Prompts
For someone who says she doesn't like discussing fanfiction, I sure talk about it a lot XD;
I've always found the concept of prompts intriguing. In the fanfic world it's a driving force, almost as powerful as peer pressure :P Someone comes up with a word or phrase, and it's a challenge for the writer to include it in the fic to be written.
However, some prompts don't work like this - you don't need to include them in the pieces you write, they're really just there to inspire. A prompt could be something as simple as "rain" or as complicated as "we can spin the sun around." The resulting story could be anything from a 100-word "drabble" to a full-blown 27-part epic.
...I've found that I don't really respond well to prompts. But I think it would be really interesting to try that with original fiction, especially if the person issuing the prompt is someone like FH "Ichi" Batacan, author of Smaller and Smaller Circles, who is by the way also the guest editor for the PGS Special Crime/Mystery/Suspense Issue, which merits its own blog post.
Ichi aims to inspire Pinoy writers to write more crime fiction. I wonder if, as with fanfics, we can have an online venue for the pieces we've finished? Alternatively, we could just keep our fiction to ourselves, and let it brew and keep refining it until it's ready to be submitted to paying markets. You know - the traditional way :)
Ichi's first prompt is a bit tough, I think - a recent major rogue trading scandal. But because it's tough, it's worth doing!
Another thing that prompted (lame pun intended) me to write this post is the existence of Talecraft, a proudly Philippine-made fantasy-based story creation game. I confess I haven't looked into the game yet, but it seems to operate based on the prompts method as well. I'll probably write more about it when I've checked out the game myself.
Call for Submissions: Strahan’s Eclipse Two
Thanks to Banzai Cat for alerting me to this opening. I've added it to the writing markets list.
This is from Jonathan Strahan:
I am currently reading for Eclipse Two, the second volume in the original science fiction and fantasy anthology series that I am editing for San Francisco-based publisher Night Shade Books.Read the guidelines here.Eclipse is a series of anthologies in the vein of Orbit, Universe and New Dimensions, updated for the 21st century. It’s new and it’s proudly genre. It has no theme, and there’s no such thing as an ‘type’ of story. Instead writers are encouraged to take any and all of the colors of the genre palette - be they steampunk, cyberpunk, new space opera, old space opera, fairy tale, ghost story, hard SF, or whatever - and use them as they will to create something unique and wonderful. That said, I am particularly looking for strong science fiction stories for Volume Two.
Update on the Writing Markets List
I'm taking a break from updating the list - I think I've included most of the major pro and semi-pro markets, at least for SF&F writers. Still need to look into the horror and dark fantasy market more, and do a little more research on local publishers. If I've missed a publication that you feel should be included, feel free to tell me about it.
Please note: the tables may be sorted by Name, Language, Description, etc. Just click on the headings for each column. Not very useful, but still funky :P
Some big publishers don't accept email manuscripts - that definitely doesn't mean they aren't worth trying. If you're concerned about response times, a useful website for tracking that is Submitting to the Black Hole.
Building a Writing Markets Page
I've finally gotten around to putting up a Writing Markets page for Pinoy spec fic authors. Visually it's a bit cramped, but I'm hoping the info in there is at least up to date and correct.
Will be adding more info as soon as time permits. This list is very open to input. If you would like to help out other Filipino spec fic writers and contribute some publications, please use this form or email me the details at preyfal -at- yahoo -dot- com.
Corrections are welcome. Please email me if there's anything that needs fixing.
2008 is the year to make ourselves known, people. Let's get it on!
4th Annual Romeo Forbes Storywriting Competition
From Looking for Juan, the official blog of CANVAS:
 CANVAS invites you to join its 4th Annual Romeo Forbes Storywriting Competition. This year's contest is based on an original untitled oil on canvas painting by Joy Mallari (pictured above - click on the picture to see a larger version). In addition to receiving P30,000.00 in cash and a trophy, the winning author will also see his/her story rendered and published as a full color children's book in mid-2009.Read the guidelines here.
Call for Submissions: PGS Special Halloween Issue
From PGS publisher Kenneth Yu's blog:
After the PGS holiday-themed issue, let's try, at the suggestion of award-winning writer and PGS contributor Yvette Tan, a Halloween-themed one. In fact, seeing as the workload for PGS is piling up, and it's becoming harder to manage things as both publisher and editor, I've accepted Yvette's offer to let her be the guest editor for this special issue due out near Halloween 2008. Since stories of the supernatural are what grabs Yvette's attention (and what flows from her pen most of the time), editing the Halloween issue seems like a perfect fit.Read the guidelines here.
1UP Wants Writers from the Video Game Generation
From Charles:
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge the ads. Banzai Cat mentions that the same group is looking for Pinoy-style stories on The Apocalypse. Email the above individuals for details. I'll do the same soon and hope for shareable info :)
"This is a call for submissions for 1UP. 1UP is a multiformat collection of works by writers of the video game generation. Submit your fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comics, and any other form that the video game generation might choose to tell its stories to carl.javier@gmail.com and juncruznaligas@gmail.com"
Liwayway Magasin Another Venue for Filipino/Tagalog Spec Fic
I'm way waaaay behind on things. I'm out of the country currently and my Internet time is very limited. I'll still try to post as much as I can, though.
In the meantime, I post a reply from the managing editor of Liwayway Magasin to my inquiry regarding short story publication. This is a follow-up to this earlier post.
Bb. Ar[a]cega: Malugod po namin kayong inaanyayahan na makibahagi ng inyong mga panulat sa magasing Liwayway. Natutuwa rin po kami kung inyong ipamamalita sa inyong kapwa manunulat ang paanyayang ito. Ang Liwayway ay bukas para sa lahat ng mga taong may kakayahan sa pagsusulat ng maikling kuwento, sanaysay, tula at ibang may kaugnayan sa Panitikang Filipino. Salamat po, ANGIE J. PEREZ Managing EditorI've asked where the submissions should be emailed to, and what the format should be. If anyone has any information, please do share! EDITED TO ADD: Ms. Angie Perez wrote back to say submissions should be emailed to liwayway_manilabulletin@yahoo.com. If anyone has access to a recent copy of Liwayway Magasin, perhaps they have already started printing their submission guidelines. If not, I guess anything goes :)
News Bits
- Charles has posted a summary and MP3 of the latest LitCritters session here.
- Kenneth has posted pics and details of some events, among which are the NWA5 writers forum and the Manila LitCritters meetup. Visit the PGS blog for more.
- Speaking of Kenneth, his short story "House 1.0" is now out on The Town Drunk. Go read!
- Andrew Drilon's Kare-Kare Komiks has been featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Congrats, Andrew!
- Read or Die announces its plans for the first series of Write Or Die: Writers Write lecture workshops. The purpose of the workshop is to promote the UP Gawad Centennial Likhaan 2008, a special literary prize sponsored by the University of the Philippines.
Non-professional and non-academic writers are encouraged to submit their work for consideration to the Gawad Likhaan. For more information, see this page.
- Related to Write or Die: Writers who wish to have their chapter excerpts from their novel-length manuscripts critiqued by Charlson Ong and Jun Cruz Reyes should submit their excerpt to readordie.ph@gmail.com on or before November 8 (for Jun Cruz Reyes) and November 18 (for Charlson Ong).
A maximum of 5 manuscripts will be discussed. For more details, see this page.
- This is not related to spec fic, but still something that may interest Tagalog essay writers:
Bilang paghahanda sa darating na kapaskuhan ay magsisimula nang tumanggap ang patnugutan ng mga lathalaing napapanahon sa okasyong darating. Tatanggap at bibigyang halaga rin ang mga lathalaing tumatalakay sa Edukasyon, Sining at Kultura at artikulo hinggil sa Wika na makapaghahatid impormasyon sa mga mambabasa. Mangyari lamang na lakipan ng mga larawan ng talakayin ang bawat artikulo, 4 na pahina, double space, at ipadala sa liwayway_manilabulletin@yahoo.com. Lakipan din ng maikling detalye ng manunulat, kanyang larawan at propesyon kasama ang maikling impormasyon hinggil sa kanyang tagumpay na nakamit sa larangan ng pagsusulat. Kapag napili at nalathala sa Liwayway, kinakailangang nagtataglay ang sumulat ng valid ID at TIN number upang matanggap ang kaukulang kabayaran sa bawat artikulo. Maaari ring ipadala sa koreo ang akda sa: Managing Editor, Liwayway Department, 2nd floor, Manila Bulletin Bldg., Muralla Street, Intramuros, Manila.
On that note, would anyone know if Liwayway still accepts fiction contributions? I've emailed them asking if any of their magazines (Liwayway, Bannawag, Bisaya and Hiligaynon) still accept fiction, especially spec fic. I certainly hope I didn't breach protocol by doing so. Updates, if any, will be posted here.
Wizards of the Coast Discoveries: Open Call for Proposals
Found via Charles' blog. Global gaming leader Wizards of the Coast apparently has a new imprint called Wizards of the Coast Discoveries, which is currently accepting proposals for adult SF, fantasy and horror novels.
Submissions are accepted annually between the dates of September 1st and February 1st. Any submissions received outside of that timeframe will not be read. This is not a contest! It is a call for proposals from professional authors and aspiring professional authors. Please read these guidelines very carefully before submitting. We have made some changes not only to the sort of subject matter we’re interested in, but the nature of the proposals as well. Submissions that do not conform to the guidelines will not be accepted. Our annual open call is for a speculative fiction imprint that publishes novels with science fiction, fantasy, and/or horror elements for an adult audience. What we’re most interested in are books that are set in a contemporary or historical setting but with the addition of some SF, fantasy, and/or horror elements. Because we continue to enjoy great success with our shared world fantasy lines, we’re not looking for more of that sort of thing for this imprint. Likewise we’re not too keen right now on “straight†science fiction (far future settings, extreme high tech, etc.). We’re always open to supernatural horror. We are not interested in pornography, romance, or nonfiction of any kind. We are looking for novels for an adult audience only, so please do not send short stories, short story collections, poetry, etc., or books for young readers.The full guidelines are here.