Write for Black Library

[HeritorA]

I think it was Guy who mentioned one of the most important takeaways: That you're not writing your stories. You're writing Games Workshop's stories. Keeping in mind that you're writing in their universe and not your interpretation of their universe is #1.

Kind of a funny attitude from a publishing house arguably built on the work of a single author who completely imposed his preferences and aesthetic on GW's IP.

Similarly, as soon as I heard Guy's comment I thought "...we're what?" I think it's one of those things that means different things to different people, because I've always been told it's about writing your own stories in the IP, not what GW wants you to write. That said, there's been a period in the last 2-3 years where that changed for a lot of authors with a shift in the company. The pendulum is swinging back the other way again now, though. That's something that's been noticed and discussed to death on forums just from people seeing the schedule and noticing the shift in attitude (as well as other authors already mentioning it on podcasts, etc.), so it's sadly not juicy gossip.

Ok despite partaking in this discussion before, im confused Aaron. Do you mean the pendulum swung away from 'creating your own stories in the sandbox' like the work of yourself, Farrer, Abnett, French, etc., to 'advertise our new product' writing/stick by the rules of the current edition models & texts/write our stories, and now back to 'sandbox'?

A little. Sort of. Kinda. It's less the way it's been the last 2 years, but not quite the way it was 3+ years ago. It's new, and that's by no means a bad thing. Other authors have discussed it more on various podcasts, but I lack the links right now.

There's nothing solid to point to, really - not that the schedule and the kinds of stories being written won't highlight better than any of my explanations could. I think it's probably fairest to say that some authors will usually/always do some kinds of stories, and some will always do others, and that's the only real thing that'll be seen in terms of an end result facing out to the public. The prolific guys, for example, can write 3-5 novels a year, and can be trusted with tie-in releases based on the model/studio schedule, where you're asking for endless and painful hilarity if you tried that with me or Dan. They just couldn't rely on us to hit those kinds of deadlines (and I daresay we'd be less likely to accept that kind of project, anyway).

Some authors pitch what they want to write, some authors are offered projects, and pretty much most do some mix of both depending on time, circumstance, and passion. We're just leaving a period where it was heavily weighted toward project offers for the majority of authors. (I write so slowly that I avoided that period purely through just... not being involved in it.)

Guy's comments surprised me, but I think it's more about context than meaning. Guy is a good example of the ferociously prolific type that can write to spec and nail every deadline. He is an avatar of that blessed ideal: a professional. That makes him worth listening to.

'Guy is a good example of the ferociously prolific type that can write to spec and nail every deadline. He is an avatar of that blessed ideal: a professional. That makes him worth listening to.' - that was epic, you got me where, lol

That's why we all love you A D-B. We simply can't wait for second Black Legion book master

DukeLeto69

'I truly hope Dan Abnett comes back and at very least finishes the Gaunts Ghost series and Bequin series.' - sorry brother, but not with worlds luck.

Comics stuff pays more

[DarkChaplain]

DukeLeto69, I'd recommend anything written by Peter Fehervari to you, if you haven't read it. Seems like you'd appreciate that. His works are as follows:

 

Fire Caste (novel),

The Crown of Thorns (short story)

Legends of the Dark Millennium: Tau Empire (Fire and Ice (novella), Out Caste (short story), A Sanctuary of Wyrms (short story)),

Deathwatch: Ignition (The Walker in Fire (short story),

The Space Marines Omnibus  / Heroes of the Space Marines (Nightfall (short story)) and

The Omnissiah's Chosen (Vanguard (short story)).

 

All of them connect in one way or another, creating a thicker mystery and mythos. It takes some digging sometimes, but when you get behind it, it feels damn rewarding. It is grim, often psychological horror, and less about the action. The order you read the stories in isn't really relevant, but the more you read, or revisit, the more engaging it becomes I've found.

[HeritorA]

DukeLeto69, I'd recommend anything written by Peter Fehervari to you, if you haven't read it. Seems like you'd appreciate that. His works are as follows:

Fire Caste (novel),

The Crown of Thorns (short story)

Legends of the Dark Millennium: Tau Empire (Fire and Ice (novella), Out Caste (short story), A Sanctuary of Wyrms (short story)),

Deathwatch: Ignition (The Walker in Fire (short story),

The Space Marines Omnibus / Heroes of the Space Marines (Nightfall (short story)) and

The Omnissiah's Chosen (Vanguard (short story)).

All of them connect in one way or another, creating a thicker mystery and mythos. It takes some digging sometimes, but when you get behind it, it feels damn rewarding. It is grim, often psychological horror, and less about the action. The order you read the stories in isn't really relevant, but the more you read, or revisit, the more engaging it becomes I've found.

Ohhhh, Peter Fehervari is good. Fire Caste and Fire and Ice are AWESOME and truly 40k grimdark

[KramFoot]

Something I've been wondering in my wait is this; what happens if you get through the second round? Forgive me if that sounds silly I'm just curious if anybody could give us peeps any useful advice for what comes next if we're lucky enough to survive round 2.

[Sete]

Well I didn't write anything to save whoever reads the applications the cringe of a love story between a young and naive inquisitor, a Blood Angel and a Space Wolf that all go to the same High School. Oh and the Space Wolf is shirtless all the time.

[veterannoob]

Something I've been wondering in my wait is this; what happens if you get through the second round? Forgive me if that sounds silly I'm just curious if anybody could give us peeps any useful advice for what comes next if we're lucky enough to survive round 2.

From my understanding of those who have (could be totally wrong here) is once you complete the tests you are part of the BL author pool but then from there, I can't say.

Good luck! Hope it goes well.

[DukeLeto69]

DukeLeto69, I'd recommend anything written by Peter Fehervari to you, if you haven't read it. Seems like you'd appreciate that. His works are as follows:

 

Fire Caste (novel),

The Crown of Thorns (short story)

Legends of the Dark Millennium: Tau Empire (Fire and Ice (novella), Out Caste (short story), A Sanctuary of Wyrms (short story)),

Deathwatch: Ignition (The Walker in Fire (short story),

The Space Marines Omnibus  / Heroes of the Space Marines (Nightfall (short story)) and

The Omnissiah's Chosen (Vanguard (short story)).

 

All of them connect in one way or another, creating a thicker mystery and mythos. It takes some digging sometimes, but when you get behind it, it feels damn rewarding. It is grim, often psychological horror, and less about the action. The order you read the stories in isn't really relevant, but the more you read, or revisit, the more engaging it becomes I've found.

Great thanks for the recommendation will check some of these out.

[GoRenku]

Is anyone else still waiting for a response from Black Library after making it through to the second round?

 

I know that there are a few authors that frequent this board who have made it all the way to publication after sending in their work through a submission window. Can you advise how long the process took from submission to final acceptance? I'm trying to get a sense of Black Library's practices in this regard.

 

Thanks for your time.

[KramFoot]

Yeah still waiting. Patience is a virtue and all that. Way I see it this has given me more than enough time to finish my short story for them.

I get the feeling that we'll be lucky to hear anything this year tbh. It's near Christmas after all.

[Mellow]

I too am someone that played 40k back in the 90's (1st & 2nd edition) and haven't touched anything to do with it since very recently when I first bought the Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies on IBooks and then moved onto getting the all of the HH (numbered only) books.

 

I pretty much have no interest in the modelling at all as that was for when I had no job and family to look after. For me it's all about the novels and I pretty much but whatever ones I wish whenever I wish.

 

Love the inquisition based stories much more than Space Marines one though. Much better seeing all the layers of human society where possible.

[Sanctimonius]

Same, haven't heard anything yet. I guess we haven't been kicked to the kerb yet, so that's a good thing, right?

[KramFoot]

Same, haven't heard anything yet. I guess we haven't been kicked to the kerb yet, so that's a good thing, right?

That's the way I'm viewing it just now. We know by just looking through this thread that some peeps have unfortunately been rejected, so yeah take no news as good news right now. Have faith fellow Brother! We got through the first round and that means we must be doing something right to impress the high lords of BL.

[HeritorA]

 

Same, haven't heard anything yet. I guess we haven't been kicked to the kerb yet, so that's a good thing, right?

That's the way I'm viewing it just now. We know by just looking through this thread that some peeps have unfortunately been rejected, so yeah take no news as good news right now. Have faith fellow Brother! We got through the first round and that means we must be doing something right to impress the high lords of BL.

 

It's not matter that you was rejected - what matters is that you never stop trying and never stop improving. And eventually - you will be taken in

[Bonestomper]

Hi, I'm new here. I'm a working screenwriter and 40K fan. Just wanted to ask what the latest is. Any writing opportunities available right now? Thanks in advance for any advice/replies.

[DarkChaplain]

There's currently no open submission window as far as I am aware. The last one is still being looked through from the looks of it.

 

I'm also curious though. I had an idea yesterday that probably wouldn't even have been looked at under the old policy, but with the upsurge of Inquisition stories lately, it might be interesting enough in theme that I'd like to try shooting for the stars with it. If I can get it off, that is, instead of putting it into the drawer to all the other drafts for stuff.

 

As a refresher, this was the last submission call:

 

 

SUBMISSIONS PROCESS
1. Your story must adhere to the theme ‘The Imperium of Man’. This could mean stories about Space Marines or Astra Militarum, or even Imperial Assassins or the Adeptus Mechanicus. You can interpret this in any way that you like but the story must fit with Games Workshop’s intellectual property, its mood and tone, and be driven by strong, interesting characters that inhabit and are a part of the Warhammer 40,000 mythos.

2. Pitch us your idea by sending a one-paragraph summary of what happens in the story and who the main characters are.

3. Write a sample of the story no longer than 500 words in length, in English. This could come from any part of the story and doesn’t have to be set at the beginning (we’d recommend not sending us the ending, however…). At this point we are not looking for fully written stories.

Just to be clear, everything you submit to us must be original and entirely your own work. Do not send us anything that you have copied from a third party or that has been created by someone else.

4. Send your story pitch and sample in an email to blacklibrarysubmissions@gwplc.com as an attached Microsoft Word document and include in the subject line ‘Short Story Submission’. We will only accept electronic submissions, so please do not send us physical copies of your work as they will not be read or returned to you. If you would like to send a submission but you do not have access to facilities to send us an electronic copy, please get in touch with us to discuss an alternative means of entry.

 

This will, most likely, change drastically for the next, but it is good to keep that in mind if you're gunning for it, or practicing. Being able to pitch your story simply while making it sound interesting is important at any rate, and I'd recommend practicing that to friends who are at least somewhat interested in Science Fiction/aware of 40k.

 

Gav Thorpe's got some additional tips:

http://gavthorpe.co.uk/2016/01/16/three-top-tips-for-black-library-submissions/

 

Out of interest: What length did the people here who submitted their stories last time go for? The short stories being put out these days, beyond serializations, vary quite a bit in length.

[Bonestomper]

Thanks so much for the update! I heard somewhere that their calls for submissions were some kind of ploy to stir up interest in the novels or something. And that Dr. Who did that too. But that's not true, right? I mean, some of you have found success through those calls, yeah?

[bluntblade]

Wouldn't hurt to get some practice in, I guess. I will seriously try this when it rolls around next year.

[A D-B]

Thanks so much for the update! I heard somewhere that their calls for submissions were some kind of ploy to stir up interest in the novels or something. And that Dr. Who did that too. But that's not true, right? I mean, some of you have found success through those calls, yeah?

 

I made such a face just then.

[Marshal Rohr]

From my understanding it was to find freelancers to write shorts and novellas that weren't meant to be headliners. I think it's a misconception among applicants that their writing goes from open submission to Heresy meetings if they are good enough, and BL operates like a more traditional publishing house where you've gotta do nose to the grind stone writing before they risk a novel on you and not a think piece farm where the 'true believers' sky rocket to the top based on how gritty they can be. Ive been helping my buddy do some academic writing for his NGO and he final just got published like a month back after three years.

[DarkChaplain]

To be fair, Robbie MacNiven got a novel commissioned relatively quickly (a serialized one at that), and has his Carcharodons coming up. He got in through the submission process, even though it took him a couple of years of tries to get accepted. But when he did, things apparently went well.

[hopkins]

i think it was nick kyme on the independent characters that said chris wraight and josh reynolds got in via submissions

[Marshal Rohr]

I thought Reynolds worked for the studio? I remembered seeing some armies and articles from him.

[hopkins]

I thought Reynolds worked for the studio? I remembered seeing some armies and articles from him.

 

That would be Anthony Reynolds

[Marshal Rohr]

Ah, my mistake.

[HeritorA]

To be fair, Robbie MacNiven got a novel commissioned relatively quickly (a serialized one at that), and has his Carcharodons coming up. He got in through the submission process, even though it took him a couple of years of tries to get accepted. But when he did, things apparently went well.

We will see how it go. I will read it only from respect for him as a new author, giving him another chance to impress me.

Legacy of Russ was horrible crap. If not for the Carcharodons I would have skipped him for good.

From another point 'Fixed' was good