Science Fiction & Fantasy Author James S. Aaron
Readings in Science Fiction & Fantasy | Notes in Progress
In this episode I talk about how I take an old short story with bones that I like and update it for a new anthology market.
I touch on the lessons I’ve learned about genre alignment since I wrote the story back in 2016 and how I address the various issues to make it fresh. And if the story doesn’t get picked up by the new market? I’ve got other options as well.
(I also lament the writing time I’ve lost to Far Cry 5, but I did blow up a lot of virtual stuff.)
In this episode I talk about places to find info on indie publishing, and how to vet the info you find. There’s a tsunami out there, and things are changing all the time, so how do you determine what’s relevant to your books?
Mentioned in this episode:
AI Superpowers by Kai Fu Lee
The Revolt of the Public by Martin Guri
Science Fiction and Fantasy Marketing Podcast
Question: How do you sort through the chaos of info out there to find what works for you?
In this episode I talk about why you might want to pursue a traditional publishing deal, starting with short stories in magazines, (and SF has many opportunities to get published in magazines) or develop a following as an indie publisher.
I think the main takeaway is that you don’t have to choose one or the other. You’re going to write more than one book in your career, and each new project is a new decision on the best path forward.
I’m doing my best to understand how these markets are different, how readers consume them, and what the future might hold.
Also, what does all this mean for the “field” of science fiction when established taste-makers don’t seem to acknowledge that the indie market exists and is rapidly outpacing the traditional market?
Mentioned in this episode:
Thanks for listening!
January 23, 2019
In this episode I riff off some thoughts Michael Sullivan posted in /r/fantasy on Reddit:
“People are quick to note that traditional publishing doesn’t have a good track record with regards to innovation. But can’t the same be said about the traditionally published AUTHOR who keeps operating as they always have (signing contract after contract even though the pay is less and there are other avenues that produce more income)? This seems like dinosaur behavior to me.”
(https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/afmkie/some_insights_on_author_income_in_the_wake_of_the/)
I do my best not to rant here or specifically call people out. I’m talking about behaviors I’ve seen in writers as they try to navigate a very confusing time of transition in the publishing industry.
One thing I forgot to mention is that having a clear idea of your goals as a writer will help you determine what path you want to take… but being open to all this change will help you recognize opportunities when they arise — and they will.
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Should you hire an accountant? Maybe not. I’m using one, but I talk about why and what questions you might ask yourself before making the decision.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Revolt of the Public by Martin Gurri
Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
Thanks for listening.
The Embroidered Computer uses historic gold embroidery materials to craft a programmable 8 bit computer.
