What Does Easy Writing Mean for You?

Big News!

My full market list is now, finally, fully searchable online! I am so excited about this!!!

I’ve been fiddling with the page for the last couple of weeks … mostly learning which things I can’t do using these plug-ins. So the actual updates from this newsletter are from the middle of April, and you should expect another update in the near future. Going forward, I’ll update the online version at the same time that I send the newsletter out. Of course, you can still download the complete spreadsheet and keep your own copy on your own computer.

Go ahead, go to the Online Market Listings, search for “anthology theme” and see if any of your stories match current calls!

What Does Easy Writing Mean for You?

What kind of scene is easiest for you to write, and why? I was asked this question recently, and I think it’s a good one for any writer to think about.

For me, it’s food scenes. This isn’t terribly surprising. I like to savor my food, I like to watch cooking shows, I’m the main cook for my household so I have some idea what I’m talking about, and description is one of the writing tools that I got for free. But those aren’t the deepest reason why feasts are easy for me to write, they’re just the price of admission.

Food is visceral. It draws me in. Writing about it kicks my imagination (and my salivary gland) into overtime. I hit flow faster. The movie that plays in my mind as I write becomes more vivid. And when it’s more vivid for me, hopefully I do a good enough job writing it that it also becomes more vivid for my reader. And if they are my ideal reader, they are probably drawn in by the same things that I am.

The other kind of writing that I find easy, for the same visceral reasons, is body horror. This despite the mid-writing research required to keep it physically possible. Theoretical research only, I assure you. πŸ˜‰

Now, does this mean that I should put a feast scene (or a body horror scene) in every chapter I write? Well, no. Although if I did both, I could probably churn out a pretty good horror novella in a month or two (note to self). Balancing scene types and tension and plot is important. But it does mean that I can lean in when I see an opportunity for a feast scene or some good old-fashioned enucleation. And if I’m plotting a story and there’s a choice between a cannibal feast or a dramatic love scene, I know which one will fit my voice and style better.

Writer, know thyself!

What I’ve been up to lately, writing-wise:

Let’s just say there’s nothing like a 4theWords special event to get me pushing to meet new word challenges … or to leave me with a hot mess of a chapter that has a lot of “put this bit here, move that bit there, double-check this detail, did I already say this?” inline notes that I now need to go through and clean up to get a proper first draft.

Things Shiny or Useful

Archive of all shiny or useful links: https://aswiebe.com/marketlist/shiny-or-useful-writing-links/

How to Pitch: 3PO Edition: http://candleinsunshine.com/musings/how-to-pitch-3po-edition/

An Open Letter to the 2023 Hugo Finalists: http://corabuhlert.com/2023/05/01/an-open-letter-to-the-2023-hugo-finalists-whoever-they-may-be/

Clock Outline: http://candleinsunshine.com/musings/clock-outline-blades-in-the-dark-style/

7 Ways to Spring Clean Your Writing: https://careerauthors.com/7-ways-to-spring-clean-your-writing/

The Basics of Crafting Terror: https://horrortree.com/how-to-write-horror-the-basics-of-crafting-terror/

Email Lists From Scratch Tutorials: https://sellingforauthors.wistia.com/projects/2nsyj3aru4

Query Shark October Newsletter-Personalization: https://tinyletter.com/QueryShark/letters/query-shark-october-newsletter-personalization

Isabel Yap’s thread: how i write with a full-time job: https://twitter.com/visyap/status/1638337852256710656

Upcoming Virtual Conventions/Workshops

(Any registration fees are noted.)

The Nebula Conference, May 12-14, 2023 ($150). Purchasing a membership also gets access to recorded panels and year-round special events: https://events.sfwa.org/

Wiscon, May 26-29, 2023 ($25): http://wiscon.net/

The Orange County Library System has many upcoming free virtual writing talks: https://www.ocls.info/writers-corner

Featured Market

Uncanny Magazine‘s novella call is still open until 5/15/23!

Uncanny Magazine is seeking passionate, diverse SF/F fiction and poetry from writers from every conceivable background.  We want  intricate, experimental stories and poems with gorgeous prose, verve, and imagination that elicit strong emotions and challenge beliefs. Uncanny believes there’s still plenty of room in the genre for tales that make you feel.

Uncanny Magazine

Basics: speculative fiction novellas, 17,500 – 40,000 words, pays $.10/wd, no reprints, due 5/15/23.

Guidelines: https://www.uncannymagazine.com/submissions/

Market List Updates

To see all the details about these new listings and what they're looking for, as well as hundreds of other listings, go to Aswiebe's Market List and download the latest version of the spreadsheet. Note: going forward, limited demographic market listings will be italicized.
Click here to keep reading! (Best viewed on a wide screen.)
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Testing the new system!

No one gave a thought to the older worlds of space as sources of human danger, or thought of them only to dismiss the idea of life upon them as impossible or improbable. It is curious to recall some of the mental habits of those departed days. At most terrestrial men fancied there might be other men upon Mars, perhaps inferior to themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise. Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us.

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No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water. With infinite complacency men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurance of their empire over matter. It is possible that the infusoria under the microscope do the same. No one gave a thought to the older worlds of space as sources of human danger, or thought of them only to dismiss the idea of life upon them as impossible or improbable. It is curious to recall some of the mental habits of those departed days. At most terrestrial men fancied there might be other men upon Mars, perhaps inferior to themselves and ready to welcome a missionary enterprise. Yet across the gulf of space, minds that are to our minds as ours are to those of the beasts that perish, intellects vast and cool and unsympathetic, regarded this earth with envious eyes, and slowly and surely drew their plans against us. And early in the twentieth century came the great disillusionment.

Name What they want Pay Per Word USD (originals) Flat Pay USD (originals) Website Notes
Factor Four Magazine All speculative fiction, especially SF, fantasy, supernatural, and superhero fiction $0.110
https://factorfourmag.com/submissionsinfo/
Baen Fantasy Adventure Award ANNUAL CONTEST – DUE 2/1 – 4/30 Adventure fantasy $0.080
https://www.baen.com/contest-faa
Bioluminescent (Android Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 4/30/22 Optimistic SF with the lunarpunk aesthetic $0.080
https://www.android-press.com/lunarpunk-anthology-submissions
Cyberpunk-Solarpunk Anthology (Android Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 3/31/22 Cyberpunk and solarpunk stories $0.080
https://www.android-press.com/cyberpunk-vs-solarpunk-anthology
Jim Baen Memorial Writing ANNUAL CONTEST – DUE 10/01 – 02/01 Near future positive space exploration SF $0.080
https://www.baen.com/contest-jbmssa
Nightmare Magazine Horror/dark fantasy $0.080
https://adamant.moksha.io/publication/nightmare/guidelines Prefers < 5,000 words. SUBMISSION PERIODS: 2x yearly, usually March and September.
Planet Democracy (Mithila Review) ONE-TIME THEMED ISSUE / ANTHOLOGY – DUE 5/20/22 Hopepunk and solarpunk $0.080
https://mithilareview.com/hopepunk/
Galaxy’s Edge SF and Fantasy $0.070
https://www.galaxysedge.com/submissions/ Submissions open every week, then close when they hit their quota
Halloween Ghost Anthology (Alienhead Press) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 5/31/22 Halloween ghost stories $0.060
https://www.gabytriana.com/alienheadpresssubmissions
Shoreline of Infinity SF and Fantasy $0.052
http://www.shorelineofinfinity.com/submissions/ RIGHTS: Also takes audio rights. ONE-TIME 2022 SUBMISSION PERIODS: 4/4 – 4/14 (SF fairy tales), 6/13 – 8/28 (flash fiction competition), 9/11 – 9/14
Azathoth: Ordo ab Chao (Hellnotes) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 5/31/22 Horror themed to Lovecraftian god Azathoth and order out of chaos $0.050
https://hellnotes.com/open-call-azathoth-ordo-ab-chao/
Planet Scumm SF and weird fiction $0.050
https://www.planetscumm.space/submit ONE-TIME SUBMISSION PERIOD: open until 5/2/22
Translunar Travelers Lounge Fun speculative fiction $0.030
https://translunartravelerslounge.com/submissions/ SUBMISSION PERIOD: 3/15-3/21 (POC), 3/22-4/15, 9/15-9/21 (POC), 9/22-10/15
Fission (British Science Fiction Association) ANNUAL ANTHOLOGY – DUE 2/1-3/15 SF $0.027
https://bsfa.co.uk/fission
Shacklebound Monthly Newsletter All speculative fiction, especially dark $0.020
https://shackleboundbooks.wordpress.com/submissions/
Dread Space (Shacklebound Books) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE UNTIL FULL Military SF horror $0.010
https://shackleboundbooks.wordpress.com/submissions/
Maelstroms (Shacklebound Books) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE UNTIL FULL Dark fantasy, themed to the sea $0.010
https://shackleboundbooks.wordpress.com/submissions/
Electric Literature Literary, all genres, incl. experimental. The Commuter takes flash fiction. Recommended Reading takes short stories.
$300.00 https://electricliterature.submittable.com/submit SUBMISSION PERIODS: Recommended Reading (short stories) has 2 1-week open submission periods, usually in Spring and Fall, The Commuter (flash fiction) has 4 1-week submission periods. NOTE: Long response time.
Fairy Tale Review Fairy tale poetry and prose
$50.00 https://fairytalereview.submittable.com/submit/ ONE-TIME theme 3/21/22-6/30/22: queer fairy tales
Futures that Never Were (Broadswords and Blasters) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 7/1/22 – 7/15/22 Sword and planet fiction
$40.00 https://broadswordsandblasters.wordpress.com/2022/03/01/open-call-broadswords-and-blasters-presents-futures-that-never-were/
Out of the Darkness (WolfSinger Publications) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 8/15/22-10/15/22 Speculative fiction, themed to escaping the darkness
$20.00 https://www.wolfsingerpubs.com/out-of-the-darkness
War Torn (Shacklebound Books) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 4/1/22 OR UNTIL FULL Reprint SF featuring war
$20.00 https://shackleboundbooks.wordpress.com/submissions/
Never Cheat a Witch (WolfSinger Publications) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 5/15/22-7/15/22 Speculative fiction, themed to cheating a powerful magical entity
$15.00 https://www.wolfsingerpubs.com/never-cheat-a-witch-guidelines
Ring of Fire (WolfSinger Publications) ONE-TIME ANTHOLOGY – DUE 7/31/22 Speculative fiction, themed to a ring of fire
$15.00 https://www.wolfsingerpubs.com/ring-of-fire-guidelines
Luna Station Quarterly Fantasy, science fiction, creepy horror by women-identified writers only
$5.00 http://lunastationquarterly.com/submissions Submission periods: Sept 15 – Nov 15, Dec 15 – Feb 15, Mar 15 – May 15, June 15 – Aug 15
Fireside Fiction (novellas and novels) – DEAD MARKET All genres, explicitly including spec-fic $0.000
https://firesidefiction.com/submissions
Fireside Fiction (short stories) – DEAD MARKET All genres, explicitly including spec-fic $0.125
https://firesidefiction.com/submissions
Continue reading “Testing the new system!”
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