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Winston Malone's avatar

Very excited for this! You’re doing the community a great service, Brian. Appreciate your hard work in setting this up. Can’t wait for the first award season to start.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thank you, Winston! And thanks for the early feedback on this. It was very helpful.

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Ben Woestenburg's avatar

I just put the last piece of my Serialized novel A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TIME TRAVEL up yesterday. Any chances of having a novel/serial category in the future?

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Hey Ben, I've definitely given it some thought. I think it would work differently than a normal award for novel or novella because it would be difficult to have judges read dozens of serials. I would likely make it a "Best Serial First Chapter" award.

Thanks for asking and following this journey!

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Finlay Beach's avatar

You are correct. That would be tough to do. I'll give it some thought also.

Perhaps "Best Excerpt"(with a range for the word count)

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Claudia Befu's avatar

The best pilot chapter could be interesting. It would work a bit like with series, if the pilot is promising, the series can be promoted to readers. Having recommendations before committing to a serialized novel would be helpful. Reading a series requires time.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

That's a fantastic idea, Claudia! Reviewing serials here could be a great way to give readers a taste of what's to be expected. Thanks for helping generate the idea 😁

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Claudia Befu's avatar

You’re welcome! I think that writing and reading serials on Substack is just starting! A robust reviewing system will come in handy once it picks up. How else will readers discover serial fiction here?

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Simon K Jones's avatar

Just popping in here to agree a lot with all of you. :)

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Scoot's avatar

I am about halfway through publishing my 11 part sci-fi serial on Gibberish and I would love to be able to submit it for critical review--it is the work I am most proud of, so far. I hope in the future, following the success of the Lunar Awards, they can expand into different categories to allow things like novels and serials.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

It's definitely being considered!

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Finlay Beach's avatar

Best wishes Brian.

Agreed. I second the nomination. Serialized Novel Category!

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thanks Finlay, and thanks for the feedback!

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Joyce Reynolds-Ward's avatar

Another novel serial writer here as well. Though I suppose I could nominate my Christmas short story....

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Erica Drayton's avatar

I’m working on 10 short stories for a planned collection coming out next year. I’ll be sharing all of them for free here on Substack first. This Friday the second one comes out. They are based on Curio Fiction. Your idea might just align with what I’m planning on writing and releasing.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

That's awesome, Erica! Happy to have you along for the ride! I think many of the award seasons will align with people's normal posting schedules, which makes for a good pool of candidates.

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Finlay Beach's avatar

I just subscribed Erica. I'll check it out!

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J. M. Elliott's avatar

This is such a wonderful idea. I wish you success with it!

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thank you!

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David Perlmutter's avatar

Yes- I am so into this. A great excuse for me to publish my spec fic in my newsletter.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

That's awesome, David! I can't wait to read your entry when the first award season launches! 🏅🏆

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Phillip Carter's avatar

I am currently writing no less than eleven books, most of which I plan to self-pub, because trad just doesn't click with my soul, with the direction I have for a lot of stories.

Four of them are short story collections (three being themed, one being novel-length).

Three of the books are a trilogy of sci-fi time travel novels.

One of them is a standalone astral projection sci-fi tale with a YA angle at the start.

And the rest? Top secret (but I will reveal them here soon)

But that novel is being serialised here on Substack, and some of the stories are already here. I think when submissions open I'll be sending ahead WHALE, a short story about a fossilised human astronaut that follows the fossil's journey through a distant future trade network.

So I am very glad to see this opportunity today. I have been looking for something like this for a while, briefly considered setting one up myself before realising I much prefer being on the writing side of things (and had those other books to keep working on!).

Really excited for this Brian. Even if I don't get in, the chance for feedback from another Substack entrepreneur is exciting. I hope this goes brilliantly for you!

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thank you so much for sharing, Phillip! The current award season for short stories is in progress and will run until April 18. If you have something yet to be posted to Substack, you can publish and then enter (https://lunarawards.substack.com/p/lunar-awards-season-one-starts-now). That includes a link to the FAQ rules. I look forward to reading more of your work!

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Phillip Carter's avatar

I have something that needs a bit more work, but I think I can get it published by the 16th with time left to submit it. Two somethings. I may have to make them fight.

Really inspired by what you're doing here. I run my own small press (with its own Substack) and making submissions within Substack is such a good idea. We're just doing writing advice and workshops now, but when we eventually reopen for subs, I'll have to ask you for tips!

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

You may also find https://storyletter.substack.com/ to be of interest. Winston Malone is doing some great things with publishing writers on Substack.

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Phillip Carter's avatar

Will check it out!

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Justin Deming's avatar

Exciting stuff, Brian! Congratulations and best wishes as you roll this out!

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thank you, Justin! I look forward to reading everyone's entries and connecting our community.

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Claudia Befu's avatar

I wish you all the best with your Lunar Awards project and I’m looking forward to discovering new authors through your initiative!

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thank you for subscribing!

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Tom Pendergast's avatar

I’m excited Brian, glad to see you doing this. What are some different ways people can help/support?

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Thank you, Tom! And thank you for the initial feedback. It was critical to have that. As far as support, the best way is probably a cross-post, but any way to get the word out helps. I'm hoping to catch Substack Reads and Office Hours this week to spread the word.

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Tom Pendergast's avatar

And Fictionistas? I’ll follow up with you on a cross-post, as I don’t want to do these too frequently.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

I think I have a post in mind for Fictionistas. I just want to check with Jackie and Geoffrey. It's about the rise of collectives and finding a tighter community... as in the Lunar Awards 😁

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Tom Pendergast's avatar

Oh yeah, that would be cool ... there are both these organized communities (Fictionistas) and then these "looser," informal communities that form when multiple of the same people read each other's Substacks and have a discussion that spans across various posts and comment sections. I enjoy those as much as I do the more formal groupings.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

That's a great point about the looser communities that form around cross-posting, feedback, discussion, etc. Always giving me something good to noodle over!

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Reena Kapoor's avatar

My Chapter 10 comes out tomorrow and just might have interstellar overtones despite being placed in terra firma 😀 - first time I’ve written anything like that 😀

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

Hey, we might just turn you into a full time fantasy and science fiction writer! I can't wait to read it 😁

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Reena Kapoor's avatar

It's here :-) Take a look and tell me if it would even qualify ;-)

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

It's on my to-read list and I'm excited for the conclusion to our adventure! From a genre standpoint it would definitely qualify! It would just need to be posted during the award season and then be a standalone 😁

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Reena Kapoor's avatar

Congratulations 🎊 Brian!!!

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Kanwar P. S. Plaha's avatar

Hey Brian, I've written mostly short stories so far, no series. However, I recently wrote a parallel tale to an earlier short story--incidentally playing out in a parallel Universe. Ha.

I did enjoy writing it.

The first one is called Entanglement - a tale of quantum proportions (this was posted in parts). The one I wrote recently is called "Entanglement - the opposite spin". Having written the parallel tale, I think I might try to add more to the overall idea I have.

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Andrew Campbell's avatar

Very cool. I'm a rookie writer and at the moment I'm writing short stories to "find my voice" before tackling a novel. I only have a small subscriber base, but it's a great feeling getting positive feedback.

Like the Macho Man said "the cream rises to the top"

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

If you're quoting Macho Man Randy Savage, then you're definitely in the right place. 😁

Happy to have you, Andrew!

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Felix Purat's avatar

Substack is already a great way of saying goodbye to the masochistic rejection life. But projects like this are great because they increase the feeling that publishing on Substack will get somebody somewhere.

That's speaking for myself anyway. While I was saving them for a physical publication, I think I will publish a couple sci-fi stories on my Substack after all.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

You're not alone in that sentiment, Felix. Many of us have grown tired of the old ways and are publishing and building a community here instead. I welcome you!

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Chevanne Scordinsky's avatar

🥳

This sounds exciting. I have a seven-part sci-fi short story I posted in fall 2022. There’s also audio. Hoping to publish more.

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

The next award season will include a best first chapters category for serialized speculative fiction! We've had a lot of writers ask. 😁

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Chevanne Scordinsky's avatar

Ooo…. How do I submit an entry?

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

You will have to wait for the next award season to start. The current award season has some details about how it works: https://lunarawards.substack.com/p/lunar-awards-season-one-starts-now - but there will be additional entry rules specific to serial fiction.

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Joyce Reynolds-Ward's avatar

While I primarily post novels in serial form, I do have a couple of short pieces. They're series tie-ins, though....

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Brian Reindel 👾⚔️'s avatar

The next award season will include a best first chapters category for serialized speculative fiction! We've had a lot of writers ask. 😁

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Joyce Reynolds-Ward's avatar

Cool! Will this also be a limited publication period? The first episode of my current serial dropped in December.

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