On Writing Science Fiction: The Editors Strike Back

On Writing Science Fiction: The Editors Strike Back provides guidance and advice for writers looking to break into science fiction publishing. The book draws from the authors' extensive experience as magazine editors and writers in the genre. The text covers fundamentals like story structure, world-building, and character development through a science fiction lens. It includes analysis of common mistakes in submissions and explanations of what editors seek in publishable stories. The authors incorporate examples from both successful and unsuccessful submissions to illustrate their points about craft and technique. They address practical matters of manuscript formatting, submission protocols, and working with editors. This book serves as both a writing manual and an insider's view of the science fiction publishing industry of its era. Its core message emphasizes the importance of understanding genre conventions while maintaining originality and strong storytelling fundamentals.

Readers describe this book as a practical guide focused on manuscript formatting and submission requirements rather than creative writing craft. Most cite its value for understanding 1970s-80s magazine publishing standards. Readers appreciated: - Clear explanations of manuscript preparation - Examples of common rejection letter reasons - Insider perspective from editors - Tables showing manuscript reading time estimates Common criticisms: - Outdated information about the publishing industry - Too much focus on mechanics vs storytelling - Short length for the price - Repetitive content As one Goodreads reviewer noted: "More about paper clip placement than plot structure." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (62 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (12 ratings) While many found the technical submission advice helpful, several readers suggested newer writers would benefit more from contemporary craft books about storytelling fundamentals.

How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy by Orson Scott Card A step-by-step guide to world-building, magic systems, and publishing in speculative fiction from a Hugo Award winner.

Writing Monsters by Philip Athans A breakdown of creature creation for science fiction and fantasy, focusing on biology, culture, and story integration.

The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells by Ben Bova A technical manual for crafting hard science fiction stories with an emphasis on scientific accuracy and market requirements.

Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VanderMeer A visual exploration of storytelling mechanics with examples from science fiction and fantasy literature.

World-Building by Stephen L. Gillett A practical guide to constructing scientifically plausible planets and environments for science fiction narratives.

🚀 First published in 1981, this book grew out of George Scithers' experience as the founding editor of Asimov's Science Fiction magazine 📝 Co-author Darrell Schweitzer went on to edit Weird Tales magazine and won the World Fantasy Award for his contributions to the field 🎯 The book includes actual rejection letters sent to authors, showing real-world examples of why manuscripts were declined 💫 The title is a playful reference to "The Empire Strikes Back," which had been released the year before the book's publication 📚 Unlike many writing guides of its era, this book focuses specifically on the business side of science fiction writing, including market analysis and submission strategies