In this week’s guest post, Angry Robot author Colin Harvey talks about the necessity of making yourself attractive to an editor.

Generating Heat
By Colin Harvey

A few weeks before the end of last term, our script lecturer gave a talk on The Business of Scriptwriting. Much of his lecture could be applied just as easily to SF as to the film business, so with some slight amendments I’ve adapted it for this blog.

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In this week’s guest post, New Jersey-based author Stuart Clark examines where speculative fiction authors get their crazy ideas.

Running With The Idea
By Stuart Clark

A question that authors often get asked is “Where do you get your ideas?”  It’s a topic that many speculative fiction authors have blogged about recently.  The general consensus seems to be that ideas are everywhere and they come from observing the world around us.  But simply having an idea is like having salad dressing without the salad – It may be good, but it’s almost unpalatable on its own.

So what’s after the “What if?”  How do you take that initial idea and turn it into a full-blown story?  Whether you’re writing shorts or novels, there are a number of techniques you might want to consider.

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In the first in what will hopefully become a series of posts by guest writers, Lyn Perry gives us his perspective on micropublishing.

“Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?” – The Beatles

Micropublishing Trends & Marketing Thoughts
by Lyn Perry

It seems everyone wants to be a paperback writer. Or at least an e-published author. And with the advent of web-based self-publishing tools like Lulu (for print-on-demand books) and Feedbooks (featuring a variety of electronic formats), anyone with a bit of talent and know-how can claim the title of published author.

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