Pitch Wars 2021 Wishlist

(Note: For a plaintext PDF version of this post, click here.) Welcome to the Pitch Wars 2021 wishlist of Ian Barnes. This year I’m mentoring Adult Fantasy, Sci-Fantasy, and select Science-Fiction. If you’re not writing something with magic, space guns, or space guns powered by particularly irate dimension-hopping archfey who are absolutely Too Old For …

#PitchWars 2020: Return of the Feedback

Now that this year's class of Pitch Wars mentees has been announced, I'm sure there's a lot of disappointment going around. That's valid. It sucks not being chosen. Trust me, I know. I've been there. I had zero requests when I entered way back in ye olden times of 2015. I moped for a while, …

#PitchWars 2020: The Final Stretch

We're in the final stretch of the Pitch Wars 2020 selection process. One more week before mentee picks are announced! How're you holding up? Calm? Collected? Waiting patiently? So stressed your body is excreting a strange, purple liquid that's slowly staining your entire wardrobe shades of amethyst and ick? Cool, me neither. A few weeks …

#PitchWars 2020: The Great Readening

I have officially completed the first pass through my Pitch Wars inbox! I will now go drink and pass out for a month. Except wait, I have to do more! So ... maybe later. When returning mentors comment how high the quality of submissions we received this year is compared to previous, we aren't joking. …

Pitch Wars 2020 Wishlist

(Note: For a plaintext PDF version of this post, click here.) Welcome to the Pitch Wars wishlist of Ian Barnes. This year I’m mentoring Adult Fantasy. If you’re not writing something with swords, magic, or emotionally crippled deities who just want someone to please take the (admittedly shoddily built) magical laser-axe they crafted and go …

Pitch Wars 2019 Wishlist

Welcome to the Pitch Wars wishlist of Ian Barnes. This year I’m mentoring Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy. If you’re not writing something with swords, lasers, or magic (or magical laser-swords), sorry, your mentor is in another castle. If you’re here, you have excellent taste in randomly clicking on blog hop names. Unless you sought …

A #PitchWars Inbox Breakdown Part III: Beating An Undead Horse

It's Pitch Wars eve! Soon 112 (ish) writers will be cheering. Sadly, that means 3344 will be summoning demons to exact vengeance upon the mentors who couldn't choose them. For the former, congrats! For the latter, remember the salt circle. That's the key to a good summoning. Also, that choice of couldn't above was deliberate. …

A #PitchWars Inbox Breakdown Part II: Now With Extra Screaming

Yesterday I wrote a post detailing my process for sifting through the slush in my #PitchWars inbox. It focused on many of the common mistakes I saw that put me off an entry. Today, I'm flipping the script and want to gush about some of the elements of entries that made me sit up and …

A #PitchWars Inbox Breakdown: Thoughts and Infinite Screaming

The Pitch Wars submission window has come and gone! Now, two things occur: Hopefuls attempt to summon requests through sheer force of will, and mentors read. Forever. (Seriously, so much reading. SO MUCH!) 3456 writers lobbed their words into the void. Of those, 1402 are adult. Of those, 267 sent their word-babies to Laura and …

Pitch Wars 2018 Wishlist

Welcome to the Pitch Wars wishlist of Ian Barnes and Laura Lashley. If you’re here, you have excellent taste in randomly clicking on blog hop names. Unless you sought us out on purpose, in which case, you are a being of exquisite refinement and grace who is clearly going places. Like this wishlist. Before we …