Tor.com opening to SF novellas

Juliana

Juliana

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From June 5th, Tor.com is opening to unsolicited novella submissions.

"Until the end of June, Tor.com will only be considering novellas of between 20,000 and 40,000 words that fit one of the following science fiction subgenres:

  • Time Travel
  • Space Opera
  • Near Future Thriller
  • Cyberpunk"

Here's the link, in case anyone is interested: Tor.com Publishing Opening to Science Fiction Novellas on June 5th
 
Well, there was me. Doing no writing for a week, except a short that I'm supposed to be working on.

But I have an old novel, a near-future sf thriller, as luck would have it, (Galaxy of Flowers) that I redid about the first quarter of at the turn of the year and then got stuck. The reason? It needed to lose some of the adult point of view and I wasn't sure what in the second point of view would replace that word count. And it's currently at 60,000 words. So, if I didn't have that word count at all...

I'm a tenth of the way through it this afternoon, and have my last quiet work week for a while next week. So, that's a blast to the finish. Wish me luck!
 
Anyone know what terms (duration) they want on rights? I can't find that. The rules are here:
Tor.com Submissions Guidelines

Part of it not covered in main link
Tor.com does not accept works that have been previously published elsewhere, in any venue. This includes all forms of digital self-publishing.

We do not accept works that are not identifiable as fantasy or science fiction, or do not fit the genre we are currently soliciting. This includes, but is not limited to, non-science-fictional thrillers, and all kinds of non-fiction and memoirs.

We are not currently interested in tie-in fiction. This includes fiction that exists within worlds established in previously published novels, or that relies upon a knowledge of previously published novels.

We do not accept multiple submissions. If you have more than one novella, you may only submit one at a time. You may submit another once we have responded to your first submission.

We prefer that you not simultaneously submit your story to Tor.com and other venues. If you do, however, and your novella is accepted by a different venue, please immediately withdraw your submission from Tor.com

What we pay:We offer an advance against royalties, the size of which will depend on a number of factors, including you, the length of your story and how commercial we think it is. We also offer a royalty-only option, but if we decide to make you an offer, you will be free to choose between the two.

What rights does that give you? Our contract covers the right to publish the story in print, audio and ebook formats, worldwide, in English. Most of our print books will be published as p.o.d., though we may choose to publish other print editions.
Click to expand...
 
I have to wonder what the difference between near future thriller and cyberpunk is by this point.
 
Good luck Jo!

Ray, I don't know, but it's Tor. They must be doing things right. I know they just closed a deal for a 3-book novella series from Myke Cole, and he has a top agent.
 
Wruter said:
near future thriller and cyberpunk
Click to expand...
Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy vs Philip K. Dick (Net Force vs Blade Runner?)
Cyberpunk plots often centre on conflict among artificial intelligences and among megacorporations, and tend to be set in a future Earth. Near future thriller is more like James Bond Films.
 
Ray McCarthy said:
Clive Cussler, Tom Clancy vs Philip K. Dick (Net Force vs Blade Runner?)
Cyberpunk plots often centre on conflict among artificial intelligences and among megacorporations, and tend to be set in a future Earth. Near future thriller is more like James Bond Films.
Click to expand...
In publishing (or perhaps marketing) terms, I wouldn't consider Cussler, Clancy, James Bond as genre though - as in Tor wouldn't publish them - I would have thought they were contemporary. In general terms I was speculating more about the convergence of cyberpunk tropes with the actual near future making them effectively the same thing.

Oh and luck to Jo Zebedee!
 
Interesting to hear this news, especially when they just killed off their short story section. I always hear conflicting data when it comes to novellas, but i think in the digital format, a lot of things are changing. I know Crystal Lake does a lot of novellas in the horror genre and have had success doing it.

When I think of Near future and Tor, I think of Lock-in by John Scalzi. That is probably a good measure of what they are looking for.

Good luck Jo!
 
Wruter said:
Clancy,
Click to expand...
Netforce was definitely set in near future and a Thriller. The James Bond Books are not SF/Near Future, but certainly many of the films were Near Future Thrillers.

Cyberpunk has more from the "rebellious sub culture vs "the man" element" and not at necessarily near future nor thriller. Most set further in future. Cyberpunk likely to have "AI", the other category need not have AI. Clue in Cyber and Punk?
 
Ray - arguing about genre is like arguing about whether the sky is blue.

Anyway I'm sure my cyberpunky near-future time travel space opera thriller is bound to go down well :D
 
I got it two Xmas' ago in hardcover. It was a solid read. Sequel is coming I think.
 
That's interesting! I wonder if they're going to push these out as ebooks exclusively? Cost wise, doesn't make sense to manufacture something so small, unless your last name is King or Martin or Rothfuss or Gaga.
 
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