Writers of the Future | J.R. Johnson

Posts Tagged ‘Writers of the Future’

Safe Travels, Winners!

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, #wotf, books, contests, Fiction, science fiction, Thoughts, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on April 17, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Congratulations to the latest class of Writers & Illustrators of the Future winners! Their workshop week in LA just ended and I’m sure they are chock full of interesting observations and ideas for future projects. They will certainly have met some terrific fellow artists and had a fascinating experience. (I’m also betting they’re exhausted because that week is intense, but they can sleep on the way home!)

I look forward to reading volume 42!

If 42 is the answer, these stories ask the questions worth thinking about.

Discover fifteen unforgettable science fiction and fantasy short stories—illustrated in full color—featuring twelve emerging voices alongside three acclaimed masters of the genre. From visionary sci-fi to emotionally rich fantasy and quiet horror, this collection delivers bold “what ifs” that linger long after the final page.

What if a perfect rescue went catastrophically wrong?

What if the “better you” doesn’t want to share your life?

What if love could survive inside a virtual reality?

Inside, you’ll encounter a flawless time-rescue gone wrong, a beauty treatment with terrifying consequences, a detective hunted by a body-hopping killer, and a homesteader uncovering a truth that rewrites Earth itself. You’ll also find dragons that defy myth, fairy-tale chaos, supernatural horror, and high-concept science fiction that blends heart, humor, and imagination.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Well, that sounds interesting, and also I am not a professional (yet) and might qualify for this competition,” I say go for it. The contest is free, accepts entries quarterly, and can be excellent as a motivating deadline. (And who knows, you may find yourself in a room with the writers of some of your favorite childhood books. Now that’s magic made real.)

Writer Contest | Writers & Illustrators of the Future (illustrators too!)

Enter a short story science fiction, fantasy, light horror.

Up to but not exceeding 17,000 words.

Free to enter and entrants retain all publication rights.

Enter 1 story per quarter, up to 4 per year.

Anonymous judging. This is a merit-based competition.

Here’s to this new round of winners, and to artists everywhere!

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Tax Day the First

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2026, #recommendedreading, #wotf39, taxes, Thoughts, Writers, Writers of the Future on April 15, 2026| 2 Comments »

A brief reminder: Today is tax day in the United States! (Canada’s day comes later to extend the fun.)

If you’ve finished your taxes, bravo. And if you have a little time for reading and relaxation, let me once again recommend David Hankins’ very funny book, Death and the Taxman!

After sharing an ill-advised cup of tea with IRS auditor Frank Totmann, Grim finds himself trapped in Frank’s life amid a world of dangers: love, betrayal, reckless cabbies, implacable demon hunters, and the incessant needs that keep his body ticking . . . for now.

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Happy Book Birthday, David Hankins!

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2025, #wotf, #wotf39, book birthday, creativity, Dreamforge, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on January 28, 2025| 2 Comments »

It’s release day for friend and fellow Writer of the Future David Hankins, who has published the second book in his fun, funny and well-written Grimsworld series. The series started off with the award-winning Death and the Taxman, and keeps rolling with book two, Death and the Dragon. He’s also got a new collection of related stories out called Grimsworld Tales.

Maybe you were part of David’s Kickstarters, in which case you already know what I’m talking about. If not, I highly recommend you pick up these books.

Want to get a taste for David’s writing? Check out sample chapters at your online bookseller of choice or read this free multi-award winning* story at DreamForge.

To Catch a Foo Fighter by David Hankins

To catch a foo fighter, you need three things: tech, speed, and bait. I’m the bait.

Hehe. Recommended!

* David wins lots of awards because he’s just that good. He’s also a great guy, even if he does have a thing for rubber duckies.

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A Great Big Bundle

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #wotf, #wotf39, books, bundles, genre fiction, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on November 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

I just received word that my Writers of the Future book (volume 39 for those who are following along) is currently part of a great big story bundle from Arc Manor.

Bundle | Arc Manor

HOW DOES THIS WORK? You may select either the base bundle of five books or the enhanced bundle of 14 books (including a surprise title by a bestselling author).

For each choice, there is a suggested price and a minimum price. When you select either of the two options (base bundle or enhanced bundle), you will be taken to a checkout system that displays the suggested price. You may change this to any price you like as long as it meets the minimum price requirements.

The base bundle has big name authors like Joe Haldeman and Nancy Kress and Kevin J. Anderson. The enhanced bundle contains those authors and more, including Jody Lynn Nye, Robert J. Sawyer, my collection and more!

If that sounds like something of interest to you, scroll down the linked page to see what’s included, and enjoy!

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Consider This…

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #wotf39, creativity, editing, genre fiction, perfectionism, Thoughts, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on August 21, 2024| 2 Comments »

Consider this: when you over edit something, you polish off the edges that made it unique and vibrant. A little polish is good, but not too much. Nobody wants a diamond polished into a ball bearing. They want something unique. Something sparkly. The world is full of uniform ball bearings. Be a flawed diamond.

— David Hankins, award-winning writer, author of Death and the Taxman, and all-around good duck

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Sailing the Science Seas

Posted in Science!, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #wotf39, creativity, genre fiction, inspiration, learning, science fiction, sff, Thoughts, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on August 5, 2024| Leave a Comment »

It’s Monday and my day job brain is a little tired. So why not take a little time to stretch my mind in other ways, like listening to a couple of cool dudes chat about a nice light topic… like controversies in quantum mechanics;)

Neil deGrasse Tyson and Sean Carroll Discuss Controversies in Quantum Mechanics

(We’re also watching 3 Body Problem, the series based on Liu Cixin’s award-winning novel, so it’s maybe kind of like semi-related big brain study material?)

Yeah, I don’t understand most of this at a deep level but I really like that there are other humans on this planet who do.

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Speaking of science, this is also an excellent opportunity to celebrate a new blog by scientist, award-winning author and friend Arthur H. Manners. He is currently working on The Sci-Fi Writer’s Guide to Reality, a series with the goal of helping SF writers understand the fundamentals of science.

I love this idea so much. One great session at last year’s Writers of the Future workshop was given by Dr. Beatrice Kondo. It was Day 6 of a long week. Many of us were half asleep, until the good doctor started talking in a serious, straightforward way about what it would take to make some of the crazy stuff in our heads work in real life. Really terrific stuff.

Writers & Illustrators of the Future Workshop Week 2023 – Day 6

Kondo talked the writers through the science of several common writing scenarios. Why can a submarine only travel at certain speeds underwater? What would happen to someone’s body if they tried to lift a car? How do exoskeletons work?

Then she touched on tissue engineering, stem cells, 3D bio-printing, breathing underwater, genetic engineering, and whether human wings or human photosynthesis would actually work.

Chatting after the session, a lot of the writers expressed a desire for a collection of introductory information on various scientific topics. Not a thick textbook for students of the field, but the sort of material one might need to both ground a story and to better imagine the possibilities of those topics.

I am so happy to see that Arthur has taken up this challenge.

New Release: Writing About Remote Sensing in Sci-Fi – Arthur H. Manners

I’ve just finished the first 6-part primer in my new blog called the Sci-fi Writer’s Guide to Reality. The blog aims to help science fiction writers with the fundamentals of science. The first primer focuses on remote sensing (the act of trying to determine what’s going on over there, i.e., at a distance, through means other than physical contact). This topic is rich and essential to many aspects of science fiction, from spaceship sensors to astronomical observations.

Yes, please!

Here’s the first installment of his six-part primer on remote sensing:

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 1

Ensign: “Captain, the long-range scanners indicate that the aliens’ blood-type is O-negative.”

Captain: “My God… Universal donors. What else is on the scanners?”

Ensign: “That the aliens think Star Wars Episodes Seven through Nine were the best.”

Captain: “Monsters! Arm the photon torpedoes!”

So if you’re wondering how remote sensing works, what is handwavium (official writer terminology alert!), and what crosses the boundaries between science and magic, check out this guide:

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 1

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 2

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 3

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 4

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 5

Sci-fi Primers- Remote Sensing – Part 6

Go, science!

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*Real magic. Photo by Ahmed Nishaath on Unsplash*

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Do You Sci-Fi?

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #wotf39, genre fiction, Writers, Writers of the Future, writing on April 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

I looked at the calendar and realized that a year ago, I was fresh off the plane and joining my fellow Writers of the Future winners in Los Angeles. Sleep deprivation aside, the week-long workshop was a fascinating experience and one which opened connections to a great group of people. Meeting and learning from contest judges and other famous writers opened some amazing doors, of course, but joining a cohort of excellent new writers was also incredibly rewarding.

If you are an amateur writer or illustrator with an interest in science fiction or fantasy, consider entering Writers of the Future. It’s free and includes four submission windows per year. The next deadline is June 30, 2024; visit the above links for more detailed information.

Not sure you’re ready, or just want to learn more about how to write a good story? Check out the free online writing workshop, with videos from judges David Farland, Orson Scott Card, and Tim Powers.

Because the world needs more fantastic fiction.

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Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2024, #wotf39, Arthur H. Manners, Dreamforge, free fiction, genre fiction, Writers, Writers of the Future on March 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

More excellent free science fiction, this time by my friend Arthur H. Manners in Dreamforge.

Empty Nest

I was feeding the cuttlefish when a newsreader announced that the Children had crossed the heliopause. My stomach sank as I turned up the TV and watched the newsreader refer to a grainy image in the corner of the screen. All our best telescopes could see of the Children’s starship was a fuzzy white dot sailing into the abyss beyond the edge of the solar system.

“They were serious. They’re actually leaving,” I said.

The cuttlefish could see me talking. A few of them used their chameleon-like skin to conjure yellow haloes on top of their heads.

:: ? ::

I switched on the translator pad strapped to my chest. “Ah guys, where do I even start?”

Filled with science and humanity, a little heartbreak and a lot of hope, this is a great short story by a terrific writer and all-around good human.

I know I’m a little biased, but seriously, my Writers of the Future cohort is the best.

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