These eight winners from year 41 at the Writers & Illustrators of the Future workshop and awards gala: Seth Atwater, Jr., author of "A World of Repetitions," Jefferson Snow, author of "The Rune Witch," Joel C. Scoberg, author of "The Stench of Freedom," Sandra Skalski, author of "Slip Stone," T.R. Naus, author of "Storm Damage," Haileigh Enriquez, illustrator of "Storm Damage" and "Slip Stone," HeatherAnne Lee, illustrator of  "Code L1," and Andrew Jackson, author of "Code L1."

We discuss their journey as creative individuals and what makes the workshop so special for them and what Writers and Illustrators of the Future means to them and to the genre.

330. Winners from year 41 at the Writers & Illustrators of the Future workshop and awards gala.

Sean Williams was a Writers of the Future winner in 1992 and published in Volume 9. He became a judge in 2003. He is a NYT bestselling author of 60 books and over 120 short stories for adults, young adults, and children.
Sean wrote the cover story based on Craig Elliot’s cover art for “L. Ron Hubbard Presents Volume 41” titled “Under False Colours.”
In this episode, we discuss his journey as a writer, which is an inspiration in and of itself to the amateur, and the importance of short stories in establishing oneself as an author.
Sean is one of the nicest people you will ever know, and this episode will provide some insight into why.
Learn more about Sean at https://seanwilliams.com/

332. Sean Williams: #1 NYT Bestselling Author, Writer Contest Winner and Judge

Robert J. Sawyer entered Writers of the Future and won three Honorable Mentions before disqualifying himself by selling professionally. We met 20 years ago at Torcon III, where he won his first Hugo award. The following year, he was invited to Hollywood to attend the Gala and subsequently invited to be a judge. He agreed and has been a judge for 20 years as of this interview.

Find him at https://www.sfwriter.com/


334. Robert J. Sawyer: From Contestant to Contest Judge and Winner of all Major SF Awards

Tom Wood is a fantasy art illustrator among the best-selling poster artists in the US and Canada. 

We met at the Dragon Con in Atlanta 10 years ago, where he exhibited at a booth next to ours. We became friends, then great friends. We also appreciated his desire to help other artists. We invited him and he has been an Illustrators of the Future judge since 2021. 

In “Writers of the Future Volume 41,” he wrote an article titled “An Artist’s Path,” describing his journey from very humble beginnings to being one of the most successful poster artists in North America, which we discuss in this episode.

Learn more about Tom and his art at tomwoodfantasyart.com/


335. Tom Wood: World Class Fantasy Artist Discusses "An Artist's Path"

Craig Martelle is an international bestselling author of thrillers and science fiction. His nonfiction book, Wit and Wisdom, provides incredible advice to authors. His first podcast interview was based on his thriller Ian Bragg Series. This interview is built around his book—a must-read for writers wishing to improve their game.

He founded IASFA (Independent Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Authors), which we also discuss in this interview. If you are a science fiction or fantasy writer, this is a great group to join. Learn more here: https://iasfa.org/


337. Craig Martelle Founder IASFA (Independent Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Authors)

Django Degree is the founder and CEO of Focus on Words, a book platform that gives authors full ownership of their work, royalties, and audience. He’s also the author of “I Hope You Wake Up” and “They Lied To You,” books that dive deep into truth, identity, and how we break free from the systems that shape us.

His mission is clear: help authors reclaim their voice, rebuild broken systems, and eventually use the success of that work to fund a city for foster youth and orphans across the country.

338. Django Degree Empowering Authors with Ownership and Royalties of their Wor

Nicole “N. V.” Haskell was a Writers of the Future winner in Volume 38 with her fantasy short story, “The Mystical Farrago.” Her recent novel, “The Malice of Moons and Mages,” is an epic fantasy novel, first in a series, where Nicole creates a world filled with magic but with special rules and laws. In this episode, we discuss how to world-build a magical realm and the importance of staying true to the system you have created.

We also discuss Nicole’s special journey as an author, including her Writers of the Future win and subsequent workshop in Hollywood.

Learn more about Nicole at nvhaskell.com.

340. N. V. Haskell How to Create Magic Systems

Join us as Nev March, the first Indian-born winner of the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America Award for a First Crime Novel and 2024 NY Chapter chair, shares her journey into murder mystery. A departure from our usual SF&F, we explore new genres, as top authors recommend reading broadly.

342. Nev March Discusses How Writing Murder Mysteries Is Different Than SF&F

Today’s guest is Wulf Moon, who many of you already know from any of our past three interviews since he was on as a Writer winner in Volume 35 back in 2019 with his short story “Super Duper Moongirl and the Amazing Moon Dawdler.”

Wulf Moon won his first writing award at the age of 15 and has now won over 60 awards in writing and 30 in public speaking. He remains one the biggest supporters and promoters of Writers of the Future.

As you can deduce from the title of this episode, we discuss tools you can use to raise the bar of your storytelling to new lofty heights.

You can find him at https://driftweave.com/





344. Wulf Moon Discusses Three Lessons from the Blind Skier or the Nine Elements of Story Structure

With her thought-provoking novels, Nancy Kress, acclaimed science fiction author and winner of six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, blends cutting-edge science with profound human questions. In this episode, we dive into her celebrated works, starting with “Beggars in Spain,” a gripping exploration of bioengineering, and “Tomorrow’s Kin,” where complex scientific concepts challenge readers to expand their vocabulary and imagination. 

We discuss how Nancy masterfully weaves real science into her narratives, her approach to tackling humanity’s response to intelligent extraterrestrial life, and the craft of writing compelling science fiction that resonates with both heart and mind. 

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her work, this episode offers a fascinating look at what it takes to create authentic, thought-provoking sci-fi. 

https://nancykress.com/

PHOTO CREDIT: MARY GRACE LONG

345. Nancy Kress on Bioengineering, Aliens, and Crafting Authentic Science Fiction

Providing writing and illustrating tips and advice from Contest Judges, Winners and industry professionals for writers and artists, along with needed inspiration to keep on going! Based on the world-famous Writers of the Future Contest created in 1983 by L. Ron Hubbard.

New tracks tagged #Writers of the Future