Tag Archives: #sfwapro

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers News: SFWA Chat Hour Debuting May 30, 2016, Noon Pacific Time

I talked to some folk about this at the Nebulas, and I finally figured I need to just go ahead and start making it happen. So starting May 30, every two weeks I’ll host a SFWA Chat Hour that will … Continue reading

Posted in SFWA | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Storybundling the Write Stuff

I have several maxims that I have developed over the course of my writing career. One of them is, “If Kris Rusch invites you into a project, you say yes.” Because Kris is one of the people who understands independent publishing and its possibilities, and she is a savvy, savvy marketer.

When Kris came and asked about including my book Creating an Online Presence in a Storybundle, I was thrilled and also a little panicked, because I knew it had to be updated before it went in there. Too much had happened on the Internet in the two and a half years since I’d first put it up. I was also flattered that she thought the book was worth including, because I value her opinion.

And the truth is, if you’re a writer, you do need to at least think about this stuff enough to make an informed decision. If you’re being traditionally published, your publisher will probably expect you to be helping out with the marketing in the form of social media or other Internet efforts. Every book launch, for example, seems to involve a slew of guest blog posts and similar promotions.
Continue reading

Posted in publishing | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Celebrating Beneath Ceaseless Skies

Almost a decade ago I was part of a terrific workshop run by Walter John Williams and Connie Willis in the Taos Ski Valley. It was a talented group, and the two week session was a happy blur of lots of writing, lots of critiquing, and lots and lots of shop talk, plus assorted movies and a lot of wine.

One of the participants mentioned that he planned to start a literary fantasy online magazine. Since he happened to like the stuff I was workshopping, I figured that would be a surefire sale. So as soon as he opened up the magazine, I fired off a submission.

And he rejected it, because he didn’t feel it had the right flavor for his magazine.
Continue reading

Posted in online fiction | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

Nebula Conference 2016, Chicago

I write this amid a welter of notes, business cards, and obligations/opportunities acquired over the course of what was, for me, the best Nebula weekend I have ever attended. Part of that was the number of attendees who came up to express their appreciation of the programming, the award ceremony, the events, the overflowing book bags, the volunteers, the Nebulas issue of the Bulletin, the volunteer breakfast, and even with the way that they think SFWA has been going over the course of the last year. That is, to put it mildly, most gratifying, and is among the reasons I returned from Chicago renewed, refreshed, and re-enthused. A little under a year of my two-year presidential term lies behind me; I’m curious to see how much can be achieved in the next year.

Thank you to everyone who attended, both in person or virtually by spreading the word and retweeting. It was a weekend that was full of wonderful community and a chance to connect with new and old friends. There were so many moments that will live in my heart, including:
Continue reading

Posted in conventions | Tagged , , , , , , , | 58 Comments

Answers to Some Galaktika Magazine Questions

I’ve been following the controversy with Galaktika with particular interest because there are a number of SFWA members involved. My thanks to A. G. Carpenter for graciously sharing what they found out. In the process of talking to people, I dropped Istvan Burger a mail because I had these questions:
Continue reading

Posted in publishing | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

WIP: The Mage’s Gift

I’ve got a new Patreon story brewing, that I hope to finish up today and let sit for a few days before posting. I recently finished up a bespoke story, title still TBD, and that’s sitting in the mental fridge drawer chillaxing before I go back to its rewrite and polish.

So for Patreon, another Serendib story, and a return to The Dark and Tericatus. Here’s some from yesterday: Continue reading

Posted in patreon | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Birthday

Well, happy birthday to me. I’ve managed five decades and a bit so far; here’s to many more. Man, this has been a shitty year in many ways, and one full of life lessons that apparently the universe felt were … Continue reading

Posted in daily life | Tagged , , , , , | 218 Comments

Ten More Plots Taken From Other People’s Problems

Again taken from helpineedhelp.com: I don’t know what the back of my head looks like. I’m a peeping tom. I don’t know what fork to use. I forgot my password. I need a dream recommendation. I forgot someone’s name. I … Continue reading

Posted in Writing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Patreon Post: Laurel Finch, Laurel Finch, Where Do You Wander?

Happy Monday to everyone. Here’s a piece of fiction for you, “Laurel Finch, Laurel Finch, Where Do You Wander?” It’s steampunk, and it fits into the world I think of as Altered America, a steampunk setting where one of the … Continue reading

Posted in patreon | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

SFWA Bulletin and Blog Submission Guidelines

One of the things we’ve been working on behind the scenes is getting submission guidelines for both the SFWA Bulletin and the SFWA Blog up. The former pays ten cents a word, the latter six cents. They’re looking for much the same sort of content, things of interest to professional genre writers; blog articles are a bit shorter and more informal.
Continue reading

Posted in SFWA | Tagged , , , , , | 31 Comments