How to prepare your science fiction or fantasy novel submission
BY Katie Smart
14th Nov 2024
Stellar worldbuilding, unique characters, strange creatures, intricate magic systems and technological marvels are just some of the elements you can expect to find in brilliant science fiction and fantasy novels.
When you’re writing within the SFF genres, you should have an awareness of genre expectations, current trends and also bring your own voice and original story to life. But what exactly are literary agents looking for from new science fiction and fantasy submissions?
We asked literary agents and judges of the inaugural Andromeda Award* to share their best advice for writers getting ready to submit to the award and what they’re looking for from new science fiction and fantasy writers.
Do you have any advice for writers getting ready to submit to the Andromeda Award?
Susan Armstrong: Go for it. Don’t hesitate. You’ve nothing to lose and something wonderful might happen.
Alexander Cochran: Make sure you’re as happy with your novel as you can be, and that it’s as polished as you can make it, before submitting.
1. Be bold, be brave, and take the risk.
2. But be sure your book is the best it can possibly be.
Ciara Finan: Get your manuscript to a place where you feel happy with it, and it’s as polished as you can make it. Then have the confidence to submit! Of course it will be a daunting thing to do, but don’t be afraid to take the leap – you never know what might happen. Have faith your story and characters have merit!
Peter Steinberg: Take your time and get it right. Submissions are due in mid-December, so there's plenty of time to reread, revise, and put your best foot forward by submitting the best possible version of your manuscript.
What are you looking for from Andromeda Award entrants?
Susan Armstrong: When reading the submissions, I’ll be looking for a voice that sings and characters I would follow anywhere – into another world, back in time, across space, from beyond the grave, by way of magic – wrapped up in a richly imagined and confidently crafted fantastical, future, other-worldly or speculative setting. I’m also eager to find a writer who I can envision a long-term career ahead of them.
Alexander Cochran: A confident voice that grabs me from the first page, brilliant and unexpected characters, and a plot that forces me to keep reading. I’m excited to see unique worlds, fresh ideas in genre compellingly told, and worldbuilding that’s honed to the point of appearing effortless (even when a huge amount of work will have gone into its creation).
Clare Conville: Style, story, and substance. I’m looking for books that seek to explore new ideas, challenge previous conceptions, and are written with beauty and wit.
Ciara Finan: The three elements that I think really make an excellent science fiction or fantasy novel are voice, characters, and worldbuilding. I want to read a voice that sucks me in from that first page and is doing something different in the genre, characters that feel fresh and tangible and will stay with me long after I’ve finished reading, and worldbuilding that feels nuanced and distinctive without being too overpowering to the plot.
Peter Steinberg: A strong premise supported by even stronger prose.
*The Andromeda Award is now closed for submissions. It was open to any unpublished, unagented writer based in the UK or USA who has written a full-length science fiction or fantasy novel (up to 120,000 words). The prize is sponsored by C&W, UTA and Curtis Brown Creative. The deadline to enter was 18 December 2024.