Black Library Submissions are starting up again

[Shinros]

This time it's horror. 

 

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2020/08/19/we-want-your-tales-of-darkness/

 

 

[DukeLeto69]

Oh man only recently got the rejection from the last attempt!

 

Well here goes try number 4!!!!

[Shinros]

Oh man only recently got the rejection from the last attempt!

 

Well here goes try number 4!!!!

Same, I got a story in my vault that I can spruce up. I think I might shoot for an AOS story considering the weight of submissions they must get for 40k. 

[DarkChaplain]

Tempting to go for the Horror submission. That's definitely striking closer to home for me. This might just be the spark that I need to get back in the saddle with hobby writing. Too many binned drafts for stuff rotting on my hard drive nowadays (and most going in a horror direction, funnily enough).

 

I'm also thinking that AoS might be easier to get into. Is there usually a limit on the number of submissions per person? Might be worth doing both settings this time around. Might also be worth reading up some more on those Battletomes I keep ignoring....

 

One thing I'm actually super stoked about here is that they specifically list Cosmic horror among the niches they're looking for.

[Kelborn]

Never read any horror story, so I'm lacking the needed familiarity and such.

 

Though my last submission was pretty close to a horror movie scene so maybe I could adapt that...

 

Glad to see the next window! :)

May inspiration hit you guys and happy writing!

[Fire Golem]

I say this every time, but I’ll try and put something together for this.

[Dumah]

Once more into the fray...

[DarkChaplain]

With the Halloween season coming up, I'd highly recommend digging into Warhammer Horror now rather than later, then!

 

Personally, I'd still argue my biggest influence on the topic is HPL, closely followed by Poe, rather than more contemporary authors or horror movies. Over the past few years I've tried putting more "genre-defining" classics onto the shelf, too, like Robert E. Howard's contributions to the pulp and horror genres (both Conan and his large variety of horror tales), Le Fanu or Walpole. So I guess whatever I'd put to the digital paper would still be closer to that ballpark than maybe appropriate.

 

....and you know I'm a sucker for first person narratives, so it'd probably end up one in this case, too. Probably my favorite way to go about horror, as you can fully commit to the unreliable narrator aspect while ramping up the stress factor and mental deterioration as your story peaks, forcing the reader to also question some of the more innocuous statements from earlier on

Edited August 19, 2020 by DarkChaplain

[Roomsky]

I've absolutely bitched about them and to them too much to ever be accepted at this point.

 

But they're FOOLS if they think that'll stop me from trying!

[Indefragable]

I've absolutely bitched about them and to them too much to ever be accepted at this point.

 

But they're FOOLS if they think that'll stop me from trying!

Sample from my entry:

 

Hidden Content

 

Jon didn’t notice as the coffee mug shattered on the floor. His jaw agape he re-read the sample for a third time.

 

“This is brilliant. This is amazing. This will really turn things around” he mumbled to himself, clumsily standing up, knocking over his chair, barely aware of his surroundings from the daze of possibilities coursing through his mind.

 

He grabbed his coat and thought about how their reputation would be restored, how they would finally be taken seriously in critics circles. This entry, this sample was that good. It was amazing, a true stroke of fortune. “I’ve got to get this to the boss. I don’t care what meeting he’s in, he needs to read this story sample. It’s what we’ve all dreamt of for years...”

 

Down the hallway he jogged, racing for the elevator. Visions of treasures, fiscal, laudatory, and more danced through his mind. Jon allows himself a moment to savor as he waited for the lift to arrive.

 

As the elevator doors closed, a wave of dread washed over him. A sudden sinking feeling. A claw of panic gripped his lungs and his heart thumped through his chest.

 

“Wait a minute...what did I miss...what didn’t I check....wait....no....who sent this?”

 

Slowly, like his hand was chained under water, he lifted the submitted manuscript sample and checked the name of its author.

 

*****

The paramedics wheeled Jon out of the elevator, oxygen mask doing little to muffle his ramblings. The bandages on his fingertips doing little to stem the damage done from his clawing of the elevator walls.

 

The secretary shook her said in pity as he was wheeled past, then stooped to collect the scattered pages of the discarded manuscript. Some stamped with boot prints, some with bloody fingerprints. She looked down at the torn cover page and saw the words:

 

My Entry.

By Roomsky

 

Edited August 19, 2020 by Indefragable

[Shinros]

 

I've absolutely bitched about them and to them too much to ever be accepted at this point.

 

But they're FOOLS if they think that'll stop me from trying!

Sample from my entry:

 

Hidden Content

 

Jon didn’t notice as the coffee mug shattered on the floor. His jaw agape he re-read the sample for a third time.

 

“This is brilliant. This is amazing. This will really turn things around” he mumbled to himself, clumsily standing up, knocking over his chair, barely aware of his surroundings from the daze of possibilities coursing through his mind.

 

He grabbed his coat and thought about how their reputation would be restored, how they would finally be taken seriously in critics circles. This entry, this sample was that good. It was amazing, a true stroke of fortune. “I’ve got to get this to the boss. I don’t care what meeting he’s in, he needs to read this story sample. It’s what we’ve all dreamt of for years...”

 

Down the hallway he jogged, racing for the elevator. Visions of treasures, fiscal, laudatory, and more danced through his mind. Jon allows himself a moment to savor as he waited for the lift to arrive.

 

As the elevator doors closed, a wave of dread washed over him. A sudden sinking feeling. A claw of panic gripped his lungs and his heart thumped through his chest.

 

“Wait a minute...what did I miss...what didn’t I check....wait....no....who sent this?”

 

Slowly, like his hand was chained under water, he lifted the submitted manuscript sample and checked the name of its author.

 

*****

The paramedics wheeled Jon out of the elevator, oxygen mask doing little to muffle his ramblings. The bandages on his fingertips doing little to stem the damage done from his clawing of the elevator walls.

 

The secretary shook her said in pity as he was wheeled past, then stooped to collect the scattered pages of the discarded manuscript. Some stamped with boot prints, some with bloody fingerprints. She looked down at the torn cover page and saw the words:

 

My Entry.

By Roomsky

 

 

 

Don't post your entry, it could invalidate it. 

[Rob P]

Whether the plan is to be a writer or to get published by BL, I'm convinced getting published elsewhere first is more realistic a gateway to BL than these brawl for all competitions.

 

But ... I wish everyone the best of luck. Sharpen those pencils.

[theSpirea]

Good luck to all of you!

 

It's always nice to read someone's new take on 40K or AoS. Inferno and WH horror anthologies are becoming my favourite books to read when commuting to work.

 

Rath, Parrott, Crowley, McLean, Ozga, and Gray are all promising upcoming writers. I'm always excited to read their news stories and support them by buying their new novellas/novels. Hopefully, soon I'll be able to buy a book by one of you.

[Guest Triszin]

spooky!

 

me must think

 

spooky

[Shinros]

Whether the plan is to be a writer or to get published by BL, I'm convinced getting published elsewhere first is more realistic a gateway to BL than these brawl for all competitions.

 

But ... I wish everyone the best of luck. Sharpen those pencils.

Well yes, but there is no harm in trying I think. 

[Dumah]

If nothing else it'll be good practice in handling rejection. That's an important skill for any writer.

[Shinros]

Just found a useful page to help people out. 

 

https://www.blacklibrary.com/Home/ranges-and-formats.html

 

Black Library lists the word count they are roughly looking for in a short story. It's under types of products. 

 

Quick Reads, also known as eShorts or short stories, range in length from 1,000 to 20,000 words, and can be anything from a vignette of action to an epic tale of betrayal and drama. Most Quick Reads focus on a single main character. Some Quick Reads are part of a larger serialised tale, each story standing alone but also forming a chapter of the overall tale. All our Quick Reads are exclusively digital products.

 

So a page of A4 is about 500 words if you are using times of roman size 12, so the limit for a short story is up to forty pages. 

[Nineswords]

Track of Words has just released an interview with BL author Alec Worley about writing for the WH Horror submission window. Absolutely worth a read!

[Nineswords]

I came across this (again on Track of Words) - part one of two on writing for the horror submission window, this time by a larger group of authors: https://www.trackofwords.com/2020/09/05/writing-for-black-library-pitching-warhammer-horror-part-one/#more-14642

[Nineswords]

And part 2, with contributions from BL Editor and Writer Nick Kyme, CL Werner and Justin Hill amongst others: https://www.trackofwords.com/2020/09/11/writing-for-black-library-pitching-warhammer-horror-part-two/