Tor Open Submissions for Novellas - May 2018 and July 2018

[Gareth Lewis]

I'm also doubtful about my chances, but it gave me an excuse to exorcise an idea that'd been in my head a while.

 

[Serendipity]

Okay... might as well start list...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018

Good luck Gareth.

 

[Gareth Lewis]

Okay... might as well start list...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018

Good luck Gareth.

You too.

For reference, the novella I entered the first day of the May open period was rejected in 16 days - though I'm not expecting them to be as quick this time if they have some left.

 

[The Bluestocking]

I'm almost done with mine - need a week or so to finish revisions and I'm subbing (probably just getting in by the skin of my teeth on August 13th).

 

[Serendipity]

Fingers crossed you'll make the deadline, Bluestocking and good luck...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018
Bluestocking - maybe subbing 13/08/2018

... this makes us sound like the three musketeers.... ahem...

 

[The Bluestocking]

Fingers crossed you'll make the deadline, Bluestocking and good luck...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018
Bluestocking - maybe subbing 13/08/2018

... this makes us sound like the three musketeers.... ahem...

@Dan Jones is also supposed to sub, I think. You still subbing, Dan?

 

[The Bluestocking]

Um... seems to be just three of us? Is it me or is the novella not a very popular format?

Was reading about the history of the form and apparently, some of the best known SFF books such as WAR OF THE WORLDS, THE STRANGE CASE OF DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE and ANIMAL FARM are actually novellas...

 

[-K2-]

Um... seems to be just three of us? Is it me or is the novella not a very popular format?

After noting this thread, that's when I began work on '2028' in my growing series, 2029 the originating work. My thinking being, write a novella, spread out some of the info-dumping in 2029 into 2028 in the form of exposition, submit it, and if accepted, there is a polished and ready to go novel (2029) already finished as a sequel, 2030 in process.

That said, part of their announcement of this really put me off. I get their 'positive' good intentions, however... *erase-edit-erase* I like my privacy, and the thought of being promoted as a poster-child to help sell their brand and product bothers me tremendously.

In any case, that knocked some of the steam out of me, so I decided simply to do my 'thang' and not pursue it, or work at compressing something that might grow to a novel. It's a great and generous opportunity they're offering, and I hope many here find success during this open submission period.

K2

 

[Dan Jones]

@Dan Jones is also supposed to sub, I think. You still subbing, Dan?

I have in fact managed to get my sub in this morning, BS.

I might as well come clean about the details now - it's called The Gigantomachy of Antonios Costas and is about two classical academics going on an archaeological dig beneath Athens after a giant dig swallows half the city. And stuff goes down. It's more like urban mythology than traditional SFF, but it's definitely fantastical, so I hope it'll fit the bill for them. It's a shade over 26000 words.

I am a bit surprised about the lack of interest from others on this site; I think novellas are a good vehicle for exploring themes and ideas that can't (or perhaps shouldn't) be expanded to a full novel. However, my sub receipt said I'm number 316 in the queue, and that's only three days into the window opening* so there must be loads of people out there interested**.

@Venusian Broon also said he was thinking about subbing, but didn't say whether he was 100% committed. How is your sub going?

*though that could also be counting the outstanding subs from May
**and probably load who haven't read the submission guidelines, as usual, so the number is never as daunting as it looks.

 

[Dan Jones]

That said, part of their announcement of this really put me off. I get their 'positive' good intentions, however... *erase-edit-erase* I like my privacy, and the thought of being promoted as a poster-child to help sell their brand and product bothers me tremendously.

I understand the sentiment, but that's what any publisher of decent size and clout would expect to do with their authors if they thought it made good commercial sense. That doesn't necessarily make it right (and cross-plugging and log-rolling between publishers and authors is called out by organs such as Private Eye) but it is the status quo.

 

[The Bluestocking]

I have in fact managed to get my sub in this morning, BS.

I might as well come clean about the details now - it's called The Gigantomachy of Antonios Costas and is about two classical academics going on an archaeological dig beneath Athens after a giant dig swallows half the city. And stuff goes down. It's more like urban mythology than traditional SFF, but it's definitely fantastical, so I hope it'll fit the bill for them. It's a shade over 26000 words.

I am a bit surprised about the lack of interest from others on this site; I think novellas are a good vehicle for exploring themes and ideas that can't (or perhaps shouldn't) be expanded to a full novel. However, my sub receipt said I'm number 316 in the queue, and that's only three days into the window opening* so there must be loads of people out there interested**.

@Venusian Broon also said he was thinking about subbing, but didn't say whether he was 100% committed. How is your sub going?

*though that could also be counting the outstanding subs from May
**and probably load who haven't read the submission guidelines, as usual, so the number is never as daunting as it looks.

I might be the last one in from Chrons - my writing group is critting the final segment of my 1st draft, I'm busy revising and tightening earlier chapters. Mostly either tidying up typos/grammar, shortening too-long scenes, clarifying various bits, or making sure everything is linked properly.

It isn't as daunting as revising a full-length novel though, so there's that...

Your novella sounds like an urban adventure story with SF elements in it (unless you've made it more Horror-ish?).

Mine's over on the other end, genre-wise - a Second-World comic fantasy heist/caper.

 

[Dan Jones]

It isn't as daunting as revising a full-length novel though, so there's that...

Definitely. I had the advantage of having written mine last year, so I've only had to do betas and revisions from May. The short length means I can do a pretty good proofread in a day.

Your novella sounds like an urban adventure story with SF elements in it (unless you've made it more Horror-ish?).

It is urban adventure I suppose, but with fantasy-horror, no SF.

Anyway! Good luck with the final few revisions!

 

[Serendipity]

Good Luck Dan - there's 212 submissions between ours - so they're getting a lot of subs!

Working in Progress list is...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018 -
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018 - 22k - progressive science fiction
Dan Jones - subbed 02/08/2018 - 26k - urban mythology
Bluestocking - maybe subbing 13/08/2018
Venusian Broon - rumoured as maybe subbing

 

[-K2-]

I understand the sentiment, but that's what any publisher of decent size and clout would expect to do with their authors if they thought it made good commercial sense. That doesn't necessarily make it right (and cross-plugging and log-rolling between publishers and authors is called out by organs such as Private Eye) but it is the status quo.

*edited*

my issue not theirs.

K2

 

[Gareth Lewis]

Working in Progress list is...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018 -
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018 - 22k - progressive science fiction
Dan Jones - subbed 02/08/2018 - 26k - urban mythology

Mine's 24k - science fiction.

I'm not sure what subcategory I'd use. It is basically a dystopia of a world under the sway of social media (admittedly not that fantastical an idea), but a crazy girl turns up claiming to be a fictionaut visiting her favourite story.

 

[Serendipity]

Thanks for the update on your novella, Gareth...

Working in Progress list is...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018 - 24k - dystopia
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018 - 22k - progressive science fiction
Dan Jones - subbed 02/08/2018 - 26k - urban mythology
Bluestocking - maybe subbing 13/08/2018
Venusian Broon - rumoured as maybe subbing

 

[Phyrebrat]

I was going to enter if I had anything, but the only thing I do have - possibly - The Long Haul is probably not ready or too short. Plus I've been ordered by a certain stripey one to not do anything with it

pH

 

[Dan Jones]

@Phyrebrat I understand why Stripes would say not to meddle with it too much - it was fantastic - but I did feel like there could have been a extended coda where the main guy (I forget his name, soz) has a final showdown with the grotesque gameshow host (was it Charley?). To what end, I'm not sure, but that confrontation for me had a certain sense of inevitability about it which went unfulfilled.

If you were looking for a way to extend it to novella length then perhaps that could be a way, but given the window is only open for another week I guess it's impractical.

 

[The Bluestocking]

I have submitted my novella to Tor.com! Just 4 hours before they shut it on 13 August 2018! YES!

I'm number 748, 39.4K words.

@Serendipity - For your reference, my novella is a comic fantasy caper/heist.

 

[Serendipity]

Well done Bluestocking for getting in under the wire! Good luck everyone.

Working in Progress list is...

Gareth Lewis - subbed 30/07/2018 - 24k - dystopia
Serendipity - subbed 30/07/2018 - 22k - progressive science fiction
Dan Jones - subbed 02/08/2018 - 26k - urban mythology
Bluestocking - subbed 13/08/2018 - 39.4k - comic fantasy caper / heist
Venusian Broon - rumoured as maybe subbing