Industry News

The 41st annual L. Ron Hubbard’s Writ­ers and Illustrators of the Future Awards ceremony was held April 10, 2025, at the Taglyan Complex in sunny Los Angeles, Calfor­nia, during a weeklong intensive of workshops, lectures, and classes for the winners. This year’s Golden Brush Award went to Jordan Smjastrla for her illustration of “Kill Switch’’, and the Gold­en Pen Award went to Randyn C.J. Bartholomew for his story “Ascii’’ about ...Read More

The finalists for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for the best short science fiction story have been announced by the Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction.

• “Rachel Is At a Protest”, Esther Alter (The Deadlands 7/24)
• “To Eat Your Own Head”, Nkone Chaka (Asimov’s 1-2/24)
• “Swarm X1048 – Ethological Field Report: Canis Lupus Familiaris, ‘6’”, F.E. Choe (Clarkesworld 3/24)
• “Judas Iscariot Didn’t Kill Himself: A Story in Fragments”,

...Read More

Shortlists for the 2025 Society of Authors’ Awards have been announced. Titles and authors of genre interest include:

ALCS Tom Gallon Trust Award

• “God’s Doorbell”, Naomi Alderman (A Cage Went in Search of a Bird)
• “Raise, or How to Break Free of the Ground, or The Lakeland Dialect for Slippery is Slape and to Form it in the Mouth Requires an Act of Falling”, Katie Hale (self-published)
• “Into

...Read More

by  Kristen Simon

Every comic book publisher has different preferences for receiving pitches. Some may not accept pitches at all, as they want to avoid the risk of copyright issues if a submission resembles a storyline they plan to publish. 

That said, checking a publisher’s website for guidelines is your starting point. Conduct your due diligence by researching the types of books each publisher releases. For instance, if a publisher exclusively publishes licensed properties, don’t pitch something that is creator-owned. Typically, standard information should be included in every pitch you submit, and this article outlines those details. It’s rare to be able to resubmit a pitch, so it’s crucial to get it right the first time. It’s also wise to connect with the editor in charge of the line you want to pitch; they may have specific preferences regarding how they like to receive pitches or may provide insights into what they are looking for. With all that in mind, here are the basics of what should be included in any pitch, regardless of the publisher.

First, contemplate the title of your pitch. An engaging title is the initial hook that encourages editors to open it and want to read more. 

Next, you’ll want to provide the formatting information, as many publishers have limitations on what they can or will publish. Those details include the number of issues and whether it’s an original graphic novel (96+ pages in length), a miniseries (four to six issues), a maxiseries (eight to twelve issues), or an ongoing series. Since the comics market tends to be somewhat fickle, if pitching an ongoing series, it may benefit you to indicate that the format for the first arc consists of five to six issues with a satisfactory ending but remains open to continuation. This number of issues represents a minimal financial risk for a smaller publisher, ensures readers aren’t left hanging, and collects nicely into a trade.

The genre and target audience should also be included. The genre is crucial because publishers often look to fill specific gaps in their publishing plans, such as horror or fantasy. Conversely, they may already have an excess of a particular genre, and this information helps avoid wasting their time. The target audience is also essential. Being specific about your age range is useful; some publishers have different imprints for various age ranges, and if a publisher can’t determine where your pitch belongs, it’s likely to get rejected. Similarly, it could be rejected if it goes to the wrong imprint and doesn’t fit the current lineup. Another reason why outlining the genre and target audience is essential is when pitching manga. Manga is categorized by age range, and this information is vital if a manga publisher has too many YA Isekai books while seeking more adult romantasy.

Listing comparisons, often called “comps,” is an effective way to convey the tone of your pitch. Comparisons can be as simple as “[this] meets [that],” “in the vein of [insert similar popular title already published],” or “If you like [that], you’ll love [this].” This method is also advantageous if your pitch is accepted. For original graphic novels and trade paperbacks distributed through publishers like Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, one of their requirements is to list comps. This aids their representatives in selling your book to bookstores and libraries. 

Many creators find it challenging to summarize their entire story in just one sentence. However, I encourage you to add a logline because it’s good practice when your comic hits the stands and you attend conventions to market your book. A strong one-sentence logline is invaluable if someone approaches your table and asks about your book. No one wants to stand around listening to a five-minute meandering explanation of your plot!

Including themes in your pitch is optional but recommended. If you pitch a YA book or manga, themes like self-esteem, belonging, or peer pressure can provide valuable information for the publisher to understand before diving into the rest of the pitch.

The concept is the most crucial part of the pitch. It should be half a page and represent the pitch itself. No questions should be raised (e.g., Will so-and-so ever find what they are looking for?), and the conclusion should be fully revealed. This is for the publisher, not the reader; they need to know everything. 

The synopsis is where you can break down the book or series into acts or issues. Each should contain a brief paragraph of two to three sentences. Manga features four acts, while graphic novels contain three. Breaking it down by chapters or issues is acceptable if the acts don’t effectively convey the pacing. Include sample sequential art story pages if required by the publisher. This consists of three to five pages of fully penciled, inked, colored (if applicable), and lettered art. I recommend avoiding additional pages, as the editorial staff’s time is valuable, and the likelihood of them reading beyond five pages is low. Including character designs can be beneficial but is usually unnecessary. Unless otherwise stated by the publisher, character designs should not replace sequential art pages.

To end the pitch, conclude with a paragraph that emphasizes what distinguishes this pitch from other works the publisher may be considering or publishing. This is crucial because every publisher seeks something unique they do not already offer or that another publisher isn’t currently releasing.

Conclude your pitch with biographies of the creative team, emphasizing the team’s or your accomplishments. If you are a beginner without substantial credits, simply include your contact information. 

These days, it is acceptable to pitch to multiple publishers simultaneously. However, remember that you seldom get an explanation if your pitch isn’t accepted. Avoid asking for feedback, even though it might help you understand what you could improve. Editors are busy, and unless they provide feedback, thank them for their time and ask if they are open to receiving more pitches from you in the future.

Explore more articles in THE COMICS PANEL series

Kristen Simon is a comics industry veteran with over twenty years of editorial experience. She is currently an Executive Editor at Mad Cave Studios, overseeing the manga-inspired imprint Nakama Press. Previously, Kris was a Group Editor at IDW Publishing, overseeing their original graphic novels and new initiatives. At mobile video game companies Netmarble F&C and Com2uS Corp, she was the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor, respectively, where she oversaw translating their gaming IPs, such as Summoners War, into comics, webtoons, motion comics, and webnovels. She also ran her own events company, GeekChic Promotions, where she was the co-host of a popular YouTube show called Nerd Rage, which ran weekly from 2017 to 2020. Kris’s career in comics began with her getting a book called Small Gods accepted at Image Comics in 2003, which led to becoming the Editor-in-Chief of Image partner studio Shadowline Comics (Morning Glories) and Silverline Books (Dear Dracula), from 2005 to 2010. She also had a comic book character created based on her likeness, Editor Girl, who first appeared in the Bomb Queen IV: Suicide Bomber series in 2008. She is also the co-host and Chief Operating Officer of the Superfan Podcast.

The post How to Pitch to a Comic Book Publisher appeared first on SFWA.

The Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA) has announced the winners of the 2025 Romantic Novel Awards. Titles and authors of genre interest include:

The Fantasy Romantic Novel Award

• WINNER: Now Comes the Mist, Julie C. Dao (Podium)

• The Love of Her Lives, C.J. Connolly (Joffe)
• Meet Me on the Bridge, Sarah J. Harris (Amazon)
• Apprentice to the Villain, Hannah Nicole Maehrer (Penguin)
• The Courting of Bristol Keats

...Read More

The finalists for the 2025 Orwell Political Fiction Book Prize, given by The Orwell Foundation to novels and short story collections published in the UK which explore major political and social themes through a fictional lens, have been announced. Finalists of genre interest include:

• Dream Count, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (4th Estate)
• Precipice, Robert Harris (Penguin Random House UK)
• There Are Rivers in the Sky, Elif Shafak (Penguin

...Read More

The 48th Williamson Lectureship, held April 10–12, 2025 in Portales NM, celebrated “Worlds Beyond” – including Latinx and Indigenous Futurism – in academic papers, student artist interpretations of genre books, and a student–led carnival.

Held to honor SF pioneer Jack Williamson at Eastern NM University, the 2025 Lectureship saw guest of honor Darcie Little Badger’s flight delayed more than four hours. Luckily, she arrived in time for discussions of worlds ...Read More

Kama-kon, the 63rd Japan Science Fiction Convention, has announced the finalists for the 2025 Seiun Awards (the Japanese equivalent of the Hugo Awards), honoring the best original and translated works published last year in Japan.

Best Translated Novel

• The Red Arrow, William Brewer, translated by Motomi Ueno (Hayakawa)
• A Master of Djinn, P. Djèlí Clark, translated by Yasuko Kaji (Tokyo Sogensha)
• Titanium Noir, Nick Harkaway, translated by

...Read More

Sam Tegtmeyer has been chosen as the 2025 Le Guin Feminist Science Fiction Fellow.

The $3,000 fellowship, sponsored by the University of Oregon Libraries Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA), is awarded to support “travel for the purpose of research on, and work with, the papers of feminist science fiction authors.”

SCUA houses the papers of Suzette Haden Elgin, Kate Elliot, Sally Miller Gearhart, Molly Gloss, Damon Knight, Ursula K. ...Read More

MILESTONES

ZIN E. ROCKLYN is now represented by Arley Sorg of kt literary.

AWARDS

HARUKI MURAKAMI was named Cultural Personality of the Year in the 19th Sheikh Zayed Book Awards, presented by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Lan­guage Centre, recognizing “a prominent Arab or international figure (or organization) who has contributed to the advancement of the Arabic culture, embodies through his/her work tolerance and promotes peaceful coexis­tence.” Murakami will receive “a ...Read More

Finalists have been announced for the 2025 Premios Kelvin 505 Awards, presented by the Celsius 232 festival and honoring the best science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels published in Spain.

Mejor Novela Original (Best Original Novel)

• Epifanía, J.V. Gachs (Dolmen)
• La casa de los cien escalones, David Jasso (Obscura)
• La noche de Venus, Rubén Sánchez Trigos (Dolmen)
• La península de las casas vacías, David Uclés (Siruela)

...Read More

Welcome to the May edition of the SFWA Market Report.

Please note: Inclusion of any venue in this report does not indicate an official endorsement by SFWA. Those markets included on this list pay at least $0.08/word USD in at least one category of fiction. This compilation is not exhaustive of all publication opportunities that pay our recommended minimum professional rate. Additionally, SFWA adheres to our DEI Policy when making selections for this report. We strongly encourage writers to closely review all contracts and consult our resources on best contract practices.

New Markets

Night Shades (Upcoming)
Protocolized
Skull X Bones
Tractor Beam

Markets Currently Open for Submissions

Analog Science Fiction & Fact
Asimov Press
Asimov’s Science Fiction
Beneath Ceaseless Skies
Book Worms (Recently Opened)
Clarkesworld Magazine
Crepuscular Magazine
Escape Pod
Factor Four Magazine
Flame Tree Fiction Newsletter
Haven Spec Magazine (Recently Opened)
Infinite Worlds
It Was Paradise
Nature: Futures
Orion’s Belt
PseudoPod
Reckoning
Samovar
Small Wonders
Taco Bell Quarterly (Recently Opened)
The Cosmic Background (Recently Opened)
The Daily Tomorrow
The Deadlands
Three-Lobed Burning Eye (Recently Opened)
Torch Literary Arts
Uncharted Magazine
Utopia Science Fiction
Wrath Month

Markets Recently Closed for Submissions

Adi
Anomaly
Flash Fiction Online (FFO) (Originals)
Issues in Earth Science
Planet Scumm
Solarpunk Magazine
Women of the Weird West (Permanent)

Other Opportunities

Apex Monthly Flash Fiction Contest
The Tomorrow Prize

Upcoming Market Changes

Anomaly‘s Submission Window begins and ends soon.
Apex Monthly Flash Fiction Contest‘s Submission Window ends soon.
Apex Monthly Flash Fiction Contest‘s Submission Window begins soon.
Baffling Magazine‘s Submission window begins soon.
Book Worms‘s “Cryptid Horror” Theme ends soon.
Cast of Wonders‘s “Banned Books Week” Theme begins and ends soon.
Escape Pod‘s Submission window ends soon.
Haven Spec Magazine‘s Limited demographic submission window: authors of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented groups ends soon.
Haven Spec Magazine‘s Submission window begins soon.
Plott Hound Magazine‘s Submission window begins soon.
Strange Horizons opens soon.
Three-Lobed Burning Eye‘s Submission Window ends soon.
Wrath Month permanently closes soon.

The SFWA Market Report is compiled by David Steffen, editor of Diabolical Plots and The Long List Anthology series, and administrator and co-founder of the Submission Grinder.  You can support Diabolical Plots and the Submission Grinder on PayPal or Patreon or by buying books or merch.

The post SFWA Market Report For May appeared first on SFWA.

by A. A. Rubin

Comic books and graphic novels are unique among storytelling mediums. While it shares characteristics with both prose and screenwriting, how the words and art interact on the page gives comics their own set of techniques. It is important for writers to understand how a finished comics page works to take full advantage of the medium’s unique properties. In this article, I will break down a comics page from a short superhero parody I wrote, both sequentially and holistically, to show how the story is told on the page by the words, the art, and the interaction between the two.

The page comes from a story written by me and illustrated by Evan Scale, “Mr Stupendous: In the Clutches of Doctor When.” It follows Mr. Stupendous as he battles Doctor When, a villain who can travel through time. The story was published in Creator Connection, Panel 2 (Comic Book School). Evan won the 2021 Independent Creator Award for Sequential Layout for this page.

Page from “Mr Stupendous: In the Clutches of Doctor When,” written by A. A. Rubin and illustrated by Evan Scale.

Panel 1: Setting the Scene

The first panel is an establishing shot that runs the width of the page. When a scene begins in a new location, it’s essential to establish the setting. Contemporary comics frown upon descriptive text, so it is important to situate the reader, especially if the scene has changed since the previous page. Here, the tavern and costumes establish the Renaissance period in England. The reader will know where and when this part of the story occurs based on the visual cues before they even engage with the dialogue. The switch to Shakespearean English (the previous page took place in a far-future anime world) will not be jarring because the reader’s expectations have been set at first glance.

The character on the left speaks first. The reader will see the character on the left first because they naturally read the page left to right (in American comics), so the character they see first should speak first. 

Panels 2–7: Distance and Action

Panel 2 is a closeup. Camera angles and distances are critical in visual storytelling, and the joke, based on a famous line in Romeo and Juliet, works best if the focus is on Mr. Stupendous’s thumb.

Panel 3 zooms back out to set up the conflict on the bottom half of the page.

Panels 4–8 control the distance to mimic the story’s action. The initial setup depicts a considerable distance between the two characters. Panel 4 reestablishes that distance by, once again, using a panel that runs the width of the page. The distance is accentuated because the panel is narrow vertically. Though the actual width of the panel is slightly shorter than the first horizontal panel, this panel reads longer because of its shape.

Panels 5–7: The Ratio Between Text and Art

As the characters close with each other, the camera closes as well. Panels 5–7 are tight shots, each highlighting a single action. Each panel can depict only one action, and one of the biggest mistakes novice comics writers make is trying to write multiple actions into a single panel. 

In these panels, art carries the story rather than dialogue. The absence of text allows the reader to move through these panels quickly, which is important in an action sequence, especially as multiple small panels can slow the pace of the storytelling. The choice not to continue the banter counteracts the effect of the multiple smaller panels on the eye.

The writer must also consider whether there is room for both the dialogue and the art. A panel with too much text must be drawn larger. Overwriting can affect the pacing and limit the artist’s layout choices.

The Final Panel: Structure and Movement

The final panel is, again, large to accentuate the growing distance between the characters, and the perspective has shifted so the action moves toward the reader. This creates dramatic tension. The effect is enhanced because this is an open panel. It is not confined by a bounding box. The lack of borders minimizes the separation between the reader and the action. It is similar to the effect of an actor leaving the stage and coming into the audience. The portal sucks everything into the scene on the following page: Doctor When, Mister Stupendous, and, ultimately, the reader.

The Page Holistically: Story, Theme, and Cliffhanger

As the reality of the scene breaks down, so does the page’s layout. The top of the page is rigidly structured. There are clear borders for each panel, as well as a global background of period-appropriate paper. After the portal is activated, and time becomes wibbly-wobbly, the panels and background become less structured and more freeform. Thus, the layout mimics the action. 

The structure not only suits the action but also hints at the story’s themes. It begins with a large full-width panel, funnels down to smaller panels in the middle, and widens back to a full-width panel at the bottom. The panels in the middle of the page shrink in from the page’s edges, accentuating this movement. This not only achieves a visual balance but also creates an hourglass effect, a symbol of time—and of time running out—in a story that features time travel and a chase, which adds another layer to the storytelling.

There are also a couple of holistic factors to consider. While each comics page tells part of a larger story, it is best if it contains its own story arc as well. Here, the characters banter; they fight, and one of them flees. There is a clear beginning, middle, and end.

But it’s not a true ending. In the final panel, Doctor When escapes through a portal, but the reader doesn’t know where (or in this case, when) that portal leads. This cliffhanger creates anticipation for the next part of the story and keeps the reader immersed in the action on the page turn.

Conclusion

There are many factors to consider when writing comics. There are more techniques than can fit on any single page, but this one includes many of the basics. While the artist will likely take on much of the visual storytelling responsibility, it behooves the comics writer to understand the sequential page and to write the script in a way that both makes life easier for the artist and takes advantage of the unique aspects of the comics medium.

Additional Resources

• Comics and Sequential Art: Principles and Practices From The Legendary Cartoonist by Will Eisner
• Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
• Alan Moore’s Writing For Comics

Explore more articles in THE COMICS PANEL series

Cast out of the universe like cosmic Cain, A. A. Rubin roams the planes of reality, jumping through the variegated permutations of the multiverse across the dimensions of space and time. A member of SFWA and the HWA, his work has appeared recently in Pseudopod, Trollbreath, The Best Climate Change Stories (Secant), and Ahoy! Comics. Doomed to travel and record, but never find a home, he chronicles his adventures across social media as @TheSurrealAri and can be reached—in most realities—through his website, www.aarubin.com.

The post Breaking Down a Sequential Page: A Close Reading for Comics Writers appeared first on SFWA.

The Bookseller has announced the winners of the 2025 British Book Awards. Titles and authors of genre interest include:

Fiction

• WINNER: James, Percival Everett (Mantle)

• Long Island, Colm Tóibín (Picador)
• Think Again, Jacqueline Wilson (Bantam)

Pageturner

• WINNER: Faebound, Saara El-Arifi (Harper Voyager)

• Daydream, Hannah Grace (Simon & Schuster)
• House of Flame and Shadow, Sarah J. Maas (Bloomsbury)

Audiobook Fiction

• JOINT WINNER: Bunny vs Monkey

...Read More

The winners of the 2025 Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire, honoring the best SF/F work published in France in 2024, have been announced.

French Novel

• WINNER: L’Ost céleste, Olivier Paquet (L’Atalante)

• Les Nuits sans Kim Sauvage, Sabrina Calvo (La Volte)
• La Maison des veilleurs, Patrick K. Dewdney (Au Diable Vauvert)
• Vallée du carnage, Romain Lucazeau (Verso)
• La Sonde et la taille, Laurent Mantese (Albin Michel)
• Conque

...Read More

Dr. Heather Kathleen Forest Osborne (03 June 1981–20 September 2024) was a lifelong writer of short speculative fiction, a debut novelist, and a proud member of several fandoms. She was the Associate Editor of Foundation: The International Journal of Science Fiction published by the University of Liverpool, and a presenter at numerous conferences, including the International Conference for the Fantastic in the Arts (ICFA). Dr. Osborne completed her doctorate in creative writing at the University of Calgary in 2018, after her time in England, and focused on Science Fiction Studies. Her short stories and creative nonfiction were included in several anthologies, most recently in 2021’s Seasons Between Us, and she published her first novel, Songbroken, in 2022.

Appreciative of life in all its facets, Dr. Osborne was a loving mom and wife who enjoyed the wilderness and a wide range of outdoor recreation. She loved being a teacher, loved storytelling, and mostly, loved sharing these things with others.

Aware of her own terminal illness, Dr. Osborne left us with her own joy:

“My favourite parts of this life was sitting down one-on-one with a student and discussing a concept, and seeing that ‘Oh!’ moment in their eyes when something clicked. That’s a feeling I’ve been chasing all my life as well! Learning is like climbing a spiral staircase—you will keep coming back around to the same ideas, but each time with a slightly higher understanding. I love that about learning and about teaching.” In her conclusion, she wanted us to know: “I’ve lived a full life with people I love.”

Heather Osborne lived 43 years.

The post In Memoriam: Heather Osborne appeared first on SFWA.

Winners for the 2025 PEN America Literary Awards have been announced. Winners of genre interest include Verdigris by Michele Mari, translated by Brian Robert Moore (And Other Stories) in the $3,000 PEN Award for Poetry in Translation category, and Mia Couto in the PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature category.

The finalists of genre interest were previously covered. The awards were announced live at the PEN America Literary Awards ...Read More

The DAG Foundation has announced the five finalists for its inaugural DAG Prize for Literature, which annually awards $20,000 to “an emerging prose writer whose work expands the possibilities for American writing.” Writers who have published one prose work in the US and who have not already won a major prize in literature are eligible to apply. Winners may use the prize money for “research, writing, editing, workshops, residencies, or ...Read More

The shortlist for the annual Arthur C. Clarke Award, celebrating the best science fiction novel published in the UK, has been announced.

• Private Rites, Julia Armfield (Fourth Estate)
• The Ministry of Time, Kaliane Bradley (Sceptre)
• Extremophile, Ian Green (Ad Astra)
• Annie Bot, Sierra Greer (The Borough)
• Service Model, Adrian Tchaikovsky (Tor UK)
• Thirteen Ways to Kill Lulabelle Rock, Maud Woolf (Angry Robot)

The winner ...Read More

Author and editor Chris Barkley is suing former Hugo Awards administrator Dave McCarty in small claims court. Barkley explained in a statement on his GoFundMe page:

On February 5th, 2025, I traveled from Cincinnati, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois to for­mally file a lawsuit in Cook County Small Claims Court against David Lawrence Mc­Carty in the amount of $3000.00.

The reason for doing so was simple; I filed on behalf of ...Read More