Category Archives: querying

How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues

A couple of people have asked me to write up some advice on this, so I thought ‘Why not!’…. When we think about writing for the speculative fiction community, we often think of short stories, novels, and poetry — the imaginative worlds that readers escape into. But non-fiction is just as vital to the field,ContinueContinue reading “How to Pitch Non-Fiction to SFWA, BSFA Focus Magazine, and Other Speculative Fiction Venues”

Year In Review 2024

For the last two years in December, I have written a ‘Year in Review’ post, and here is this year’s. The main purpose of the original post was to convince myself that although I had not published my first novel, nor even got an agent, I had achieved something in the sphere of writing. ThisContinueContinue reading “Year In Review 2024”

Navigating Writing Conferences as an Introvert

As I prepare to go to Readercon next week, this topic is heavily on my mind. Speaking personally, as an introvert, attending writing conferences can be both exhilarating and exhausting. They offer invaluable opportunities for learning, networking, and gaining insights into the publishing world. Here are strategies to make the most of a writing conferenceContinueContinue reading “Navigating Writing Conferences as an Introvert”

Writers: Do Your own Thing

All of the typical goals we have as beginning writers – writing for publication in a magazine, or to win a writing contest, push us to follow convention. To look at what exists, what has won, what has been published by that magazine, and make something that will win over the same editor. In otherContinueContinue reading “Writers: Do Your own Thing”

Year In Review 2023

Last year in December I wrote a ‘Year in Review 2022’, the main purpose of which was to convince myself that although I had not published my first novel, nor even got an agent, that I had achieved something in the sphere of writing. As we close out 2023 I thought I would do itContinueContinue reading “Year In Review 2023”

READERCON 32

So this past weekend (July 13th to 16th, 2023) I attended ReaderCon! For anyone that doesn’t know, Readercon is a Sci Fi and Fantasy con focussed on the written word, both reading and writing. Unlike many cons, it does not have video games, role-playing game rooms, dress up/costume events, or many of the other thingsContinueContinue reading “READERCON 32”

Futurescapes: Workshopping the first 3000 Words

So on 5/2/23 I made a blog entry about the Futurescapes application and lead up to that workshop. Today I thought I would round out that with a post about my experience with the actual workshop. As a reminder I did the SFF 3000 word novel workshop. There are also KidLit, Horror, and longer 100ContinueContinue reading “Futurescapes: Workshopping the first 3000 Words”

Dream Agents, Editors, or Publishers

I think many of us would be lying if we did not say we had an idea of how we might want our writing career to go. I don’t just mean Hugo’s and Nebulas, though, why not? I mean down to what publisher you think matches you as your favorite author publishes with them, orContinueContinue reading “Dream Agents, Editors, or Publishers”