"Strange New Worlds" contest now accepting submissions

[LadyT'Anna]

Spreading the word:

Always wanted to tell your own Star Trek story about Kirk, Spock, Janeway, Picard, Uhura, Sisko, Major Kira, Archer, Tom Paris, Hoshi and/or the Borg, U.S.S. Enterprise, etc.? Well, your timing [sic] is coming, as Simon & Schuster, as part of its celebration of Star Trek's upcoming 50th anniversary, will bring back its popular Star Trek: Strange New Worlds fan fiction writing contest. The orignal [sic] Star Trek: Strange New Worlds was a yearly collection of Trek short stories published between 1998 and 2007, with the amateur writers' works chosen via an open submissions process. The new contest for 2106 [sic] will result in 10 grand prize winners who will have their stories published in the print and eBook formats as part of an all-new and official anthology from Simon & Schuster. Additionally, the two first prize winners will receive a free self-publishing package from Archway Publishing.

See http://www.startrek.com/article/strange-new-worlds-fan-fiction-contest-returns-for-2016 for more information.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Shame it limited to the USA

 

[Sgt_G]

I looked into this series about ten years ago, and never submitted due to:

1) At the time, the size limit was 7500 words, and my story is 7700 words. They said they would edit it down as they saw fit.

2) I don't name the characters, but it's pretty obvious who they are. They said they would edit it to put the names in.

3) They said it cannot have ever been published *anywhere* previously, so if it was posted on a personal web-site (even if taken off-line) and they find out about it, they said it's disqualified.

4) They said it cannot have ties to ST:TAS nor to third-party intellectual property. While my story is stand-alone, it makes more sense if one knows the background history from the Star Fleet Battles game universe. Also, as I make mention of something that was introduced to the Trek world in The Animated Series (and later became a core feature in the SFB world), they said they would edit that data out of my story. Without that, the story doesn't make sense.

5) And the kicker for me was this line in the rules: "All entries become the sole and exclusive property of the Sponsor and entries will not be returned." When I asked for clarifications, they said that even if they reject the story for publication in their book, the author still may NOT take it to another publisher for print, and even suggested that they could prevent the author from posting on-line to Fan-Fic or other such sites. That's a deal-breaker for me.

 

[stardream]

No bringing anyone back to life, no long lost sibling, no hurt comfort or Mary Sue. Also no graphic anything. No sudden hidden attractions between established characters. There goes my Chakotay/Kim story out the window.

I might give this a go just because I enjoy breaking tropes.

Let's see, while on an uninhabited planet the crew sees the ghost of the long dead Data who severely injures Harry Kim whom they decide to leave on the planet as an offering to the Data Ghost... meanwhile a mysterious person who in no way resembles Bashir shows up and proceeds to break the ship and destroy everything.... all the while ignoring the advances of Doctor Crusher who gets her revenge by going into her office and pouting.

 

[LadyT'Anna]

And the kicker for me was this line in the rules: "All entries become the sole and exclusive property of the Sponsor and entries will not be returned." When I asked for clarifications, they said that even if they reject the story for publication in their book, the author still may NOT take it to another publisher for print, and even suggested that they could prevent the author from posting on-line to Fan-Fic or other such sites. That's a deal-breaker for me.

Okay, I can understand not being allowed to take the story to another publisher, because Simon & Schuster is in fact the only licensed Star Trek publisher out there. But to prevent someone from posting his or her own unpublished work after the fact on a noncommercial site? Ai-yi-yi-yi-yi . . . </Ricky Ricardo>

 

[Count Zero]

Shame it limited to the USA

Indeed.

 

[MacLeod]

Shame it limited to the USA

Indeed.

No doubt due to some legal technicality.

 

[Tosk]

I would have submitted to SNW a long time ago if it weren't for the USA-only thing...and the fact that I'm not a very good writer.

 

[Bry_Sinclair]

Shame it limited to the USA

Indeed.

No doubt due to some legal technicality.

Either that or they fear the magnificence that will come from the birthplace of al the great classic works of literature (I mean it's called Great Britain ).

 

[Dukhat]

I would have submitted to SNW a long time ago if it weren't for the USA-only thing...and the fact that I'm not a very good writer.

That never stopped James Patterson, and he's a best-selling author

 

[Tosk]

Wait, James Patterson submitted a story to SNW?!

 

[Esirprus]

I gather Dukhat chose that name for a reason. Take his recommendations as you would Gul Dukat's, Tosk. I also gather you want to see more of Tosk. Or Tosks. Is this true?

I too hate the limitations. I.E. dealbreakers.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Indeed.

No doubt due to some legal technicality.

Either that or they fear the magnificence that will come from the birthplace of al the great classic works of literature (I mean it's called Great Britain ).

As Britains go, it's alright.

 

[Sgt_G]

If memory serves, ten years ago when I looked into this, they wanted unpublished authors, so someone like James Patterson would not have qualified. I didn't happen to notice any such restriction this time around. It might be in there and I simply missed it, however.

 

[Dukhat]

If memory serves, ten years ago when I looked into this, they wanted unpublished authors, so someone like James Patterson would not have qualified.

I did not bring up James Patterson because he submitted a story to SNW (he didn't.) I was just making a point based on a specific thing Tosk said.

 

[Admiral2]

Every time I tried to enter this contest I missed the deadline.

 

[Tosk]

If memory serves, ten years ago when I looked into this, they wanted unpublished authors, so someone like James Patterson would not have qualified.

I did not bring up James Patterson because he submitted a story to SNW (he didn't.) I was just making a point based on a specific thing Tosk said.

I wouldn't have thought so, but your joke must have been too subtle.

 

[Sgt_G]

No, I got the joke. But if it's the truth, is it really a joke? Maybe the joke's on all of us for buying his books, no??

 

[Tosk]

Never bought one.

 

[MultiplePOV]

So... according to the information posted by S&S last October, the announcement of winners would be today (3/31/16). I can't find any news by Googling. Thoughts?