Neil Clarke's Blog, page 28
November 30, 2015
Cover Reveal – Clarkesworld: Year Eight
Here’s the cover for the next Clarkesworld anthology. It’s behind schedule, but should be available either late December (overly optimistic) or early January (more realistic). We’ll start taking orders in a week or so.
November 18, 2015
Philcon 2015
I’ll be attending Philcon in Cherry Hill, NJ this weekend. Hope to see some of you there. I won’t have a table in the dealer’s room, but I will be participating on the following panels:
Sat 10:00 AM in Autograph Table—Autographs: Lawrence M. Schoen and Neil Clarke
Sat 3:00 PM in Plaza III (Three)—The Value of Editors
Having an outside view on your work is important, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what an editor can do for you — and protect the readers.
Sally Wiener Grotta (mod), Jon McGoran, Ian Randal Strock, Neil Clarke, Brian Koscienski, Peter Prellwitz
Sat 6:00 PM in Plaza III (Three)—Small Press Magazine Panel
Hear what the editors have to say.
Hildy Silverman (mod), Ty Drago, Neil Clarke, Brian Koscienski, Gordon Linzner, Julie Ann Dawson
Sat 9:00 PM in Plaza IV (Four)—The Significance of Science Fiction Awards
They’re intended to reward quality and ensure that outstanding writers of an overlooked genre received proper recognition, but are they still serving that purpose? Or have our awards become nothing more than a popularity contest?
David M. Axler (mod), Michael Swanwick, Neil Clarke
Sat 10:00 PM in Plaza II (Two)—Podcasts (and Broadcasts) You Should Know [Open Discussion]
Whether you’re an aspiring writer looking for advice or a fan who loves audio dramas, podcasts have a lot to offer. Will one of these turn out to be the “thing I didn’t know I needed!” in your life? Come talk about your favorite audio shows with fellow fans.
Deborah Stanish (mod), Neil Clarke
Sun 1:00 PM in Crystal Ballroom Three—How to Sell Your Fiction
So you have a finally finished a story. What are the main markets? Who do you want to avoid?
Hildy Silverman (mod), Alex Shvartsman, Barbara A. Barnett, Neil Clarke, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, Robert E. Waters
October 3, 2015
The October Issues of Clarkesworld and Forever
The October issues of Clarkesworld and Forever are now available!
The complete table of contents can be found by clicking on the covers. If you enjoy them, please consider becoming a subscriber.
[Clarkesworld subscription information / Forever subscription information]
October 1, 2015
2015 Capclave Schedule
The 2015 Capclave (October 9-11 in Gaithersburg, Maryland) programming schedule is now available and it looks like I’ve been assigned to the following panels:
Friday 5:00 pm: Crowdfunding & Alternative Funding for Writers
Panelists:Bill Campbell, Neil Clarke, Barbara Krasnoff, Alex Shvartsman
Traditionally, publishers gave authors an advance on royalties in exchange for the completed manuscript. Today, some writers are receiving alternate revenue streams including crowdfunding of anthologies and novels in advance by the public, serialization in which the author releases a chapter (or story) as long as readers continue to fund it, and electronic self-publishing. What methods have you used and what works? What new methods do you see in the future? How will this change the creation of books?
Friday 7:00 pm: Translating Speculative Fiction
Panelists:Neil Clarke, Jim Freund, Shahid Mahmud, Alex Shvartsman
Many non-English countries get much of their science fiction in translation. And English readers are finally being given access to more Chinese, Japanese and other non-English works. Why is this happening now? What are some of the special challenges with translating genre works? How do translators cope with invented words and concepts? What about different storytelling methods and literary techniques?
Saturday 11:00 am: The Elements of Editing
Panelists:Scott H. Andrews, Neil Clarke, Hildy Silverman
The art and science of editing. What do editors do and how much effect do they have on the final work? What are the differences between magazine and book editing?
Saturday 7:00 pm: Distinctions Between Online & Print Magazines
Panelists:Scott H. Andrews, Neil Clarke, Hildy Silverman, Gordon Van Gelder
In addition to the big three print sf/fantasy publications there are many many online magazines. Is this just a savings of paper & mailing costs, or are online publications doing things differently from print ones? How do writers decide to submit a story to one or the other?
I’ll also have a table in the dealer’s room, so if you are looking for me there… that’s the best place to fine me.
September 9, 2015
Joyride – The End
Not long ago, we (Clarkesworld) were approached by Joyride to be one of their launch partners. They had interesting plans involving podcasts, crowdfunding, and android cars. The income never amounted to a lot, but every bit helps keep the magazine afloat.
Today’s news is that Joyride has been bought by Google. The bad news is that they’ve discontinued their crowdfunding system and this will be the last month we can use their service.
Fortunately, we’ve been using Patreon even longer than Joyride and already have a stable infrastructure there for people to move to. This will also have the benefit of making everything a lot easier for me to manage. There were some Joyride hiccups that just don’t exist at Patreon and that will make reward fulfillment a lot easier.
If you’ve been using Joyride or would like to start supporting Clarkesworld, why not head on over to our Patreon page and join today. Every dollar helps.
August 17, 2015
49
Eleven hours in, forty-nine isn’t that bad. I’m even OK with this being the last time I’ll have a birthday in the forties. Last year, I spent my birthday at the Hugo Awards in London with my dad (which I was very pleased to be able to share with him). This year, I’m happily at home with my family.
No presents necessary, but if you feel compelled to do something, buy yourself a subscription to Clarkesworld and/or Forever or make a pledge on Patreon. If I only accomplish one thing this year, I’d like it to be the ability to quit my day job and become a full-time editor. Each of those helps in some way.
August 7, 2015
Submissions by Month
Presented without comment:
July 27, 2015
My 2015 Worldcon Schedule
I’ll be attending Sasquan (this year’s Worldcon) this August. Here’s my schedule:
Does SF/F Need Young Adult Magazines?
Thursday 15:00 – 15:45, Bays 111C (CC)
Deby Fredericks (M), Neil Clarke, Cassandra Rose Clarke, Jessica Rising
Anime and computer games are a huge trend among youth world-wide, but many of these potential readers are less in tune with “printed” science fiction and fantasy. How do we tap into this community of young fans to share with them the depth and breadth of SF/F short stories? Moreover, is there a viable market for a digital or print teen magazine? What would it take to get one going? And what are the potential benefits and pitfalls of putting one together for younger readers? Join parents, teens and editors to discuss the ins and outs of a YA SF/S magazine for the next generation of fans.
Literary Beer – Neil Clarke
Thursday 17:00 – 17:45, Exhibit Hall C – Literary Beer (CC)
Join a panelist and up to 9 other fans for a small discussion. Beer available for sale at the bar, snacks available in the snack bar in Hall D.
Stroll with the Stars
Friday 09:00 – 09:45, Breezeway/Statue (CC)
A gentle morning stroll with some of your favorite authors, artists and editors. Meeting each morning at 9AM in the Breezeway between the INB Theater and the Convention Center (check your map), and returning in time for 10AM programming.
Autographing – Neil Clarke, William Dietz, Rhiannon Held, Mary Soon Lee, John Picacio, Charles Stross, Jo Walton
Friday 12:00 – 12:45, Exhibit Hall B (CC)
The Range of the Small Press
Saturday 10:00 – 10:45, Conference Theater 110 (CC)
Jennifer Brozek (M), Neil Clarke, Brad Foster, Rebecca Moesta, Kristine Rusch
Small presses publish more than just limited editions of books. We have small press magazines, art, even audio books. People who manage different types of small presses will discuss some of the similarities and some of the differences in their publishing worlds.
The Future of Short Fiction: Online Magazines Today
Saturday 14:00 – 14:45, Bays 111B (CC)
Scott H. Andrews, Anaea Lay, Mike Resnick, John Joseph Adams, Neil Clarke
10 years ago reading original fiction online was limited to the occasoinal author’s web site. Now, online magazines are a major force — maybe THE major force — in publshing short fiction. The panel looks at what and why?
I’ll also be attending the Chesley Awards (Thursday 7pm) and the Hugo Awards (Saturday evening).
July 3, 2015
July issues of Clarkesworld and Forever
The July issues of Clarkesworld and Forever are now available!
The complete table of contents can be found by clicking on the covers. If you enjoy them, please consider becoming a subscriber.
[Clarkesworld subscription information / Forever subscription information]
June 27, 2015
My 2015 Readercon Schedule
Readercon is coming! Here’s my schedule:
Friday July 11
2:00 PM F The Future of Speculative Magazines, Part 3.
Scott Andrews (leader), John Benson, Leah Bobet, Neil Clarke, Ellen Datlow.
At Readercon 20, there were two very well-attended panels that looked at the future of magazines: “The Future of Speculative Fiction Magazines, Part 1: Print Magazines,” and “Part 2: Online Magazines.” Six years later, we return to this issue to discover what worked, what didn’t, whether magazines are any better off, and what the near future might hold.
Saturday July 12
12:00 PM F Insider Tips and Tough Truths of the Publishing Business.
Neil Clarke, David G. Hartwell, Brett Savory, Gordon Van Gelder, Sheila Williams.
SF/F publishing can seem intimidating and shadowy from the outside. This panel of experienced professionals in the field—authors, editors, agents, and others—will shed light on some of those dark corners and share insider secrets and other key information about the current state of the industry.
I’ll also be in the Dealer’s room at the Clarkesworld table selling magazines and running my annual fire sale on old inventory from my long-closed bookstore.
