over the years, he published around 30 stories. His 1997 story “We Will Drink a…

by Sherrie Cronin While independent authors can find many expensive ways to promote their books, and a few free ones, SWFA offers an opportunity for gaining both income and that coveted exposure all authors seek. For the past five years,…

By Eugen Bacon I read Maurice Broaddus’s “Black Joy and Afrofuturism for Young Readers,” which heartens us to be present, fully and joyfully, not just for ourselves but for our children, our new adults, and our future generations. He dares…

By Maria Haskins Writing flash fiction—commonly defined as a story of no more than 1,000 or 1,500 words—can seem daunting at first try. Or addictive if you’ve already caught the flash-writing bug. These tips are based on my love for…

by Alexia Chantel Editor’s note: This is the first installment in a new SFWA Blog series, Romancing Sci-Fi & Fantasy, from our Romance Committee! Expect new posts in this series in the coming months. Science fiction and fantasy (SFF) are…

By Jeff Somers It’s often noted that in baseball, making an out 70 percent of the time is considered all-star play(1). Although every writer’s experience will be different, writing often seems to offer a similar success ratio in terms of…

By Kahina Necaise Convincing fiction is about cause and effect.  That’s why, in my work as an editor, the two questions I ask most often while diagnosing an issue with a client’s story are:  Does this come out of nowhere?…

by J. Scott Coatsworth Editor’s note: All recommendations in this article are the opinions of the author and do not reflect an approval or endorsement by SFWA. Two Paths to Indie Greatness As an indie author, you have two basic…

By Rebecca Hardy  I love systems. I think most worldbuilders do, at least to some extent. Systems of magic. Systems of currency. Systems of governance and geopolitical conflict in underwater cities, postapocalyptic wastelands, and galactic civilizations. And . . ….

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Grants Committee has awarded 25 organizations, activities, and public interest programs with 2022 Givers Fund Grants ranging from $350 to $4,800. Since 2014, when SFWA transitioned to an active 501(c)3 charitable…

by Kim Fielding Editor. That’s a term guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of nearly every writer. It’s terrifying to witness someone approach our beloved work with a critical, even clinical eye. Indie authors might feel especially fearful because…

J. Brian Clarke (May 23, 1928–January 17, 2022) was a SFWA member, a well-known writer of science fiction, a fellow of the British Planetary Association, and a past president of the Calgary center of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. …

Ron Goulart (January 13, 1933–January 14, 2022) was a Nebula Award nominee in 1966, and the SFWA Vice President and Grievance Chair from 1969–1971. His writing debuted in the Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction in 1952, and he wrote…

Dave Wolverton (May 15, 1957–January 14, 2022), who primarily wrote fiction as David Farland, was an award-winning and bestselling science fiction and fantasy author, editor, professor, and mentor. Wolverton’s first publication was in 1985,  the short story “The Sky is…

John Joseph Miller (March 28, 1954–January 5, 2022) served as SFWA Secretary from 1996–1998. John was a founding member of the Wild Cards Consortium, and is perhaps best known for his work in the Wild Cards shared universe series, first…