No one needs to be reminded that the pandemic has created extra mental load for everyone. But with our countries swinging in and out of lockdowns, the only thing we can control is our reactions (coping mechanisms included). How do you keep up a writing practice during this difficult time—or is it okay if you […]

SFF, as a genre, loves grand libraries. We’re here to examine the ways knowledge is archived and categorized in different stories, from “paperless” sci-fi futures to racks of scrolls lining the castle walls. We may even discuss how literature is shaped by the medium it comes in (bamboo flute poetry, anyone?) and what that means […]

Space: the final frontier—and it’s every bit as problematic as the other frontiers were! Whether it’s military imperialism or cultural imperialism, science fiction is rife with expansionism, conquest narratives, and violent subjugation of the Other. Our panel unpacks some of this baggage and envisions a more peaceful way forward (or do we just burn it […]

A panel of authors scouted by the fantastic Mazi Nwonwu, Editor in Chief of Omenana, gives you the scoop on the exciting fiction coming out of the continent of Africa and its vast diaspora. Don’t miss this one—your TBR list is about to get a lot longer!

Whose jurisdiction is this planet under, anyway? What permits do I need to park my spaceship here? And maybe taking a pound of flesh from my enemy is legal, but is it just? This panel discusses the gaps between law and justice and the complexity of legal and bureaucratic systems in genre fiction.

More of us started out in the fanfic trenches than are willing to admit it, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of! Fanfic can be an excellent arena in which to hone your writing skills and to have fun. Our panel of authors share the ways fanfic has shaped their craft over the years.

Sensitivity reading is a valuable job in the publishing industry, but it’s frequently misunderstood. Our panel of sensitivity readers discuss how to handle an author who wants you to give them a “pass,” how to combat the idea that you speak for everyone who shares your marginalization, and the struggle of how best to frame […]

It’s hard being neurodiverse, and BIPOC are consistently underdiagnosed and undertreated. We’re “acting out” or “not trying hard enough,” our struggles erased by unsympathetic societies. In this panel, our authors talk about how they work with and around their brains when writing, editing, and submitting, and whether and how they choose to reflect their neurodiversity […]