# Who's going to submit a story to Bl then?



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

Just thought I'd ask; Who on Heresy-Online is goign to send a submission in to BL when their submissions window opens? Oh, and is it alright to send in more than one, because I'm not sure about that. I know I'm gonna send in one submission, but if I've got more than one, can I send it in?


----------



## VixusKragov (Feb 21, 2012)

I believe you can send in as many as you want, but remember: Quality over quantity. I'm planning on submitting something if I have anything finished, though it probably won't be published


----------



## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

I've got three rough ideas for short story synopsis, not sure if any of them will actually end up getting submitted though, seeing as I only submitted one (failed) short story last year.


----------



## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

I'll be submitting one. The last 5 years I have been focusing on novels but I've gone back to short stories and screen plays and have a couple ideas to work up.

We've got until the 1st of may and for those that don't know, you need:

Short Stories

We require:

a single paragraph summary
a 500-1,000 word synopsis and 
1,000 words of sample text. 

If accepted the final word count for short story manuscripts is typically between 5,000 and 8,000 words.

If anyone would like someone to give their short story a read let me know, I would be happy to. I always get friends to give my stuff a read through, they spot things you miss, especially when writing 80,000 to 100,000 word novels! 

Maybe we could get 'Team Heresy' published if we all try our best


----------



## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

No longer valid. Numerous reports out of BLL! have stated that they're changing the method of submission to only a 500-1000 word writing sample. They can help you with a plot that needs some tweaking; they can't do anything for you if you can't write up to scratch.


----------



## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

Not sure to be honest. Since I started playing 13 months ago, I've also been reading like crazy. There was no way I was going to submit after having read only a few books and still ignorant about vast stretches of the 40K galaxy.

I'm more knowledgeable now, but I'm not confident I have enough knowledge to draw upon to competently craft a short story (pay no mind to the ones linked in my signature).

I'll see if my tune changes in a couple of months.


----------



## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

@ Mossy Toes: I don't believe that's effective until Next Year, although I'm not too sure.


----------



## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

I will try my hand. Should give it a go at least once right?


----------



## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Eh, doubtful I'll get anything in this window. I was chatting to Serp the other day, lamenting my writer's block woes, and judging by my work schedule for the foreseeable future I doubt I'd be able to crank out anything of adequate quality by the time the sub window closes. There's always next year haha


----------



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

I think the new submissions criteria is a much better idea, as novel submissions were never gonna work anyway. And writing 8000 words isn't as hard as you think, I wrote an 8000 word Halo fanfiction in a couple of weeks, and before I've written 3000 words in a weekend, so it is doable  I think I'll write at least one good submission, and see if I have any other ideas.

@Bane_Of_Kings: I read your submission when you posted it on your blog, and I liked the idea, but your writing wasn't as tightly woven as it could have been, and you meander with your words a little. Just a bit of constructive criticism there 

If my submission gets rejected, I'll post it in the original works section and see what you guys think, but I'm going to dedicate my entire Easter holiday (spending it in France and Spain) to crafting as good a submission I can.

@Dicrel: Honestly, I started reading BL books at Christmas, and before that I read tons of fluff and background. I haven't read a single codex or own a single 40k/Fantasy miniature, but I think I have a great, in-depth understanding of the whole thing, so just pick a part of it you are familiar with and write about that. Perhaps you could play a game of 40k, and create something based around that, like an in-depth, dramatised battle report with some sort of background element providing the story and motivations for your characters.


----------



## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

Big_Cheddars said:


> @Dicrel: Honestly, I started reading BL books at Christmas, and before that I read tons of fluff and background. I haven't read a single codex or own a single 40k/Fantasy miniature, but I think I have a great, in-depth understanding of the whole thing, so just pick a part of it you are familiar with and write about that. Perhaps you could play a game of 40k, and create something based around that, like an in-depth, dramatised battle report with some sort of background element providing the story and motivations for your characters.


Thanks for the encouragement. 

I realize now that I was not clear enough in my words. The submission deadline that I was referring to was the 2011 one. At that point I was only a couple of months into 40K, had only played a couple of games, and had read only my SM codex and C.S. Goto's DoW books. Suffice it to say, Goto's books screwed me up something fierce in regards to fluff.


----------



## TheReverend (Dec 2, 2007)

Big_Cheddars said:


> I think the new submissions criteria is a much better idea, as novel submissions were never gonna work anyway. And writing 8000 words isn't as hard as you think, I wrote an 8000 word Halo fanfiction in a couple of weeks, and before I've written 3000 words in a weekend, so it is doable


i've written a couple of novels and writing 80,000+ words does get easier, but I still struggle to get any words down if i have a deadline! it's like the pressure cause writers block!!


----------



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

Woops, I just read your comment wrong then 

I've never really written anything much longer than a short story, though I have a couple of ongoing projects I can occasionally update. Idon't know how easy I'd find writing a novel while I was still at school, but I know I can write short stories in little breaks I have between coursework and homework or whatever.


----------



## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

Big_Cheddars said:


> Woops, I just read your comment wrong then
> 
> I've never really written anything much longer than a short story, though I have a couple of ongoing projects I can occasionally update. Idon't know how easy I'd find writing a novel while I was still at school, but I know I can write short stories in little breaks I have between coursework and homework or whatever.


No problem.

I've tried to write a novel a number of times already. I usually peter out at around 25,000 to 30,000 words or so. If you want to practice, check out NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), it happens in November of every year. A few others on the site generally enter. The target word count for that one is 50,000 words in 1 month (you'd have to average 1,667 words a day). Though at 50,000 words, it is more of a start to a novel than actually one.


----------



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

You know, that is a very good idea Dicrel, and I think I might do that this year, thanks for the info. And a large novella could be around 50000 words, thinking about it, if you get that far, then you'll want to continue anyway.


----------



## Dicrel Seijin (Apr 2, 2011)

True. That's what most seem to do, using the NaNoWriMo effort to build into a full-blown novel. 

Be sure to sign up for the newsletter as you'll get pep talk/e-mails from published authors. They'll give some encouragement and explain their own trials and travails writing--those that do write e-mails have participated in NaNoWriMo so they know what they're talking about. I remember having a fanboy-gasm when I got an e-mail from Neil Gaiman.


----------



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

Sounds awesome, I think I really will do that this year, could be awesome  I really hope my submission to Bl gets accepted though, that would be such a great way to start my professional writing career, at 15


----------



## bobss (May 18, 2008)

I shall. And I shall win. Because I am Bobss.


----------



## KjellThorngaard (Oct 4, 2010)

I've got my entry ready to go already. I might try and edit one more into completion. 

Where did the info on the new submission guidelines come from? I checked BL's site, but didn't see anything.


----------



## Bane_of_Kings (Oct 28, 2009)

KjellThorngaard said:


> I've got my entry ready to go already. I might try and edit one more into completion.
> 
> Where did the info on the new submission guidelines come from? I checked BL's site, but didn't see anything.


Black Library Live 2012. They won't be in affect until next submission window though.


----------



## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

I'm kinda stumped for ideas on this actually.


----------



## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

The new guidelines for submission for 2012 can be found here. 

Enjoy!


----------



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

Just read it Sarah, literally, so basically for a short story submission you should just send in the title and a 500-1000 word extract from the story, or just 500-1000 words of any prose? It's just not too clear on the website :L


----------



## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Yes. Their reasoning, as stated by accounts at BLL!, is that they can help you improve a plot; they can't do anything for you if your writing isn't of sufficient quality. They've removed the requirement of past years to include a paragraph-long summary of the story and a 1000 word synopsis.


----------



## andygorn (Apr 1, 2011)

I'd like to be able to jot put something down for BL (or just get published anyway) some time.

I'm thinking about ebook/self-publishing non-GW stuff and just putting tales out there (no idea how to do this/how much it costs/etc, though).

Thanks for the suggestion about NaNoWriMo...I'm not afraid of rejection or criticism and I'm always in need of constructive feedback.

But I don't know if my transcribing is strong enough, though?


----------



## Big_Cheddars (Feb 14, 2012)

Fair enough, I've started writing my submission, but I've written a full short story, and I plan to select 1000 words from that, improve them and submit them, would that work? Because then if they like the 1000 words I've already got the rest of the story written.


----------

