Nicola and I have posted our latest essay, “War Machine, Time Machine,” in which we discuss speculative fiction, tell a few outrageous true stories about writing and publishing, ponder a new definition of “queer writing,” introduce our household term “quiltbag” and have some fun with footnotes.
The essay is published in Queer Universes. and reprinted here because we put it in our contract that way, which detail I share because there are so many writers out there who don’t seem to realize that you can do that if you want. Well, you can!
Let us know what you think.
I assumed that writers couldn’t do that either judging from how many essays I’ve initially read in an anthology or lit. mag and then attempted to secure an electronic copy (for classroom/fair use purposes) from the author’s blog/website. Whether other authors are aware they can do it or not, it’s decidedly charitable to reprint your material on your website. Thanks!
I think it’s always worth it to contact a writer directly if you want to use something in the classroom… I’ve put together stories in Word or PDF form, or online in a “hidden” link, for the benefit of people teaching my work. If a writer doesn’t understand that fair use makes this okay to do, well, perhaps you can teach her something (grin).
Publishers of anthologies or collections often only acquire the rights to use the story(ies) as part of the complete book-length project, and the author retains all reprint rights to the individual work. It’s definitely worth checking with the author.
Thanks for sharing this. I love your joint essays: they jazz me up.
So my brain is short-circuiting right now with too much info/stimuli… I’ll have to come back with a more general and coherent comment later, but in the meantime, a few specific snippets of thoughts:
[…] look, itâs the uoq sutats! It makes straight people the weirdos! Isnât that daring? Now the gay people will treat the straight people badly. Thatâll teach âem.
Ugh. I’ve seen so many Mexican grants go to waste supporting short films with this kind of plot. It’s just more of the same. Why don’t they get it?
Iâm too lesbian for some people, too straight for others, and not sf enough for most of whoeverâs left. And I donât care. I want my identity to be expansive, not reductive.
Isn’t it sad that people seem to love having their identities shoved into one corner? Expansiveness is scary. I understand the fear of open spaces and large groups of people. I usually hide in the kitchen at big parties because I prefer talking on a one-on-one basis with people, but I don’t control who enters or leaves the kitchen. My friends call themselves many things, but I call them my dear ones, my people.
…more later…