Caitlin Rosemarie Thomas, 28 October 2002 – 17 April 2024, was a presence of joy in the genre community. The daughter of Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas, Caitlin often traveled to science fiction and fantasy conventions and ceremonies and was known for her excitement in interacting with other creative people. Caitlin loved stories, and often listened to audiobooks. She was proud of her fandoms, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and wrestling. She lived with fullness, appreciating those things that make us most human: humor, music, art, and companionship. Whether one knew he ..read more

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association is pleased to announce that the 2024 Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award will be presented posthumously to Jennell Jaquays at the 59th Annual SFWA Nebula Awards® ceremony on June 8, 2024. The Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award is given by SFWA for significant contributions to the science fiction, fantasy, and related genres community. The award was created in 2008, with Wilhelm named as one of the three original recipients, and was renamed in her honor in 2016. Ms. Jaquays joins the ranks of the latest Solstice Award winners, including Cerece Rennie Mu ..read more

By Samantha Garner When you think of video games, do you think of rich character development? Unfortunately, many people believe video game characters are either implausibly indestructible, or worse: boring. As a fan of fantasy and action role-playing video games, I’ve seen that belief transcended many times. As an SFF writer, I often find inspiration in the complex and believable characterization found in video games. Whether or not you’re a gamer, I think you’ll find these character development lessons from video games useful in your own writing too. Strong motivation for the main character ..read more

Travis Heermann (22 October 1969 – 26 April 2024), also writing as T. James Logan,  was a prolific and award-winning author, ghostwriter, poet, screenwriter, filmmaker, producer, editor, and publisher. In addition to a lifetime of creative accomplishments, Heermann was a beloved volunteer for the SFWA Publications team. In prose, Heermann wrote novels, such as The Hammer Falls, The Ronin Trilogy, Rogues of the Black Fury, and Death Wind (co-written), many under his own Bear Paw Publishing. He wrote a multitude of short stories, published across a range of genre magazines and anthologies ..read more

by L. E. Torres One day in 1986, after concluding an exciting Dungeons & Dragons campaign with my high school friends, I decided to write a novel telling their exploits. The game had been a roaring success, all non-stop action and nail-biting excitement, so how could its novelization be any less of a triumph? The result was a piece of hopeless dreck which I still keep around as a reminder that no matter how terrible I think my latest draft is, it will never be that bad. It took me decades to understand that my incipient writing skills weren’t the only reason my story didn’t work. The colla ..read more

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) is excited to announce that author and SFWA Nebula and Hugo Award finalist, Sarah Gailey, will serve as toastmaster for the 59th Annual Nebula Awards® Ceremony! The ceremony will take place in Pasadena, CA on June 8th, 2024. Continuing on with SFWA’s commitment of inviting and including the global science fiction and fantasy community, the organization will be livestreaming the ceremony on Youtube. SFWA President Jeffe Kennedy shared, “I’m delighted that Sarah will be our Toastmaster this year. With their wit and deep ties to t ..read more

By Noah Sturdevant   Who are you? No, not in a “name, rank, and serial number” kind of way or the physical parts on display. Not the broad character traits you associate with yourself, either. It’s a complicated question, right? It can be hard to define, even to yourself, much less others. In fact, just about everyone you’ve interacted with has probably seen you as a slightly different person than everyone else has. This isn’t a bad thing, far from it. Who you are to a specific person or group, your persona, or a tailored version of your personality can be a powerful tool. You’re more tha ..read more

by Erika Hardison This essay is the fourth of eight in the Publishing Taught Me: A SFWA Anthology Project. Ever since Black YA Fantasy author L.L. McKinney set Twitter (now known as X) ablaze with her hashtag #PublishingPaidMe in 2021, the traditional publishing industry has been scrambling to give the appearance that they are truly committed to being more inclusive. While the public was becoming aware of how nonwhite authors were being treated, the industry itself continues to struggle with its blind spots when it comes to hiring and cultivating its nonwhite peers. In a New York Times piece t ..read more

By May Haddad Knot tying (“nodology” in Latin, “kompology” in Greek) is a time-honored skill honed in seafaring for millennia. Its history intertwines with maritime exploration, naval warfare, and the development of trade routes all over the world. Even as synthetic ropes replaced natural fibers, knots used by sailors centuries ago remain in wide use today. Considering the popularity of “faring” in speculative fiction, whether by sea, sky, or space, featuring knot-tying in your writing is a must for authenticity.  Not only are you required to know your knots and how to tie them, but you a ..read more

Jubilee Cho (13 April 1998 – 06 March 2024) was a writer and dreamer, and the author of the upcoming middle grade fantasy novel Wishing Well, Wishing Well. Cho grew up near Disneyland, enamored with stories of fantastical princesses. Yearning to see herself included in such tales, she wrote her own to help give new generations of children something she’d needed to create for herself. Cho planned a long writing career and wanted to use her platform to foster awareness about disability and mental health, and to share the beauty of trans joy with the world. Author Kwame Mbalia who had reached out ..read more