# Become a published SF author!



## ctg (Jun 11, 2009)

I thought this might interest some of you...



> Are you the next Isaac Asimov? Or perhaps the new Douglas Adams? There’s only one way to find out, and it starts with getting published… and SciFiNow and Tor are here to help.
> 
> Millions of sci-fi and fantasy fans across the world dream of having their own novel on sale but unfortunately getting your opus published has always been a much tougher task than even the most skilled wordsmith would like… until now. Demonstrating our commitment to both the best in sci-fi and fantasy as well as emerging literary talent, SciFiNow has teamed up with leading SF imprint Tor to offer an unprecedented prize for one lucky reader: to get your SF masterwork published.
> 
> ...


----------



## chopper (Jun 11, 2009)

good spot, chap. worth pointing out as well that Tor is an imprint of MacMillan, who run a successful New Writers imprint outside of this competition as well, with pretty much the same terms (no advance, 20% royalty).

also worth noting that the novel you submit must be finished and available for them to read by the closing date, not just the first 3 chapters....

damn, i've only got 80000 words to go..........

damn, if only mine could be finished before the


----------



## ctg (Jun 11, 2009)

I'm playing now on 84 000 word mark, but I won't finish by the deadline. I might push me to write more, but I rather try to get this version to be best that I can produce then something hasty that isn't worth of publishing.


----------



## chopper (Jun 11, 2009)

good call. like i say, Macmillan New Writing is always open.


----------



## Teresa Edgerton (Jun 11, 2009)

Tor has been one of the top SFF imprints here in the US, so a book published by them could be the beginning of a career as well as an end in itself.


----------



## ctg (Jun 18, 2009)

*War Of The Words: New Rules And Regulations*


1.    The winner will receive a publishing contract with Macmillan Publishers Limited for publication in 2010 dependent on publishing schedules. For the purposes of this competition we will pay the winning author a 20% royalty on net receipts but there will be no advance (i.e. an advance payment against future sales). Our contract is non-negotiable and we acquire world rights, with rights revenue split 50/50. We also reserve the option to publish the author’s second novel. The final book is intended to be published in the United Kingdom. Publication will be subject to the winner’s acceptance in writing of those terms and conditions and compliance with them.


2.    All entrants must have a full length novel (being between 80,000 and 150,000 words long) completed and available upon request by the close of competition on 20 August 2009.


3.    Entrants who have had a full-length novel previously published by a trade publisher anywhere in the world will not be eligible, (so you will not be excluded by virtue of having any previously self-published work). Additionally this competition is not open to employees or their immediate families of the Promoters and any companies within the Imagine Publishing Ltd. group of companies or the Macmillan Publishers Limited group of companies.


 4.    To be eligible, initial entries must comprise of a full synopsis and the first three chapters of a novel set in the fantasy or science fiction genre. There must be a novel completed and available for review by 20 August 2009 should the judging panel request to see the full novel. Entrants will not be put forward to the shortlist without a full novel. The synopsis and first three chapters should be double spaced and emailed to: warofthewords@imagine-publishing.co.uk to be received by SciFi Now Magazine at Imagine Publishing Limited on or before the closing date of 20 August 2009 17:30 GMT.

...

13.    The winner will be the entry which, in the decision of the judges, shows a thorough grasp of narrative, pacing and characterization and additionally who, in the opinion of the judges, will create the most appealing and commercial book for the science fiction and fantasy readership and is the most suitable author to be published under the Tor imprint at Pan Macmillan Publishers. The judges’ decision in all matters will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.

War Of The Words: New Rules And Regulations | SciFiNow

due to intense popular demand we’ve now *opened it up to anyone, anywhere in the world.*
http://www.scifinow.co.uk/news/war-of-the-words-goes-global/


----------



## Ursa major (Jun 18, 2009)

It's interesting to see that they will look at SFF novels as "short" as 80,000 words.



(But it's a shame that my WiP is _still_ 11,000 words above the upper limit.)


----------



## Yahzi (Aug 6, 2009)

Cutting 11,000 words is nothing! Remember, "murder your darlings!"

Also, you can just add them back in when you win the contest.


----------



## Susan Boulton (Aug 6, 2009)

Yahzi said:


> Also, you can just add them back in when you win the contest.


 
I very much doubt it. Most likely be asked to do a pile of edits/small sections of re-writes.


----------



## Joey Sixknuckles (Aug 6, 2009)

Looks like an excellent competition, and one well worth entering, now if I can just write another 60,000 words before the closing date...


----------



## Michael01 (Aug 17, 2009)

Nice info, ctg.  Thanks!


----------



## ctg (Aug 20, 2009)

I wish good luck to everyone who attended. On personal note, I'm not among those people, hitting fifty pages and a polishing edit short of the target. However, if you get an invite to submit full MS, please let us know.


----------



## Ursa major (Aug 20, 2009)

But there are _hours_ still to go, ctg:



> ...to be received by SciFi Now Magazine at Imagine Publishing Limited on or before the closing date of 20 August 2009 *17:30 GMT*


 
You'll be ready next time, though.



* returns to the endless cycle of re-writes.... *


----------



## Yahzi (Aug 22, 2009)

To be honest, it's a lousy contract. 20% of net means: you will probably never see a dime from this book. If my entry hadn't already run the standard gauntlet of agents/publishers I'm not sure I would enter it.

On the other hand, having a contest win might help you sell the _next _book for a more normal deal.


----------



## Ursa major (Aug 22, 2009)

From Rule 1 above (my bolding):


> We also reserve the option to publish the author’s *second* novel.


 
The winner will have to make their second book the start of a trilogy/series.


----------



## Yahzi (Aug 22, 2009)

Ursa major said:


> The winner will have to make their second book the start of a trilogy/series.


Hey! That was my plan!


----------



## Yahzi (Aug 28, 2009)

I was poking around and discovered this:

An Aside | War of the Words: Win a publishing contract with Tor! - A Dribble of Ink | A Dribble of Ink

_Victoria Strauss of Writers Beware gives this one a thumbs-up: “Generally speaking, where publishing companies conduct writing contests, the contract terms are often less favorable than if the writer had sold the book him/herself or via an agent. In this case, however, the no advance/20% net royalty/non-negotiable contract are features of Macmillan’s New Writing Program, so these aren’t new provisions.”_

So it's not as bad as I thought.

Good luck to everyone who entered!


----------



## ctg (Sep 9, 2009)

The War Of The Words competition has closed, the hundreds of entries have been read, and finally, Tor UK and SciFiNow are happy to announce that the shortlist has been drawn up for who will go ahead to the final stages of the contest.


Although the original plan for War Of The Words was to have a shortlist of only five, the quality that we received from all corners of the world prompted us to expand that to ten, to accurately represent the best of the many stories we’ve had the pleasure of reading. What this competition has demonstrated to us, more than anything else, is that the spirit of science fiction and fantasy is still very much alive and kicking, and the literary scene for both genres still has incredible potential to offer. It wasn’t easy to narrow our choices down to just ten, but after weeks of deliberation, it’s ready.

 The shortlist for the 2009 War Of The Words competition is, in no particular order:


 1. The Sun Song – Andrew Tisbert
 2. The Nemesis List – RJ Frith
 3. Mech – Jim Keen
 4. Children Of Yaltza – Kerrie Maxwell
 5. Pale Queen’s Courtyard – Marcin Wrona
 6. Evacuee – Paula Hadlum
 7. Thorn – Steff Green
 8. The Darkness Kept – Lamar Giles
 9. The Barocles Codicil – Susan Sarapuk
 10. Creations – William Mitchell


 The shortlisted entrants have already been notified, and we at SciFiNow and Tor UK would like to offer our heartfelt congratulations for reaching it this far, against incredible odds. We’d also like to offer our thanks to those who entered but didn’t make the shortlist – it takes great courage to put your work to an audience, and the level of quality that we encountered while reading through the entries was astounding.


----------



## ctg (Nov 25, 2009)

The UK’s best sci-fi magazine, SciFiNow, and SF publishing giant Tor UK are pleased to announce that The Nemesis List, a new novel written by RJ Frith, has won the first ever War Of The Words competition. Running since May of this year, the hugely successful War Of The Words competition saw hundreds of new authors across the world submit an original SF novel for the prize of a publishing contract with Tor UK. Ultimately, it was RJ Frith’s The Nemesis List that impressed both SciFiNow and Tor UK the most.

 The Nemesis List follows a future where humanity has expanded into the stars, but at the price of its freedom under the confines of an autocratic and overbearing government. A result of human experimentation in a world where scientific achievement is strictly controlled, Jeven Jones finds himself caught up between soldiers, rebels, and more thanks to his ability for perfect recall, and the whims and desires of others to use it for their own agenda.

 “Honestly, I never thought I would write professionally,” said Frith. “I’m dyslexic. I dismissed the idea completely and just wrote for fun at least until I bought my first computer and discovered spell-checkers. Then I discovered the Internet and a lot of very good writing friends who I know I wouldn’t be here without. Winning this competition is a testament to their encouragement, help and patience.”

 “Although The Nemesis List absolutely deserved to win, what struck us most of all was the superb quality of all the entries,” said Aaron Asadi, Editor-in-Chief of SciFiNow. “It’s terrific that there are so many new and exciting SF voices ready to be heard. We put a great deal of faith in our readers when launching War Of The Words and that has undoubtedly been paid off ten fold.”

 “We would envisage genre print and online advertising, hand-to-hand marketing during public appearances and at events and festivals,” said Chloe Healy, Tor UK’s press officer. “We will also ensure that RJ Frith plays a big role in our Tor online developments through our newsletters, social networking links, digital apps and with our sister company in the US. We also work closely alongside our sales team while they introduce retailers to this exciting new voice. Our aim is to ensure The Nemesis List is the name on everyone’s wish list for the new year.”

 SciFiNow is a sophisticated, accessible, fresh and authoritative look at science fiction, fantasy, horror and cult television. Offering in-depth coverage of every aspect of sci-fi, the magazine breaks new ground with its cutting-edge approach to features, reviews and news. As relevant to those who grew up under the influence of Glen Larson as it is to those who only know the genre through JJ Abrams, the magazine also includes a unique retro ‘Timewarp’ section offering unprecedented access to classic shows and films.

 Imagine Publishing is one of the UK’s fastest growing consumer specialist publishers. Formed in May 2005, it now publishes 20 magazines and 20 websites in the videogames, computing, entertainment and photography markets. An Imagine magazine is purchased every ten seconds.


----------



## chopper (Nov 25, 2009)

& all the best to him too....


----------

