Neil Clarke's Blog, page 24
August 10, 2016
2016 WSFA Small Press Award Finalists
The 2016 WSFA Small Press Award Finalists have been announced:
“The Art of Deception,” by Stephanie Burgis in Insert Title Here, ed. by Tehani Wessely, published by Fablecroft Publishing, (April 2015);
“Burn Her,” by Tanith Lee in Dancing Through The Fire, ed. by Ian Randal Strock, published by Fantastic Books (September 2015);
“Cat Pictures Please,” by Naomi Kritzer, published in Clarkesworld Magazine, ed. by Neil Clarke and Sean Wallace, (January 2015);
“The Empress in Her Glory,” by Robert Reed, published in Clarkesworld Magazine, ed. by Neil Clarke and Sean Wallace, (April 2015);
“The Haunting of Apollo A7LB,” by Hannu Rajaniemi in Hannu Rajaniemi: Collected Fiction published by Tachyon Publications, (May 2015);
“Headspace,” by Beth Cato in Cats In Space, ed. by Lawrence M. Schoen, published by Paper Golem LLC, (December 2015);
“Leashing the Muse,” by Larry Hodges, published in Space and Time Magazine, ed. by Hildy Silverman, (May 2015);
“Leftovers,” by Leona Wisoker in Cats In Space, ed. by Lawrence M. Schoen, published by Paper Golem LLC, (December 2015);
“Today I Am Paul,” by Martin L. Shoemaker, published in Clarkesworld Magazine, ed. by Neil Clarke and Sean Wallace, (August 2015).
A big congratulations to Naomi, Martin, and Robert. Will one of them be the first to take home this award for Clarkesworld? We’ll find out at Capclave!
August 6, 2016
August 1966
I’m turning fifty this month. For fun, I’ve started reading the August 1966 issues of various science fiction magazines. Have I missed anything of note?
You can find pictures of the individual issues on my Instagram page.
August 5, 2016
Forever Magazine – August 2016
Editorial by Neil Clarke
Alone by Robert Reed (novella)
Necahual by Tobias S. Buckell(short story)
Kheldyu by Karl Schroeder (short story)
Cover Art by Ron Guyatt
Buy this issue from:
August 4, 2016
Surveying Short Fiction Readers about Magazines
Have some time to help me out? I’m doing some research and need short fiction readers to participate in a short survey.
My 2016 Worldcon Schedule
I’ll be attending Midamericon II (Worldcon) from August 18th through 21st. Here’s my current list of signings, panels, and award ceremonies I’ll be attending. I was originally scheduled to have a Literary Beer, but the time they assigned me didn’t work. I can’t say that they’ll be able to reschedule, so if you planned on going to that, please feel free to catch me after a panel, as I wander the con, or even at the Clarkesworld at Ten panel.
Editing and Crafting the Short Story
Thursday 16:00 – 17:00, 2206 (Kansas City Convention Center)
Any writer or editor can tell you that writing a short story and writing a novel require different skills in the writer’s wheelhouse. Writing on the small scale requires precision of detail from concept to completion. What do you need to know about openings, character development, narrative arcs, endings, and more that will make your short fiction pop? How does the process differ from putting the initial draft on paper to editing the text to better reflect the vision in your head? When do you know when that short story is finally ready to go?
Ellen Datlow, Alex Shvartsman, Ms. Lynne M. Thomas, Neil Clarke, Sheila Williams (M)
Chesley Awards Ceremony
Thursday 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, 3501F (Kansas City Convention Center)
Ceremony held by the the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists to recognize individual artistic works and achievements.
Campbell & Sturgeon Awards
Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:50 PM, 2501D(Kansas City Convention Center)
Join us as we honor the winners of the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best science fiction novel of the year and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for the best science fiction short story of the year. These awards are unique in that they are selected by incredibly well read authors and scholars in the field. This process side-steps the politics of other award methods. Tonight we will announce the winners and honor their talent with a brief reception.
Autographing: Neil Clarke, Brenda Cooper, Rebecca Moesta, Martin Shoemaker, Rosemary Claire Smith
Friday 10:00 – 11:00, Autographing Space (Kansas City Convention Center)
Rebecca Moesta, Neil Clarke, Brenda Cooper, Martin L. Shoemaker, Ms Rosemary Claire Smith
Trends in Magazine Publishing
Friday 14:00 – 15:00, 3501D (Kansas City Convention Center)
A lot of things have changed for magazine publshing. What’s the beat way in, and how do we write for a genre that is moving across media?
MR. Donald Douglas Fratz (M), John Joseph Adams, Neil Clarke, Shahid Mahmud, Dr. Mary Anne Mohanraj, Jason Sanford
The State of Short Fiction
Friday 15:00 – 16:00, 3501B (Kansas City Convention Center)
More than just the magazines, short fiction is in a golden age, found in the magazine, online, in anthologies, and chapbooks. The field’s editors come together to talk about what they are seeing, and debate whether there is a short fiction renaissance.
David Truesdale (M), Neil Clarke, Mr Jonathan Strahan, Sheila Williams, Gordon Van Gelder
Magazine Group Reading: Clarkesworld
Friday 17:00 – 18:00, 2504B (Kansas City Convention Center)
Our Magazine Group Reading Series continues with a special group reading that features authors from Clarkesworld Magazine.
Neil Clarke (M), Kelly Robson, Seth Dickinson, Martin L. Shoemaker, Naomi Kritzer
The Place of Bookstores
Saturday 10:00 – 11:00, 2204 (Kansas City Convention Center)
Rather than failing, bookshops are allegedly on the rise, but is this the case for all kinds or just a special few? Current and former bookstore managers, owners and users discuss the realities of selling books in an online and e-book world.
Lauren Roy, Carrie Vaughn, Cynthia Ward, Neil Clarke (M), Michelle (Sagara) West
Clarkesworld at Ten
Saturday 14:00 – 15:00, 3501F (Kansas City Convention Center)
Neil Clarke began publishing Clarkesworld Magazine in October 2006. He, his staff, and some contributors look back on ten years.
Neil Clarke (M), Kate Baker
Submitting the Short Story
Saturday 15:00 – 16:00, 2206 (Kansas City Convention Center)
The big secret to getting a short story accepted is to write an amazing story. But are there simple things an author can do to make sure their story isn’t dismissed out of hand? We’ll also look at some of the best techniques for finding the right market to submit your work and for tracking your submissions.
Sheila Williams, Catherine Krahe, Eric T. Reynolds (M), Betsy Dornbusch, Neil Clarke
Hugo Awards Ceremony
Saturday 18:00 – Whenever, Theater (Kansas City Convention Center)
The annual and most prestigious science fiction awards ceremony comes to Kansas City.
August 2, 2016
August 2016 Issue of Clarkesworld Magazine
Our August 2016 issue (#119) contains:
Original fiction by Kali Wallace (“First Light at Mistaken Point”), Dale Bailey (“Teenagers from Outer Space”), Emily Devenport (“Now is the Hour”), Sean Bensinger (“The Engines Imperial”), Ryan Row (“Reclamation”), and Karla Schmidt (“Alone, on the Wind”).
Reprints from Tobias S. Buckell (“The Fish Merchant”), Madeline Ashby (“A Stopped Clock”).
Non-fiction by Jason S. Ridler (Frankenstein’s Soldier: David Morrell and the Creation of Rambo), an interview with N.K. Jemisin, an Another Word column by Cat Rambo, and an editorial by Neil Clarke.
Cover art by Jaroslaw Marcinek.
PURCHASE THIS ISSUE AT:
Amazon Kindle
B&N EPUB
Clarkesworld Android App – Google Play
Clarkesworld iPad/iPhone App – iTunes
Kobo EPUB
Weightless EPUB/MOBI
Wyrm EPUB/MOBI
July 19, 2016
Impostor!
Recently, several people have told me that I need to put myself out there more, particularly when it comes to marketing myself as an editor. I tend to be a “let the work speak for itself” kind of person, but that, apparently, isn’t how things are done anymore. If I want to get more people to subscribe, support us on Patreon, or even consider anthology pitches, I’m told I need to take the stage… at least occasionally.
I find the concept frightening. Aside from it going against my severely introverted tendencies, it requires me to confront my own impostor syndrome. People seem amused when I tell them this.
“But you have three Hugos, a World Fantasy Award, one of the most popular genre magazines, and a year’s best series…”
That’s not how this works. If anything, those accomplishments contribute to it.
“Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be.” (Wikipedia)
Looking back at old interviews, I’ve routinely credited luck and timing. I’ve described myself as stumbling into this field at age thirty-nine with no credentials. My background is in computer science and I took one (required) writing course in college.
It’s easy to start something when people have little or no expectations from you. I can’t tell you how many people told us Clarkesworld would be “dead within a year.” Somewhere around the third year, that changed. Being taken seriously was intimidating. Success felt great, but I was always ready for the rug to be pulled out from under us.
And then, four years ago, I had a near-fatal heart attack. It’s the sort of thing that reshapes your priorities and forces you to examine what you’ve been doing. I think that might have been the first time I honestly admitted to myself that I was a professional editor and deserved to be paid for my work, no matter how much I enjoyed it. That said, I’m still very good at ignoring the voice that says “you earned this.” That list of accomplishments… that’s what my childhood heroes did. In that light, it’s often a case of “I’m not worthy.”
That brings us to today. I can’t quite say that I’m a recovered impostor, but that I can blog about it is a promising sign. I can see why hiding behind the magazine has worked for me and I also understand why others feel I should “own my brand.” Perhaps I can step out periodically and see what happens. As I said, frightening, but maybe I’m ready.
If there’s one thing I find reassuring, it’s that all of the impostors I know have absolutely nothing to fear. They’ve earned their place. In that light, it’s possible I have too.
July 12, 2016
Four Years
Four years ago today, I had a widowmaker heart attack while attending Readercon. Fortunately, the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center was one block away. The doctors and nurses there saved my life. I’ll never forget what they did for me and I am forever grateful.
July 5, 2016
Readercon 2016
This Thursday through Sunday, I’ll be attending Readercon in Quincy, MA. Most of the time, I’ll be sitting at the Clarkesworld table in the dealer’s room, but on Sunday, I have a panel and a signing:
11:00am – Autographing (with Paul Tremblay)
1:00pm – Interstellar Empire in a Post-Scarcity World (panel with John Clute, Robert Killheffer, John O’Neil, Alex Shvartsman)
By the way, Clarkesworld was founded at Readercon ten years ago. We didn’t manage to get a celebratory group reading onto the schedule, but a number of our authors are scheduled for their own readings. Check them out!
July 2, 2016
Clarkesworld Magazine – July 2016
Our July 2016 issue (#118) contains:
Original fiction by Mike Buckley (“Helio Music”), Eric Schwitzgebel (“Fish Dance”), John Chu (“The Sentry Branch Predictor Spec: A Fairy Tale”), Jack Schouten (“Sephine and the Leviathan”), and A Que (“Against the Stream”).
Reprints from Linda Nagata (“Nahiku West”) and Mary Rosenblum (“Lion Walk”).
Non-fiction by Christopher Mahon (Paradise Lost: A History of Fantasy and the Otherworld), an interview with Michael Swanwick, an Another Word column by Peter Watts, and an editorial by Neil Clarke.
PURCHASE THIS ISSUE AT:
Amazon Kindle
B&N EPUB
Clarkesworld Android App – Google Play
Clarkesworld iPad/iPhone App – iTunes
Kobo EPUB
Weightless EPUB/MOBI
Wyrm EPUB/MOBI
