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Introduction to the Universe Annex

Written by Eric Flint


As many of you know, I was the editor of Jim Baen’s Universe, a general-interest F&SF electronic magazine. JBU suspended publication in April of 2010, after running for four years.

To the extent possible, I wanted to salvage some features of JBU by transferring them to this magazine, especially the regular columns and the short story slot oriented to new writers.

Hence, the Universe Annex. This will be a regular feature in every issue of the Gazette. Unlike those portions of the Gazette that focus exclusively on the 1632 series, the Annex will be open to the public free of charge.

In addition to the columns, we will try to publish one short story per issue. No guarantees, because it will depend on income, but we should be able to manage it most of the time. We will pay the same rate for stories published in the Annex that we pay for any other stories in the magazine: five cents a word. I should mention that the Gazette is listed by SFWA as a professional publication.

Although we are especially interested in new authors, we will accept submissions by anyone. But whether you are a new writer or a published one, you must follow the same procedure. This is the procedure that we maintained for the four years that JBU was in operation:

All stories must first be posted in a conference in Baen's Bar set aside for the purpose, called "Baens Universe Slush." Do not send them to either me or to the Annex editor, Sam Hidaka, because we won't read them.

There are no exceptions, including for professional authors. Established professional authors have submitted to the Grantville Gazette through Baen's Bar for many years now.

Your story will then be subjected to discussion and commentary by participants in the discussion in the conference titled “Baens Universe Slush Comments.” In essence, it will get chewed on by what amounts to a very large, virtual writers' group.

While this is happening, the Universe Annex Editor, Sam Hidaka and the Grantville Gazette editor, Paula Goodlett, will be keeping an eye on the discussion. Paula will buy stories which seem to her to best suit the magazine.

In writing up your story, please follow the guidelines laid out in the Manuscript Guidelines and 1632 Style Sheet at 1632.org. Here’s the link: http://1632.org/authors_manual/manuscript_guide.html

 

 



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