Writers of the Future Deadline
Before October 1st…
The quarter is over on Friday, the last quarter of Volume #39. So you have until Friday to get your stories in.
Not only does Writers of the Future pay 8 cents per word, but if you get in the book you get a free trip to Hollywood, a free week-long workshop taught by top writers, and nifty prize money if you win one of the top spots. That speaks nothing about the fantastic awards show. Stunning, just stunning.
And no worries about me already seeing the story. I am the editor. I will know your name if you win. But Jody Lynn Nye and a cast of great sf writers read and judge the stories without names on the stories. The story stands for itself, just like on The Voice the person’s voice stands for itself. I see the winners when they are announced and never before. My job is to just help put the book together.
More than likely, if you are reading this, you can send to the contest. Here are the requirements…
- Have you sold more than three short stories at 8 cents per word?
- Has any of your novels sold more than 5,000 copies?
- Have you sold a novel to a top five publisher and gotten a contract? (Chances are your book only sold a dozen copies we have come to learn, but it is the contract with the top five publisher that counts against you.)
So if you sold to anything we have published at WMG Publishing, such as Fiction River, Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, or The Holiday Spectacular, they don’t count because we only pay 6 cents per word.
If you sold to any major magazine or anthology that only paid six cents per word, they don’t count.
And most of us don’t sell 5,000 copies of any book indie. And that is PER BOOK!!
So you have to get the story in the mail by Friday. And then every quarter after that, don’t miss until you win!!
It is, by far, the best market in science fiction and fantasy. And I have read a lot of stories by a lot of you and I know you folks can win this. But first you have to know you can submit, and then you have to follow the rules and do it.
Rules are here: https://www.writersofthefuture.com/contest-rules-writers/
You can get to the entry portal through the rules or go directly to:
Come on, guys. Missing this market is just bad business.
10 Comments
Mihnea Manduteanu
Submitted, got accepted. How long is the selection process?
dwsmith
You should know one way or another in a couple of months. Takes a lot of time to read all the stories that come in and Jody Lynn Nye and her crew really work to give every story the same fair shot.
Bonner Litchfield
Just got the WOTF email for last quarter results. Honorable Mention again. Pretty sure that story started with the opening from the last depth workshop assignment.
That makes eight or nine HMs, I think. Could be an idea for an anthology: Always a Bridesmaid.
I’d forgotten all about this quarter, so I’d better send something. Free contest that really pays off if you hit it.
Kate Pavelle
I like the collection or anthology idea!
Pur
I have to know: is that free trip applicable no matter the country of residence? I live in Australia and am accustomed to contests assuming prizes like that are in-country only without specifying, and my critical voice has been really nailing me on the subject of ‘you live too far away, you don’t count, so why even bother’.
Never mind all the other benefits of winning, like the market exposure and being paid for it, but my brain weasels are only going to keep being a nuisence if I don’t know for sure. At least if I know in either direction I can work with it.
dwsmith
They have winners every quarter from all over the world and pay for your flight to Hollywood for the ceremony and the workshop. Where you live does not matter and it is free, so not sure of the problem.
Pur
Thanks for the confirmation, Dean. Sometimes living this far from the US may as well be another planet for all the regard we get; for instance, until last year it was impossible to get any proofs or author copies from Amazon with an Australian address.
I’m used to being denied services because of where I live, so I wanted to be certain to lay those doubts to rest.
Jim
Thank for the push Dean! Held my breath and hit “Submit.”
Still haven’t exhaled.
dwsmith
Oh, trust me, Jody won’t bite.
Kate Pavelle
So it can be pretty long. That’s good… because dang, those headlights got a lot brighter all of a sudden and I thought I wouldn’t make the length limit!