BL submission window opens on 26 August

[DukeLeto69]

Not trying to diss any brother/sister concerned about that contract clause but really, why is this even a thing?

 

1. You are doing a submission to write in a shared universe in a setting using factions that are part of the GW invented and owned IP. Nothing you write will be wholly original anyway!

 

2. GW/BL have published hundreds of novels and thousands of short stories and will do so in future. With that sheer volume there is always a chance that a story may come out that has some points of similarity. That clause is legal protection from a litigious society so they don’t have to waste money on lawyers defending spurious cases.

 

3. You want to write. So do I. I bet you have hundreds of ideas. I do. Ideas are the easy part but talent to write them is not. It is the same for the authors, editors, studio designers. Will have ideas flowing. So I doubt very very much anyone would ever want or need to use your idea.

 

4. If you really do have such an amazingly original idea then I humbly suggest not to try and do that as part of someone else’s IP. Invent your own setting and factions and approach other publishers.

 

<<END TRANSMISSION>>

[Marshal Rohr]

 

 

GW’s not going to steal anyone’s ideas. No one needs them. This has been discussed both here and by the writers before. Ask any writer and they’ll say they’ve got plenty of ideas. Talent lies in transforming those ideas into novels.

Then- why would they add a clause where they can take your work and give it to another writer then?

There are no original ideas in licensed fiction. Every idea someone has and pitches has been had by some slack jawed dummy reading a Codex somewhere. Only a tiny brained troll would think his idea of a space marine on the heroes journey to defeat Khârn in a fight is original.

[Gongsun Zan]

Ask a lawyer and they'll tell you plenty of contracts are based off copying other contracts and tossing in anything that looks remotely beneficial to their client "just in case". More likely than not its a standard clause that finds its way into most publishing contracts than any deliberate attempt by BL to steal ideas.

[Mazer Rackham]

Ask a lawyer and they'll tell you plenty of contracts are based off copying other contracts and tossing in anything that looks remotely beneficial to their client "just in case". More likely than not its a standard clause that finds its way into most publishing contracts than any deliberate attempt by BL to steal ideas.

 

Ah, memories.  I believe it's the same with Coding people, they grab a chunk of what works and use it.  Why re-invent the wheel?

 

It's true:  "There is nothing new under the GW Sun."  Or at all.  The idea may be the same, but it is the execution of the idea that's different.

 

I can imagine there are particular instances where an idea could be handed off to a competent pair of hands, (I may personally be in this position so let's not say it doesn't exist at all) but I think we can safely say it's not GW practice. I think being worried about it is normal enough though, it's Canid eat Canid out there after all.

 

Essentially, my application to BL was a shot to nothing.  I suspect the BL submissions aren't to air your ideas, they're there to see if you understand how to write a pitch, if you understand the business, if you can provide something marketable.

 

If you want to see your name in BL lights, write anything, every day and don't stop - but be prepared for hard work, because that's all it is.

 

MR.

Edited December 11, 2019 by Mazer Rackham

[Brother Tyler]

All of this is interesting and all, but it's not going to get us anywhere. Regardless, there are bound to be some very similar concepts pitched by multiple hobbyists/aspiring authors. So even if a story that is later published looks like something you submitted, that doesn't in any way mean that it was stolen from your pitch.

Let's get back to hearing from those who submitted a pitch and received some sort of response. Those that may have been accepted may be under some sort of NDA, so they might not be able to tell us that BL contacted them to push the ball forward. We're far more likely to hear from members whose pitches were rejected.









Please excuse the Baby Yoda meme, but my wife and kids won't stop gushing over him so I had to sit through the first three episodes again last night. And they keep singing that dumb "Baby Yoda" song.

[Marshal Rohr]

All of this is interesting and all, but it's not going to get us anywhere. Regardless, there are bound to be some very similar concepts pitched by multiple hobbyists/aspiring authors. So even if a story that is later published looks like something you submitted, that doesn't in any way mean that it was stolen from your pitch.

Let's get back to hearing from those who submitted a pitch and received some sort of response. Those that may have been accepted may be under some sort of NDA, so they might not be able to tell us that BL contacted them to push the ball forward. We're far more likely to hear from members whose pitches were rejected.

Please excuse the Baby Yoda meme, but my wife and kids won't stop gushing over him so I had to sit through the first three episodes again last night. And they keep singing that dumb "Baby Yoda" song.

I’m not busting anyone’s balls! :D I’m just saying you can’t reivent thirty years of wheels.

Also as admin you should make a meme exception for baby yoda memes

[Beaky Brigade]

Can we have a thread for sharing our rejected stories? As BL are not interested I don't see the use in them other than getting some C&C in? I only got a form rejection from BL on Monday.

The only snag I guess would be that some of us have written in the other universes that are not board appropriate? No Blood Bowl fiction here I guess? :D

[Kelborn]

I'd say share them over in the Fanfic section. ;)

[Triszin]

All of this is interesting and all, but it's not going to get us anywhere. Regardless, there are bound to be some very similar concepts pitched by multiple hobbyists/aspiring authors. So even if a story that is later published looks like something you submitted, that doesn't in any way mean that it was stolen from your pitch.

Let's get back to hearing from those who submitted a pitch and received some sort of response. Those that may have been accepted may be under some sort of NDA, so they might not be able to tell us that BL contacted them to push the ball forward. We're far more likely to hear from members whose pitches were rejected.

Please excuse the Baby Yoda meme, but my wife and kids won't stop gushing over him so I had to sit through the first three episodes again last night. And they keep singing that dumb "Baby Yoda" song.

Send Vulkan to hug this man

[grailkeeper]

Can we have a thread for sharing our rejected stories? As BL are not interested I don't see the use in them other than getting some C&C in? I only got a form rejection from BL on Monday.

 

The only snag I guess would be that some of us have written in the other universes that are not board appropriate? No Blood Bowl fiction here I guess?

 

 

Rats. Mine was blood bowl and I'd like to see what people think of it.

[Kelborn]

Keep in mind that this is a HH / 40K board only, ok?

 

A respective Blood Bowl thread was delete for the exact reason.

[Kelborn]

Just a quick heads up for those still waiting for an answer.

 

Richard just confirmed to me via Twitter that they're still reading submissions.

 

Hope's not lost yet, brothers. ;)

[Kelborn]

*Update*

 

For those of us not being active on twitter.

 

Richard shared that they are still working on the submissions.

 

"Open Submissions Update: Some of you will have heard something by now, many others won't have. There is a vast amount of submissions for us to read and the Black Library editors are all super busy! To give you some idea, we're not quite halfway through yet..."

"...I realise it's frustrating to wait, but the only advice I can give is to be patient- we'll get back to everyone eventually whether you've been successful or not!"

 

 

So, let's drink some more tea then, eh? ;)

[Triszin]

I'll try to do something for the next submission, best of luck to anyone still in the running

[malika666]

 

 

I got an email saying they were stealing my (AMAZING) story to give it to another (TALENTLESS HACK OF A) writer.

 

Total scam, they're shameless.

 

I submitted zilch and regret it because I could have blown the story wide open! Thieving beggars writing good stories of their own devising, the nefarious fiends!

Bruh, don't worry they will pay you with ExPOSuRe.

Im still waiting for a landlord who accepts payment in exposure! Edited January 28, 2020 by malika666

[malika666]

 

 

I got an email saying they were stealing my (AMAZING) story to give it to another (TALENTLESS HACK OF A) writer.

 

Total scam, they're shameless.

 

I submitted zilch and regret it because I could have blown the story wide open! Thieving beggars writing good stories of their own devising, the nefarious fiends!

Bruh, don't worry they will pay you with ExPOSuRe.

Im still waiting for a landlord who accepts payment in exposure!

 

Oh wait...even better, if I can buy GW products, paying for them with exposure!   

[Kelborn]

Anyone received any feedback these days?

 

Still waiting in Mine and I asked via Twitter but haven't received an answer unfortunately.

 

Just curious if one can still hope. :)

[DukeLeto69]

Anyone received any feedback these days?

 

Still waiting in Mine and I asked via Twitter but haven't received an answer unfortunately.

 

Just curious if one can still hope.

 

Still not had my rejection yet and starting to worry BL never received it. Normally I would screen shot the confirmation of receipt screen but for whatever reason I didn't do it this time - aaaarrrrghhhh

[Kelborn]

https://twitter.com/rtassicker/status/1257962439649316865?s=20

 

Still ongoing, guys. Fingers crossed.

[Kelborn]

https://twitter.com/MisterGarton/status/1278316754599661570?s=20

 

It's officially over now.

Congratz to those being chosen and heads up to the rest. The next submission phase might be closer than we think...

 

:Tu:

[MegaVolt87]

Damn, my Yvraine X Guilliman erotic visual novel didn't get accepted. Good thing I didn't get art commissioned yet- maybe that's why I lost ?   UwU

 

/s /jk

[DukeLeto69]

My Titanicus story got rejected too! Oh well worth a punt. Anyone who did get through congrats.

[Noctus Cornix]

So,  last week I received an email from Black Library that they enjoyed my submission and wanted to move me forward to the second phase of the selection process! A life-long dream that I've had since middle school is finally a potential reality!

 

As the title suggests, I'm curious to know if any of our fellow frater have  heard anything about their short story pitches from the Comrades in Arms submission window last year?

[Doghouse]

Can't say I know of anyone that has but more importantly well done mate! :tu:

[Mazer Rackham]

I will confess to getting a nicely worded rejection email.

 

I just have to fail better - although the competition is quite strong it would seem ;)

 

MR.