May - June 2004
 
A Children’s Writer’s Short Resource Guide to the World of SF/F
by Laura Williams McCaffrey

You read science fiction and/or fantasy (SF/F) published for children and teens. You stick to the YA and children’s rooms in libraries and bookstores. This is where you feel you belong, both as a writer and a reader. You join SCBWI, take classes, and go to conferences, all to become a writer for children or teens.

There is a whole other world out there, however: the world of adult SF/F readers, writers, and publishers. Maybe this doesn’t matter to you. Maybe you don’t really need to know about what’s going on in genre publishing, about fandom, cons, and Neil Gaiman’s latest blog update. Some of your readers will know though, especially if you’re writing for older teens. So the following is a quick, and by no means comprehensive, guide to some of what’s in that other world.


Science Fiction and Fantasy Writing

Holly Black’s Writing Resources
http://www.blackholly.com/writingresources.htm
Holly Black is the author of the YA fantasy Tithe, and, with Tony DiTerlizzi, the MG fantasy series The Spiderwick Chronicles. Her website has links to writing resources, many of which are specifically for SF/F writers.

Locus Magazine and Website
http://www.locusmag.com
Locus is the Magazine of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Field. It has a great deal of information about SF/F and horror genre publishing, but includes information about those in the children’s writing or literary fiction writing fields, like Jane Yolen and Margaret Atwood. In fact, its January 2004 edition had Nancy Farmer on the cover and featured articles about YA fantasy publishing.

The website displays the magazine’s cover and table of contents, as well as excerpts from interviews. The site also lists news of interest to fantasy and science fiction readers: reviews, awards, signing schedules. The news links are updated every few days or so. For similar information and emphasis, go to The Home Page for Science Fiction and Fantasy http://www.sfsite.com/home.htm.

Science Fiction/Fantasy Writers of America
http://www.sfwa.org
SFWAhas levels of membership, which are based on the members’paid sales or status as an allied professional, meaning an editor, agent, etc. Sections of SFWA’s website are open to non-members, including links to writing articles. The articles are for writers at all career stages. It also has a very good “Writer’s Beware” section that lists scam alerts. Other site areas, like certain newsgroups, are restricted to members. Non-members can subscribe to the Bulletin of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and some of its articles are available for free online: http://www.sfwa.org/bulletin/.


Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing

Locus Website: Links
http://www.locusmag.com/Links/Portal.html
Locus again, you ask? Locus’s online publishing list is worth a mention all on its own. The list provides links to publishers in a variety of categories, as well as news, convention, zine, and blog links.

Tor Books
http://www.tor.com/tor.html
Locus’s website will give you more of an overview, and links to a lot of information. Tor Books, though, deserves special attention because of its importance in genre publishing. Also, Tor now has a YAimprint: http://www.starscapebooks.com/.


Fandom

Conventions
SF/F conventions are where writers, readers, and editors go to discuss, read and sign, argue, listen, and, well, party. Some cons are more academic, with discussions about literary influences, trends, and symbols. Others are more celebratory, with costumes and all the trappings. Curious about cons in general and ones, specifically, in your area? Visit this list on the SF site to find out more: http://www.sfsite.com/depts/cons01.htm.

And if you’re finding con talk confusing and perplexing go to Gandalara’s list of con-related terms: http://www.webmoose.com/owc/resources/con-pendium.php.

Neil Gaiman’s Online Journal
http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/journal.asp
Before Coraline and Wolves in the Wall, Neil Gaiman already had a large following. In his blog, he writes tidbits about his life and life in general. He also writes about appearances and answers question.

Tamora Pierce’s Sheores Sites
http://www.sheroescentral.com
http://www.sheroesfans.com
Tamora Pierce, along with Meg Cabot, started two online discussion boards, “Sheroes Central” and “Sheroes Fans.” Both are devoted to discussions about female heroes, though Tamora Pierce’s fantasy books are a frequent and popular topic.
In 2003, teen groups chose Laura Williams McCaffrey’s first children’s fantasy novel, Alia Waking (Clarion 2003), to be one of 35 nominees for the annual VOYA/YALSA sponsored Teens’ Top Ten book list. She’s currently working on a new fantasy novel and spending too much time reading about fantasy, folklore, and fairy tales on the web. For more information about her or her work, visit her website at: www.laurawilliamsmccaffrey.com.
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