Customer Reviews

Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Science Fiction

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My original review is below, but I have things to add. Two books made all the difference for me. Now I have an agent, and he has sold my military sci-fi adventures to Ace Book. The books that made the difference for me were "On Writing," by Stephen King, and "Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Science Fiction."

King furnished the best advice for writing... the best advice I have gotten anywhere, in his tidy little book. My professors at school were patient and gifted mentors and I was lucky to have such generous men assisting me as I started out; but they were about literature, my desire to publish potboilers confused them and placed them in unfamiliar territory.

Doctrow and Schroeder provided current (for the time) and shrewd advice for how to work in the sci-fi market. I followed their advice carefully, including going to the agents they suggested. In the end, I got one of the agents they mentioned, and my agent got me a deal with a good publisher.

The following is what I had to say about "The Complete Idiot's Guide" two years ago, as I was still writing my book. I hope it is of value.


I almost returned this book when it first arrived in the mail. I took a look at the back and saw that Cory Doctrow had published all of 15 short stories--no novels, no books, no anthologies... He publishes 15 short stories and off he goes to write a book about getting published.

I did not return the book. Instead, I scanned the pages and found that the chapter headings seemed quite sensible, even practical. So I gave the book a try.

Doctrow and Schroeder may not have all of publishing credentials of an Asimov or a Card, but they have a lot of solid practical advise to offer any fledgling writer. They have put a lot of work into creating a solid, readable guide with good information about the benefits of agents, methods of editing, places to publish, definitions of genres, and the state of Science Fiction as a whole.

I almost judged this book by its cover and it would have been a terrible mistake. Having read this reference cover-to-cover, I believe it is invaluable for the BEGINNER, the new writer or the writer who is new to SF and Fantasy.

Ok, so I'm a bit of a fanatic when it comes to "How to Write" books. I buy pretty much all of them that I run across. Some good, some not so good.

This one is definitely one to get! I find that the "Complete Idiot" guides are usually written in an easy to read and entertaining format, and this one certainly didn't disappoint me.

Written from two authors in the field that, admittedly, I've never heard of, but it wasn't a disappointment in the slightest. They draw from several different viewpoints, research their facts, and even poke fun at themselves through it all.

Nor does this book a bit of fluff to encourage you on. They lay out the hard facts (not everyone can make a living at writing, sometimes your books don't sell, sometimes you get rejected after 8 years of waiting, etc) without sugarcoating them, and I really appreciate a book that doesn't talk down to me.

If you are looking for a book that will tell you how to go from Chapter 1 to the Epilogue and hold your hand the whole way, well, keep on looking. This book does not particularly focus on HOW to write, but basically what the Sci-Fi/Fantasy world of writers is like. Hence the title is "Publishing" not "Writing" Science Fiction.

Fantasy authors, don't be scared away by just Sci-Fi being listed on the cover. This is for anyone that's contemplating writing speculative fiction.

This book is going to stay in my "keepers" pile! Close at hand!

"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Science Fiction & Fantasy" provides practical, solid advice, and it does it with the help of some very funny stories. It's at once sobering and hopeful; it doesn't get you worked up with a lot of false hopes, yet doesn't leave you depressed and suicidal about your chances of getting published either.

This book debunks popular myths and legends about writing. It covers the varieties of science fiction, as well as fantasy, including "dark fantasy" or horror. It briefly touches on fans and conventions, including how to handle your fans (the good and the bad). It discusses the importance (or not) of having "new" ideas for your stories, and of knowing your subject. It'll also point out some of the mistakes and problems that knowing your subject can push you into.

It goes into writing as a job. It covers the usual "you have to make time for it" idea that every book trots out, but it also provides useful suggestions for how to go about this. It goes over the good and bad methods SF authors use to convey information in their stories. Instead of simply trotting out the old "show don't tell" advice, it provides practical structuring suggestions, as well as examples of those suggestions. It also goes into such genre topics as world-building.

One of the invaluable aspects of this part of the book is the insider's perspective. These authors haven't just summed up their own experiences submitting things--they've talked to lots of editors and networked with everyone. They tell you what editors like, don't like, and dread.

This book gives practical advice on self-promotion, without pushing you to use the sleazy, shady, or just plain rude self-promotion practices I've seen advocated in many articles. You'll find all sorts of tips in here on readings and signings, conventions, cards and fliers, press releases, interviews, reviews, and book launches. The book even covers web sites, newsgroups and netiquette, mailing lists and awards. There's also a section on agents, electronic rights and publishing, contracts, taxes, and writers' associations.

This is an immensely practical book for genre authors, and well worth reading several times over. It includes information on everything from idea generation through publication and promotion, in as much detail as possible!

I recently published my first book (a non-fiction title on computer programing) and I've been toying with the idea of trying my hand at fiction. I've always like to read sci-fi so picking up this book seemed like a natural choice. I was not disappointed.

This book gives a great overview of both the common pitfalls in writing sci-fi, as well as the difficulites you'll run into trying to get published. The sections on writing are great. I think I'll find myself watching for some of the things they describe as I read sci-fi from now on. I think this book will make me read some sci-fi in a more critical light. Some parts of this book would be interesting to many sci-fi fans even if they don't actually plan to ever write a book.

The great thing about this book is that it's not just informative, it's fun to read. The style is easy and entertaining. I really enjoyed this book.

The best book on science fiction writing anywhere. Not only do these authors know their craft, but they do something almost NO other book on genre writing--or even general fiction writing-- does. They demonstrate a thorough, respectful and compassionate understanding of the audience that embraces the sci-fi genre. They know and like the readers they write for, and it really shows--rather than treating them like so many wallets lined up at the bookstore checkout (a viewpoint beginning writers need to learn and experienced ones need to be reminded of). If you only ever own--and USE--one book on this topic, this is the one!

I decide to purchase this book based on a recommendation from the SFWA webpage, and I found it to be well worth its cover price. I particularly liked that it did not skimp on discussing the more mundane aspects of writing professionally, e.g. taxes, standard formatting, contracts, dealing with agents, etc. Along with this, the sections discussing the actual act of writing were also good, but I have read several works about that. This is the first book to give me a good feel for the nuts and bolts of actually submitting stories and getting paid for them. Highly recommended!

I knew nothing about publishing or how to attack my writing ( I just wrote for fun) until I got this book. It is extremely informative yet easy to read. I learnt a great deal, and kept it by my side constantly during the first few months of submitting stories. Even now, it's not too far away as I know I will need it again. A great book to get to kick start your career.

This book covers much of the same territory as Crawford Killian's Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy, and suffers from similar shortcomings. The wide range of topics covered ensures that no one subject receives much depth of treatment. I found this book, however, to be the better of the two. It is longer (at 360 pages), and there is good, concrete advice on every topic touched upon. When space does not permit a full treatment, the authors point you to the best resources available for further research.

Please note the title of this book: the emphasis is on the publishing business, rather than just the writing process. About 70 pages are devoted to writing topics, such as plot, characterization, and project/time management. If you're looking for a comprehensive writing manual, you'll need to look elsewhere. There is a history of the genre and a discussion of common subgenres at the beginning of the book. This is fine for what it is, but I wonder if anyone really determined to write and publish science fiction would find much new here.

More than half of the book is devoted to the publishing business and writing as a profession. Topics covered include manuscript preparation and submission, agents, awards, self-promotion, professional organizations, rights and contracts, royalties, taxes, etc. It was nice to see all this covered, as most books for aspiring writers don't offer much in this area. On the other hand, I wonder if someone who is making so much money that they're considering registering themselves as a corporation for tax purposes will really be dipping into the Idiot's Guide for advice at that point. It is nice to get an overview of the trajectory of a writing career ahead of time, though.

One of the best things about this book, in my opinion, is the evenness and objectivity with which the topics are treated. I had complete confidence that I was getting an unbiased overview of the way things are in the business, from people who are actually immersed in it. It's a good antidote for the sometimes uninformed and opinionated advice that Internet searches can dredge up. The only lapses (and they are brief and incidental) is the authors' attempt to pump up participation in SF Canada (a Canadian writer's organization), and what struck me as a strangely skewed notion of what the fantasy genre is about.

This book does cover electronic publication, e-books, and Internet marketing and resources, but it should be kept in mind that it was published in 2000, which means it's rather dated in some respects (Usenet, anyone?). The listing of print markets is also out of date, but it's not central to what this book has to offer.

As someone who has been writing seriously for a year and learning my way around the business, I have to say that most of what is in this book is old news to me. I learned a few things in areas I hadn't given much thought to yet, but I feel I finished the book hardly more informed than I was before I read it. I think it would make a very good read for someone considering writing science fiction for the first time, to provide solid reference points for what lies ahead. The value diminishes rapidly, though, as you get going with your writing and learn your way around. It might make a good gift for a young person who wants to write but is clueless about the publishing business.

The best, most comprehensive book on the subject. It even includes some financial, tax-related information that's good to know. It should still be fairly current for the e-publishing side of things. Not outdated quite yet.

First, let's get one thing out of the way-- this book is NOT for complete idiots, or dummies, or Republican Jehovan telemarketers. It IS a simple yet intelligent guide to the craft of writing and marketing science fiction. Cory Doctorow, a former staff writer for the late, underrated Science Fiction Age magazine, uses simple, clear language to instruct Joe Writer-in-Training in the methods and manner of smart story construction, followed by comprehensive lists of agents and publishers.

Highly recommended for the newbie who doesn't want to hurt his brain on the complex "craft-of-writing-sf" books.