Beginning in 2010, I hosted a series of writing contests on my former blogs, challenging readers to write science fiction short stories about futures defined by resource depletion, ecological turmoil, and the twilight of the industrial age — you know, the kind of future we’re actually going to get. The best of the resulting stories have been collected in the four After Oil anthologies, which can be found by clicking on the JMG Fiction menu tab above. Since there seems to be plenty of readers interested in stories that break free of the conventional wisdom of today’s mainstream SF, another such contest seems like a good idea.
Stay tuned; another contest is on its way…
***************************
As of 30 January 2018, the Old Solar System Writing Contest is closed; thank you for everyone who submitted stories to it. Details are below, for historical purposes.
***************
This is a joint project, shared with Zendexor of the Heritage of Dreams website. We’re looking for stories set on the Old Solar System — the imaginary one that was conjured into being by science fiction authors back in the glory days of the genre, when Mars had canals, Venus was a jungle planet, and human explorers could tangle with colorful adventures all the way from the Twilight Belt of Mercury to the improbably habitable far reaches of the system.
Those writers who don’t happen to be familiar with the Old Solar System should read Zendexor’s website and then follow it up with a good healthy helping of classic SF. Those who already know the territory — well, what are you waiting for? 😉
We’re looking for short stories (2500-7500 words), novelettes (7500-12,500 words) and a novella (12500+ words) set in the Old Solar System. Type of story is as wide open as space — two-(or more-)fisted adventure tales, interplanetary romance, cosmic horror, you name it, as long as th tale takes place on one or more of the worlds of the Old Solar System or the voids between them. More information, including updates and contact info, can be found here.
Deadline for story submissions is January 30, 2018, so grab your laser pistols, get on that spaceship, and head out for other worlds!