Whatever Happened to WotC's Novel Open Call?

[Jonny Nexus]

I posted this on my blog a few days ago, but got no hard answers - so I thought I'd see if any of you guys have more information.

Didn't You Do This Two Years Ago?

The following is up on the Wizards website:

Submissions are accepted annually between the dates of September 1st and January 1st. Any submissions received outside of that timeframe will not be read.

This is not a contest! It is a call for proposals from professional authors and aspiring professional authors.

Please read these guidelines very carefully before submitting. We have made some changes not only to the sort of subject matter we’re interested in, but the nature of the proposals as well. Submissions that do not conform to the guidelines will not be accepted.

Our annual open call is for a speculative fiction imprint that publishes novels with science fiction, fantasy, and/or horror elements for an adult audience. What we’re most interested in is what we’re calling “genre light” books, which are set in a contemporary or historical setting but with the addition of some SF, fantasy, and/or horror elements. Because we continue to enjoy great success with our shared world fantasy lines, we’re not looking for more of that sort of thing for this imprint. Likewise we’re not too keen right now on “straight” science fiction (far future settings, extreme high tech, etc.). We’re open to supernatural horror that avoids the tired old standards (vampires, werewolves, etc.). We are not interested in pornography, romance, or nonfiction of any kind.

Continued...

That sounds pretty much a rerun of the highly talked about contest (perhaps inspired by the one that produced Eberron) they ran two years ago to select a launch novel for a new "non-license" SF/Fantasy novel imprint they were setting up. I actually started writing a novel for that contest, but then gave up.

I don't recall ever seeing the results of that contest, and I can't find anything on the product page (except for what appeared to be a line of pre-teen girls books called Star Sisterz, and I'm hoping - praying - that this wasn't the winner).

So does anyone know who won? Did it get published?

More information about the original contest can be found in the following locations:

http://ww2.wizards.com/books/Wizards/default.aspx?doc=main_opencall2004
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=103892&highlight=open+call+fiction
http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103891
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=121867&highlight=open+call+fiction
http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=103891&page=1&pp=40&highlight=open+call+fiction

I had a search on the Absolute Write forums, and while I found a bloke whose book had been accepted by WotC, there wasn't much information, and it didn't sound like he was a "winner".

So does anyone know who won?

 

[tenkar]

This is not a contest! It is a call for proposals from professional authors and aspiring professional authors.

I would assume there are no winners and no winners list. Those whose work was accepted obviously were informed, but as there was no contest there would be no need to inform the masses.

 

[Jonny Nexus]

I would assume there are no winners and no winners list. Those whose work was accepted obviously were informed, but as there was no contest there would be no need to inform the masses.

Sorry, maybe my post was confusing. The bit you're quoting from is from the current "non-contest" open call that they are currently running. My post was to point out that apart from the "non-contest" aspect, it sounds awfully similar to the contest they run two years ago - and then to ask, "who won that?"

From the original open call, two years ago:

...

We are looking for the best, most original idea as well as compelling writing. We'll consider any style and subject matter. Please be aware, though, that what will count most for us is your ability to tell an exciting, original story in prose that makes us want to keep turning the pages.

...

To launch this book and the new imprint under which it will be published, we are planning a substantial marketing campaign. This book will be one of the most important that we publish in 2006.

...

At the end of the open call we will review all the submissions received. We will then choose our ten favorite submissions and ask you to send us the complete manuscript of the first draft of the novel. You must send us the complete manuscript within ten business days of our request. We will review these manuscripts and pick one as the launch novel for the imprint.

...

Though only one proposal will be chosen for the first novel under this new imprint, we will be looking at all of these as writing samples with other opportunities in mind. This is your chance to bring your talents to our attention, and we are known as a publisher that works with talented, unpublished authors. We've had the pleasure of launching a number of writing careers, and we would like to launch some more.

So although they didn't actually use the word "contest", they were very clearly looking for a single "winner", in much the same was as when they did the earlier setting open call (which this appeared to be closely based on) they ended up with only one winner (Eberron).

So I kindof assumed that while they might pick more than one book to be published, one of them would be held up as "the launch book".

 

[Jonny Nexus]

*bounce*

Anyone?

 

[RangerWickett]

I'm curious too, but I know nothing.

 

[Demmero]

I think the winner of the first Open Call was Kameron Franklin and "Maiden of Pain." Don't quote me on that, though.

EDIT: I'm thinking of the wrong contest...KF's was for the Forgotten Realms. Sorry, my bad.

 

[Byrons_Ghost]

I know someone who entered the contest, and got their rejection letter around the start of the year. At the time, there was also some talk about how it had been a while since the contest was started, and that not much information was coming forth.

IIRC, the person behind the contest had left WotC, which is what was holding things up. So, it's likely that the contest is in limbo. At least, that seemed to be what people were saying around the Publisher's forum here. Between the time loss and the crash, I'm not sure I'd be able to find any threads, though.

 

[RangerWickett]

Yes, I got a rejection letter too, way back in January or February. Or maybe it was even longer ago than that. Can't recall. But after that I heard no news.

Hell, I'm still waiting to see the War-Torn Eberron novel contest winner. Is it this thing - http://ww2.wizards.com/Books/Wizards/Products/default.aspx?doc=955897400 ?

 

[RangerWickett]

Oh, and try downloading the 'sample chapter' here: http://ww2.wizards.com/Books/Wizards/default.aspx

All you get is the title page and table of contents for the novel. I really want to see this book so I can assuage my ego by complaining about how much better mine would have been, or so I can get some sense knocked into me and shut up when I realize that I deserved to be beaten.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Yes, I got a rejection letter too, way back in January or February. Or maybe it was even longer ago than that. Can't recall. But after that I heard no news.

Hell, I'm still waiting to see the War-Torn Eberron novel contest winner. Is it this thing - http://ww2.wizards.com/Books/Wizards/Products/default.aspx?doc=955897400 ?

Yes I think Blood and Honor: The War-Torn, Book 4 is the winner of the contest.

If it is any consolation, I remember your excerpt, and it was much better than The Crimson Talisman: The War-Torn, Book 1 (Which was not part of the contest.)