by Michael Capobianco Editor’s note: This piece is the second in a two-part overview of the first year of SFWA, curated by a member of the organization’s History Committee. Part 1 is available here. Damon Knight was now president of SFWA, Editor/Writer/Publisher of the Bulletin, and chair of a one-person Contracts Committee/Griefcom.  It was at […]

by Michael Capobianco Editor’s note: This piece is the first in a two-part overview of the first year of SFWA, curated by a member of the organization’s History Committee. Part 2 is available here. On January 15, 1965, Damon Knight, a well-known author, critic, and co-founder of the Milford Conference writer’s workshop, sent an announcement […]

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 from authors signing with agents to sales of books to multi-page spreads for award ceremonies. […]

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 Google Sheets template, to help authors calculate their book costs. How much do you make […]

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 is prudent to remember that even the legends employed their own cunning to find publication […]

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 iteration of the even more classic Spanish Prisoner scam that dates back to the 19th […]

For many years, Writer Beware hosted a Thumbs Down Agents List and a Thumbs Down Publishers List, identifying the agents and publishers about which we’d received the largest number of serious complaints. With the exception of three UK-based vanity publishers that are unfortunately still in operation, all of these agents and publishers have gone out […]

By Shawn Proctor Whether you enroll in a writing workshop or writer’s group, there is a premium placed on critique as the main path to improving your craft. Peer writers working on the same elements of character, plot, voice, and pacing are excellent partners for highlighting a story’s foibles and fumbles and offering suggestions to […]

by Steven Radecki During the more than a decade that I have been involved in indie publishing, I have worked with more than three hundred authors. One thing I have discovered is that, just as publishing is not a one-size-fits-all process, neither is how individual writers conceive of their success. Managing your own goals and […]

by Cat Rambo Writers are often told that they must go to conventions and conferences in order to network and move their careers forward. It’s good advice, but only if you approach your con experiences with some smart planning. You’ll also find that the costs add up fast. Here are some suggestions for making the […]