Andromeda Award

[The Judge]

A contest for unagented UK and US SFF writers with a full length (max 120k words) unpublished novel -- it's open now with a deadline of 18 December 2024. No payment required.

The Andromeda Award

The Andromeda Award contest was launched in 2024 by UTA and C&W to seek out and support the best new emerging science fiction and fantasy writers.

www.theandromedaaward.com

Anyone going to enter? @HareBrain -- how about EW1?

My fantasies are too long, and I doubt it's worth trying to resurrect my old SFs, so unless I have a severe attack of the muse between now and early December I'll probably be sitting this one out, but good luck anyone who does enter, and let us know how it goes!

 

[Juliana]

Hmm, maybe... Let's see if I can get current WIP done and dusted before the deadline!!! (I do have a completed novella trilogy that's currently on sub with a small press but I'm not sure I can realistically pitch that as a novel in three parts )

 

[HareBrain]

I'm not sure I can realistically pitch that as a novel in three parts

You could do the Victorian thing and give it the subtitle "A Novel in Three Parts". Job done!

@HareBrain -- how about EW1?

The rules say "targeted at adult readers" so probably not, alas.

 

[The Judge]

The rules say "targeted at adult readers" so probably not, alas.

Well, it's not a children's book, and Young Adults are adults by definition...

Anyway, you've nothing to lose, so have a go!

 

[Juliana]

Well, it's not a children's book, and Young Adults are adults by definition...

Unfortunately teen books come under the kid lit umbrella... Though honestly EW has tons of appeal for adult readers, so maybe take a chance HB? You could always pitch it as 'YA with crossover appeal with the adult market".

 

[Toby Frost]

Hmm. I've got a couple of things that could fit this. However, while this doesn't seem unreasonable:


INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: The entrant will own all rights, titles, and interests (including, without limitation, all copyrights, trade secrets, patents, trademarks, and any other intellectual property or proprietary rights) (collectively, “Proprietary Rights”) embodied in the entrant’s Submission. The entrant hereby grants Sponsor a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, fully paid, royalty-free, transferable, sub-licensable license to reproduce and use such Submission for purposes of this Contest. Entrant shall execute any documents in connection with such assignment, or license, or both, that Sponsor may reasonably request.

I'm slightly puzzled by the implications of this, especially the idea of covenanting not to bring proceedings if similar works are produced by the sponsor (the Agency). I can see why the Agency might want a clause like this to protect themselves, but can one covenant out basic rights like this?


SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL MATERIALS: The entrant understands that Sponsor and Sponsor’s clients have access to and/or may create or have created literary materials and ideas which may be similar or identical to the Submission in theme, idea, plot, format, or other respects. The entrant agrees that he or she will not be entitled to any compensation because of the use of any such similar or identical material which may have been independently created by Sponsor or any such Sponsor client or may have come to Sponsor or any such Sponsor client from any other independent source. In addition, the entrant hereby irrevocably agrees that, in consideration of Sponsor’s acceptance of the entrant’s Submission into the Contest, the entrant shall not institute, cause, or permit to be instituted any legal proceedings of any nature against Promotion Entities in connection with any alleged use, publication, adaptation, or exploitation of a story, whether identical or substantially similar to the Submission made by the entrant into the Contest. This covenant shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns and shall survive the termination or expiration of the Contest.

 

[Ursa major]

IANAL... and perhaps I'm far too suspicious by nature, but...:

which may have been independently created by Sponsor or any such Sponsor client or may have come to Sponsor or any such Sponsor client from any other independent source.

That would probably be okay as long as the Sponsor and/or Sponsor's clients can prove beyond any doubt (and to a verifiably independent third party) that it was independently created... and the same with:

any alleged use, publication, adaptation, or exploitation of a story, whether identical or substantially similar to the Submission made by the entrant into the Contest

 

[Toby Frost]

Sorry, what does INIAL stand for?

 

[The Judge]

Yes, Toby, I rather balked at the T&Cs -- you can tell it's a US company in charge of it!

The "license to reproduce" clause does specifically say it's "for purposes of this Contest" so it would rather depend on what is required for the contest's purposes -- sending out the novel to readers/judges is going to come under that heading, and perhaps extracts of entries sent to eg media outlets or included in an anthology of works by way of promoting the competition might be legit. I can't see anything wider than that coming under the "purposes" rule, though.

As for the removal of a right to sue, I've no idea what attitude the US courts would take to that in a contract which is patently unequal, plus it only protects the "Promotion Entities" -- so as I read it, that would still allow an action for breach of copyright against the author who plagiarises one's work even if they are one of the "Sponsor's clients". And, of course, if doesn't stop one going to the media protesting against that author and publisher, and possibly generating a lot of adverse publicity about plagiarism.

 

[Ursa major]

Sorry, what does INIAL stand for?

I have no idea... but IANAL is short-hand for "I am not a lawyer".

 

[Danny McG]

IANAL is short-hand for...

*Inner dialogue*
("Don't! Just don't!
If you say it you'll get in trouble with the moderators.
Resist and behave yourself!")

 

[Toby Frost]

Leaving aside the unlicensed sequel to "I, Robot" that nobody wanted, the part about intellectual property rights seems pretty standard and reasonable to me. However, the later bit about "Similar or Identical Materials" raises a bit of a red flag. It seems to say "If you write a story about a hippo, don't be surprised/sue us if we write a story about a hippo shortly afterwards". This could be reasonable protection for the organisers (I've seen some very speculative IP cases about stealing ideas) or it could be a free rein for the organisers to nick your ideas.

I find it very unlikely that you could contract out of your protection against plagiarism in the UK, but I've no idea how it would work in the US.

 

[Christine Wheelwright]

Interesting discussion on the terms and conditions. They do imply that only works they come up with 'independently' are protected. So they can't copy the competition entry? But they would have the right to publish it in perpetuity (for the purposes of the competition.....what exactly does that mean?) If, suppose, I am sitting on an unpublished work which I consider to be excellent, would I be selling it for a one time payment of $5K? I feel it would not be worth the risk. And if I send them a lesser work it won't win anyway.