Industry News

The Short Mystery Fiction Society has announced the winners of the 2025 Derringer Awards. Winners of genre interest include Mike McHone for “Kargin the Necromancer” (Mystery Tribune 12/15/24) in the Flash Fiction category, Josh Pachter for “The Wind Phone” (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine 9-10/24) in the Short Story category, and Michael Bracken and Barb Goffman for Murder, Neat: A SleuthSayers Anthology (Level Best) in the Anthology category. In addition, O. ...Read More

Rakesfall by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom); Walking Practice by Dolki Min, translated by Victoria Caudle (HarperVia); In Universes by Emet North (Harper; Hutchinson Heinemann UK); and “Kiss of Life” by P.C. Verrone (Fiyah Winter ’24) are the winners of the 2024 Otherwise Award (formerly the James Tiptree, Jr. Award), given annually to works of science fiction or fantasy that “expand and explore our understanding of gender.”

The authors of the winning ...Read More

by Jessica Maison

If only there was an app for creator hook-ups, writers would all find the perfect artists and live happily ever after creating amazing comics. That’s how these apps are designed to work. Realistically, a writer would get too many swipe-rights from the wrong ones and a bunch of awkward DMs, leaving their script alone without a match. Fortunately, there are better ways to find an artist. Before a writer starts this process, it’s important that they approach the search with the right mindset. 

From the meet-cute to the printed comic, a writer’s approach to forming a relationship with an artist should be guided by the comic script’s function. A script is the tool to effectively communicate to the artist what needs to be drawn to tell the story. The reader is not the writer’s direct audience in comics—that is the illustrator. So, if a writer prefers to tell a story directly to the reader (totally understandable), the writer should stick to prose. They’ll be happier, and so will the readers. Comics are a different beast and must be handled with other rules of engagement. Think of the script as a spell cast over the creative team that then produces magic for the reader. This mindset will set the writer up for success when approaching artists and writing for them. 

Process pages from Forever Home published in Cthulhu Is Hard to Spell: Battle Royale anthology. Script by Jessica Maison, sketch and colors by Anna Wieszczyk. Letters by Joel Rodriguez.

Finding an artist for your story is stressful because it is so essential. An agency or publisher may pair up a writer and an artist in traditional publishing. However, that has been changing over the last few years. Publishers and agents increasingly want solo cartoonists or an already established team. In independent publishing, this team has, more often than not, formed on its own, and usually, the writer initiates this partnership.

Shel character design for Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters, written by Jessica Maison and illustrated by Anna Wieszczyk.

When preparing to begin, the writer needs to remember that the artist’s style must match their script’s tone and genre. This is one of the most important things to get right in this process. If the writer pairs up with the wrong type of artist or vice versa, the story will fall flat, and the comic will fail, no matter how well it is written. So, if it’s a dystopian comic script, the writer should look for an artist whose style and body of work engage those types of readers and fans. That rule applies to any genre. In comics, art excites the readers, so try to pick an artist who excites the readers of the script’s genre. As versatile as many artists are, it is still a good rule of thumb to pitch to artists who have done projects in or adjacent to the script world with an established fan base.

Discovering artists is rewarding but often complicated. First, the writer needs to read as many graphic novels and comics in the script’s genre as possible, both from the big publishers and the indie ones. Libraries, local comic shops, Webtoons, Tapas, GlobalComix, Cara, and comic conventions are all places to discover these books and artists. Based on that research, the writer then lists artists who would realistically engage in the script and with them. Through this process, the writer should also work to establish themselves in the comics community and build trust with other creators by participating in anthologies, online groups, crowdfunding sites, and events. Finding the right artist will be difficult without engaging with the comics community. 

The number one thing to remember when approaching artists is that they expect to get paid. Nothing will hurt a writer’s reputation more than expecting people to draw their story for free. It takes an artist hours to draw a comics page well, so it is disrespectful to ask an artist to illustrate for free, no matter how genius the writer or how amazing the script is. Never approach an artist with that expectation. Rather, when preparing to approach artists, create a budget that can be shared with them when they ask for it.

Inks by Anna Wieszczyk from Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters series.

Taking baby steps with this new collaborator is important, given the money and time involved. It’s risky to jump into a 200-page graphic novel with an artist after one great meeting. Taking the extra time to get to know the artist and how they work is well worth it.  Review their complete portfolio and body of work. Reach out to their references to discover more about their process and ability to meet deadlines.

Another best practice is to start small. For example, a writer can ask an artist to do character designs with compensation for the artist and a contract to protect both collaborators. This helps determine if the team works well together and whether the artist’s vision for the characters is the same as what the writer imagines. If that step goes well, the team graduates to a short project like the book’s opening or first issue, which would be helpful when pitching the project to publishers. Anthologies are also great for this method. Find an anthology in the script’s genre and ask the artist if they want to submit a story together. The writer may still need to pay the artist their page rate, or the artist may agree to do it for what the anthology pays, or just because they also want to have a story published in the anthology. 

Sequential art for Forever Home by Jessica Maison and Anna Wieszczyk, published in the Cthulhu is Hard to Spell: Battle Royale anthology.

At this point, a colorist and letterer may be brought onto the project, depending on the illustrator you hire. Some illustrators can pencil, ink, color, and letter a book. The all-in-one artist can simplify the process, but it is also way slower. More often, the illustrator will pencil and ink the comic’s pages, and a colorist and letterer will be necessary to complete them. Be sure to take the same time and care in getting to know these artists as you did with the illustrator. 

Process art from Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters: La Llorona in the Machine, words by Jessica Maison, art by Anna Wieszczyk, and lettering by Joel Rodriguez.

Finally, establish an agreement that works for all parties, submit, and do the work together. These are not the only ways to connect with an artist or team of artists, but they are solid pathways to establishing a professional relationship without getting burned, while also pushing the project forward and/or expanding the team’s body of work. Once a creative relationship built on trust and experience has been established, it will be time to draw up the contract and dive into the more significant book.

When it all comes together, it’s magic, but it first takes diligence and patience to form those essential relationships with the comics’ other storytellers.

Explore more articles from THE COMICS PANEL

Jessica Maison is a sci-fi, fantasy, and horror author, screenwriter, and comic creator. Plastic Girl is her coming-of-age ecopunk YA novel series set in a climate apocalypse. She is the writer of the award-winning graphic novel series Mary Shelley’s School for Monsters, and her short comics have been featured in anthologies such as Cthulhu is Hard to Spell and Nightmare Theater. She is an IBPA Benjamin Franklin Gold Award winner and Foreword INDIES Award nominee. Her sci-fi speculative short stories have been published by Terraform, and she is the founder of Wicked Tree Press.

The post Connecting with an Artist Is a Big Part of the Storytelling in Comics appeared first on SFWA.

Several authors and works of genre interest are among the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) 2025 Edgar Awards winners.

Best Young Adult

• 49 Miles Alone, Natalie D. Richards (Sourcebooks Fire)

Best Juvenile

• The Stolen Key, Margaret Peterson Haddix (Quill Tree)

Robert L. Fish Memorial Award

• “The Jews on Elm Street”, Anna Stolley Persky (Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine 9-10/24)

The Simon & Schuster Mary Higgins Clark Award

• The Mystery

James by Percival Everett (Knopf) won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in the Fiction category.

Headshot by Rita Bullwinkel (Viking), Mice 1961 by Stacey Levine (Verse Chorus), and The Unicorn Woman by Gayl Jones (Beacon) were finalists.

The Pulitzer jury said of James: “An accomplished reconsideration of ‘Huckleberry Finn’ that gives agency to Jim to illustrate the absurdity of racial supremacy and provide a new take on the search for ...Read More

Krushna Dande is the recipient of the 2025 A.C. Bose Grant for South Asian Speculative Literature, presented by the Speculative Literature Foundation (SLF) and DesiLit.

The $1,000 grant is given annually to “a South Asian / South Asian diaspora writer developing speculative fiction.” Dande’s winning work is The Keeper of the Ship.

For more information, see the SLF website.

While you are here, please take a moment to support ...Read More

The 2024 Aurealis Awards winners, recognizing the best in Australian speculative fiction, have been announced.

Best Science Fiction Novel

• WINNER: Temporal Boom, J.M. Voss (Shawline)

• Transported, Kate Fitzpatrick (New Found)
• Inheritance, Genevieve Gannon (Pantera)
• The Temp, Martin Livings (self-published)
• Big Time, Jordan Prosser (University of Queensland Press)
• Juice, Tim Winton (Hamish Hamilton Australia)

Best Science Fiction Novella

• WINNER: Ghost of the Neon God,

Employees of Abrams books are seeking to join UAW Local 2110, which also represents the HarperCollins union. The prospective union would include workers in publicity, marketing, design, managing editorial, sales, distribution, IT, finance, and the mail room. A spokesperson said, “In forming a union, we stake our claim in shaping the future of Abrams: a more equitable, ethical, and transparent working environment. As employees, we want a seat at the ...Read More

Congratulations to all of the Locus Awards top ten finalists!

The Locus Awards winners will be announced June 21, 2025, during the in-person Locus Awards Ceremony, held in the historic Nile Hall at Preservation Park in downtown Oakland, California. Join MC Gail Carriger and special guests Tochi Onyebuchi and Sarah Gailey, plus featured local author Kemi Ashing-Giwa and artist Stephanie Law, for an entertaining presentation of the awards, plus ...Read More

Four sessions of the Rainforest Writers Village retreat were held over four weeks, from February 19 through March 17, 2025 in Quinault WA.

Photographer: Patrick Swenson

While you are here, please take a moment to support Locus with a one-time or recurring donation. We rely on reader donations to keep the magazine and site going, and would like to keep the site paywall free, but WE NEED YOUR FINANCIAL ...Read More

Artist George Barr, 88, died April 19, 2025 in Livermore CA. He was nominated for the Hugo Award for best fan artist five times, winning in 1968, and was twice a nominee for best professional artist.

Geoge Edward Barr was born January 13, 1937 in Tucson AZ. While he did little in the way of formal training, he was mentored by artists Mary Kimball Johnson and Harold “Jack” Vigos. Barr ...Read More

The fantastic New York Times bestselling author and ex-archaeologist Gail Carriger will be joining us at the Locus Awards Weekend on June 21, 2025, in Oakland, California as our Master of Ceremonies! We’re ecstatic to welcome Carriger to the stage for an evening of magic and laughs. Carriger will be joining special guests like Tochi Onyebuchi, Sarah Gailey, Kemi Ashing-Giwa, and Stephanie Law.

From her website: Gail Carriger writes books ...Read More

The five judges for the Philip K. Dick Award for works of science fiction published as paperback originals in the US during the year 2025 have been announced:

• Jim Aikin, 1308 Hillcrest Avebue, Livermore CA 94550-4925; epub files to midiguru23@sbcglobal.net
• Kim Antieau, 945 N Javalina Place, Tucson AZ 85748-2084; print copies only
• J.D. Goff, 11697 Allendale Drive, Falcon CO 80831-6812; epub or pdf files to jongoff@sommerstone.com
• Abbey Mei Otis, 5046

The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) has announced the nominees for the 28th Danuta Gleed Literary Award. The award recognizes “the best first collection of short fiction by a Canadian author published in 2024 in the English language.” Nominees of genre interest include Perfect Little Angels by Vincent Anioke (Arsenal Pulp) and Code Noir by Canisia Lubrin (Knopf).

The winners of the $10,000 first prize and two $1,000 additional prizes ...Read More

The 2024 Australasian Shadows Awards (previously known as the Australia Shadows Awards) shortlist has been announced. The award is given by the Australasian Horror Writers Association (AHWA) for “the finest in horror and dark fiction published by an Australasian within the calendar year.”

Novel

• The Dead Spot, Caroline Angel (Red Cape)
• Remedy, J.S. Breukelaar (PS)
• Jasper Cliff, Josh Kemp (Fremantle)
• The Briar Book of the Dead,

The Science Fiction and Fan­tasy Writers Association (SFWA) has announced Erin Roberts as Toastmaster for the 2025 SFWA Nebula Conference and Awards, to be held June 5-9, 2025 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown in Kansas City MO.

SFWA also posted an update on the election results for the 2025 SFWA Board of Directors. Ryka Aoki joins as new Director-at-Large along with returning Director-at-Large Curtis C. Chen and continuing Director-at-Large ...Read More

Nominees have been announced for the 2025 Splatterpunk Awards, honoring “superior achievement in the literary sub-genres of Splatterpunk and Extreme Horror fiction” in 2024.

Best Novel

• Benjamin, Aron Beauregard & Shane McKenzie (Bad Dream)
• This Wretched Valley, Jenny Kiefer (Quirk)
• American Rapture, CJ Leede (Tor Nightfire)
• The Home, Judith Sonnet (Madness Heart)
• The Old Lady, Kristopher Triana (Bad Dream)

Best Novella

• A Life of Crime

The Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) has announced the longlists for the 2025 Dagger Awards. Titles and authors of genre interest include:

Gold Dagger

• Book of Secrets, Anna Mazzola (Orion)
• Deadly Animals, Marie Tierney (Bonnier Books Ltd)

Ian Fleming Steel Dagger

• The Cracked Mirror, Chris Brookmyre (Sphere)
• Nobody’s Hero, M.W. Craven (Constable)
• Run, Blake Crouch (Macmillan)
• Sanctuary, Garry Disher (Viper)
• What Happened to Nina?,

Mikołaj Kowalewski has won the Trans-Atlantic Fan Fund (TAFF) to travel from Europe to North America to attend Worldcon 2025: Building Yesterday’s Future–For Everyone, defeating Zi Graves in the second round of voting.

There were 138 votes in the first round, 8 of which were submitted with no preference, and 128 votes in the second round. The fund is currently administered by Sarah Gulde in North America and Sandra Bond ...Read More

Winners of the Tolkien Society Awards 2025 were announced on April 27, 2025. The awards “recognize excellence in the fields of Tolkien scholarship and fandom, highlight­ing our long-standing charitable objective to ‘seek to educate the public in, and promote research into, the life and works of'” J.R.R. Tolkien. The society’s trustees choose the shortlist, with winners chosen by the membership.

Best Book

• WINNER: The Collected Poems of J.R.R. Tolkien,