Submissions Open for Authors Attending This Year’s Worldcon…
Are you going to be at the Melbourne Worldcon in September? Are you an unagented author based in either Australia or New Zealand who will be attending? Are you an unagented author from somewhere else, but somehow independently wealthy enough to be going to the con? In either case, are you any good??
It’s looking increasingly likely that I’ll be attending Aussiecon 4 later in the year – volcanic ash permitting! My intention, having schlepped all that way, is to return with the pick of genre talent in my agently pocket, thus we’ve decided to open for submissions, but only for authors who will be attending the con. (Don’t try and hoodwink me – as I’ll be checking the membership roster to see if you’re on it! If you’re not going to be at Worldcon, your submission will not be considered in this window.)
What am I looking for? Well, all areas of genre fiction basically. That means SF, Fantasy and Horror and the various combinations/permutations thereof. As always, the salient factor is that of the excellence of the writing and the commercial hook, rather than how many rockets or wizards or ghosts appear in the story, so look to our Submission Guidelines and the About Zeno page to gauge our tastes.
Come on Australia and NZ – let’s see what you’ve got!
Ah, I’d very much love to take up your offer, but travelling all the way round the world to do so is sadly not possible!
April 16th, 2010 at 6:03 pm »Hehe … read first two words … then gutted
April 16th, 2010 at 8:14 pm »Do you have a cut-off date for submissions?
April 23rd, 2010 at 6:22 am »There’s no cut-off as such Grant, but I need time to read stuff well before I get out to Melbourne, hence my making this announcement now rather than a couple of weeks before the con. I’m not a fast reader (sadly!) and the agency is mega-busy (happily!), so the earlier folks submit, the better chance I’ll have of considering their work.
Hope this helps.
JB
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:05 am »John,
That’s exactly what I needed to know. Thank you.
Grant
April 25th, 2010 at 9:58 pm »Loads of British talent. Why travel to the other end of the world for it?
May 1st, 2010 at 3:19 pm »The weather? In truth, there’s plenty of talent out there, British or otherwise. I guess we’re free to seek it wherever we choose!
May 1st, 2010 at 4:40 pm »Yes! I’ll be there. Yes! I’d love to submit my work for consideration. And, in particular, thanks so much for the opportunity, given how busy you must be.
May 8th, 2010 at 6:47 am »I’ll be at Aussie Con! Looking forward to meeting some of you fine folk.
May 15th, 2010 at 12:15 pm »Should my manuscript be complete before I pester you?
June 9th, 2010 at 5:03 am »That’s a good question Helen and one I get asked a lot. My response? Well, think about it…. anyone can say they’re writing a novel, or have started a novel or are planning a novel, but actually finishing one is not something that anyone can do!
I don’t sell rights to partly finished novels, and publishers are not interested in projects from new writers that exist only in their heads. With Non Fiction it is different as projects are often bought on proposal – but with fiction, – unless you’re an established author – no agent or editor wants to read a partial manuscript, call excitedly for the whole thing and then find they have to wait for a year before it arrives.
So – in short – yes, your manuscript should be complete before you submit it. And complete or not, you shouldn’t ‘pester’ me under any circumstances
June 9th, 2010 at 9:34 am »Thanks
June 9th, 2010 at 10:57 am »Hi Mr. John Berlyne,
I live in Malaysia, but I will be attending Aussiecon this year. I’m sending you a submission right now
Hope to see you in Australia soon. Thank you for this opportunity.
Have a wonderful week,
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:14 am »Zulaikha Nurain Mudzar
Hi there,
Just a quick question about the submissions – are you just looking for the elevator pitch in the first instance or are you looking for the first 50 pages as well (heck – you can even have the full novel if you would like)?
The way the submission guidelines read it is:
step one: elevator pitch
step two: first 50 pages (if requested)
step three: full manuscript (again only if requested)
Cheers,
July 2nd, 2010 at 5:03 am »Damon
Hi Damon -
Sorry for the delayed response. Those guidelines have it about right! Please follow the steps exactly as you’ve laid them out.
JB
July 9th, 2010 at 12:00 pm »Hi there,
Thanks. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t miss the opportunity by messing up the rules.
Something will be heading your way soon.
I look forward to seeing you at the WorldCon.
Cheers,
July 12th, 2010 at 10:51 pm »Damon
Oooh, sounds fantastic! I’ll be emailing my pitch for Kindred Spirit, and hoping I’m not too late. So looking forward to Aussiecon 4
Janette
July 13th, 2010 at 3:35 am »John, here’s a heads-up that I’ll be sending you a submission shortly. After a bit of wife-related negotiation and a last-minute surprise I’m not only going to AussieCon 4, but I will also be IN AussieCon 4. On a panel regarding writing for Young Adult. (I think I’m getting called in as the token Stemapunk!)
July 14th, 2010 at 9:08 am »So, until my next communique:
Ged.M, Esq.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ged_Maybury
Thanks Ged – though this is a classic case of “Show, Don’t Tell” – rather than telling all about how you’re going to be sending your submission along, why don’t you… er… just send it?
July 14th, 2010 at 9:21 am »Sorry. Felt like I was rushing after the omnibus and frantically waving my ticket, but may that was unneccesary. Expect something very soon.
July 19th, 2010 at 4:25 am »