Writer friends! Want to write for professional short story markets and experience in real time how the selection process works, while hanging out with a whole slew of smart, savvy, creative, and fun writers and editors?
If you’ve known me for a while, you know I attend an Anthology Workshop on the Oregon Coast every year, and have sold a number of stories to both DAW Books anthologies and, more recently, Fiction River anthologies. This coming year, I’ve been invited to be one of the editors.
I’m told there are a few slots still open in the upcoming workshop, so let me tell you all about it.
Editors this year are Dayle A. Dermatis (me), Leah Cutter (a fabulous writer), Allyson Longueira (editor of Fiction River: Presents), Kristine Kathryn Rusch (multiple-award-winning writer and editor), and Mark LeFebvre from Kobo Books. Kristine will be editing two very special volumes, so the writers attending will be writing six stories for six anthologies.
Attendees will write two stories in early December, then four stories in four weeks in January. You get the anthology theme on Monday, and the story will be due the following Sunday. Lather, rinse, repeat. The anthologies will be different genres, so writers will get to stretch their wings as well as write in genres they already enjoy. (I challenge myself to write a story for every anthology, no matter how I feel about the theme. I have sold stories to themes I loathed—much to my surprise and delight.)
Anyway. This year, stories will also have two other special project chances:
A story, if not picked by an editor for an anthology, will have a chance for that editor to pick it for a special “Editor’s Saves” volume of Fiction River. That’s seven anthologies every story will have a chance to be in.
On top of that, WMG Publishing is bringing back Pulphouse Magazine, edited by Dean Wesley Smith. This will be an invite-only magazine, with stories only from this workshop, not open to outside submissions. Dean intends to fill the entire first year of Pulphouse Magazine, four issues, at the workshop.
Doing the math (ow), that means the six stories written by attendees will have a chance at seven anthologies and four issues of Pulphouse Magazine. This is way more than previous workshops, and I’m super excited!
WMG pays professional rates for stories, and you will have the chance to review the contract before you commit to selling them your work.
Plus there are lunches with editors and other writing/publishing professionals, and so many amazing talks every evening. The Uncollected Anthology project, for example, came from some late-night brainstorming sessions.
Dates are February 25 to March 5, Lincoln City, OR.
For more information, see http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/workshops/ (The website says the workshop is full, but I’ve been told there are still a couple slots available. At worst, you’ll be put on a waiting list, and you’ll know by the time the first story assignment is sent out whether you’re in.) If you’re interested, contact Dean Wesley Smith via his website. I’m also happy to answer questions about the workshop and my experiences with it over the years.
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