Submitting to Shrapnel

[HyperionCormyr]

Without plowing through all 200+ pages of the various threads- is there any information about submitting a story for the Shrapnel publication?

[nckestrel]

Short answer: Nope.
Long answer: Same, just longer.

[abou]

I have been told there will be a portal. Just not there yet. We just need to give it time.

[Colt Ward]

Personally, I expect it to be much the same as BattleCorps old standards- which can be summed up as; professionally produced, leave the big characters alone (IE, your POV character has not and will not meet Victor Steiner-Davion), and its not a vehicle to get your non-canon merc unit (that is the greatest thing since sliced bread) to be canonized.

[SteelRaven]

Funny, I was given the impression that it was not BattleCorp 2.0

[Colt Ward]

Its not going to be from my impression either- but if you are writing for it I still think those three general submission guidelines (professionalism/new writers play around the edges/no unit canonizing) will apply.  I expect it will also have things like 'this edition will be about X, stories/articles/analysis will require the inclusion of X.'  I would not expect a 'write about any point in the timeline' allowance like BC had at one point.

[joechummer]

What Colt said, re: professionalism and the general rules of thumb that BC submissions had, although the stories can be from any point in the BT timeline.

[Dmon]

Is it just stories or is it a bit more BattleTechnology like in that articles and scenarios are possible?

[Mendrugo]

Personally, I'd love to see more stories from the pre-BattleMech period.  There's a lot of juicy politics going on during the Terran Alliance era, with plenty of conflict, even before the Outer Reaches Rebellion.  You've got some sort of biowarfare going on in the middle east (where the future Azami picked up their inherited toxicity), increasingly open clashes between the Liberals and Expansionists, terrorist groups killing off scientists and political leaders (Elias Liao's New World Disciples and others), Alliance Global Militia Para-Cavalry divisions (in which members of House Davion served) massacring protesters, the ultra-wealthy Rudolph Ryan and his son covertly arming colony groups, etc. 

[HyperionCormyr]

I thank you for your insights.  I would hope they will take submissions and bank them in order to put together issues, rather than saying "write something for X period for the next issue". I'd like to see some slice of life things that deal with other perspectives of major events and dig into unexplored parts of history as well.

I'm thinking about a story that deals with what a Clan occupation is like from the civilian aspect.

[Adrian Gideon]

How are you guys defining like-BC/not like-BC?

[Colt Ward]

For me it was 'any well written story that meets guidelines' vs 'any well written story/article/analysis/scenario that fits with edition purpose/theme/current product/goal.'

[trboturtle]

All I know is the Guidelines are still being worked on.....

Craig

[Adrian Gideon]

For me it was 'any well written story that meets guidelines' vs 'any well written story/article/analysis/scenario that fits with edition purpose/theme/current product/goal.'

Then it’s the former.

[Daryk]

The only problem I see with the first definition is that the "guidelines" could include anything from the second too...

[ckosacranoid]

Ah...just what are we talking about for a subject? The last book that went to this name was ages ago and did not go over well for sales. I lived the book myself.

[Frabby]

"Shrapnel" is the projected name for an upcoming new, canonical BattleTech magazine in the fashion of the old BattleTechnology and 'Mech magazines.
It was achieved as a stretch goal in the Clan Invasion Kickstarter.

[ckosacranoid]

ah, thanks for the heads up in that then.

[Dubble_g]

Very cool.

[Failure16]

Putting out some very basic hard guidelines would be very beneficial at this point. Things like the word-count are more important for potential submissions than blanket statements such as "professionalism". While the latter is vital and ultimately important to the conversation, it can be assumed at this stage of the game's evolution--given its fiction-heavy lineage.

In other words, having a wonderful 12000 word story does nothing for the writer or editor both if 3000-5000 is a functionally hard limit.

[HyperionCormyr]

Indeed. I would like some very rough guidelines thrown out to help get started.

For instance, I have a 4th SW story that is 10K words that I'd like to submit. It DOES include a small merc unit that doesn't last long and only mentions major players BECAUSE they are major players and thus part of the overall setting.

Also knowing if there will be "themed" issues would be good. Like an "All 4th SW" or "All from the Clans Perspective" or "Ghost Stories". There are all sorts of non-stompy tank things about the Battletech universe I would like to explore and getting ideas ahead of time would be good.

I dislike the idea that you cannot create a unit to have it become canon in a SMALL way. Obviously you can't create some Elite Regimental Combat Team that completely did the job of someone else at a pivotal point in BT lore, but a company of mercs on a raid that doesn't go so well should be perfectly acceptable as long as the story itself is well written and engaging.

For ME, using existing canon characters/units FEELS very fanfic. It's acceptable from one point of view, but I don't KNOW those characters well enough to write them without it feeling forced or making them act out of character for my story.

[Colt Ward]

I dislike the idea that you cannot create a unit to have it become canon in a SMALL way. Obviously you can't create some Elite Regimental Combat Team that completely did the job of someone else at a pivotal point in BT lore, but a company of mercs on a raid that doesn't go so well should be perfectly acceptable as long as the story itself is well written and engaging.

For ME, using existing canon characters/units FEELS very fanfic. It's acceptable from one point of view, but I don't KNOW those characters well enough to write them without it feeling forced or making them act out of character for my story.

My comments are being blown out of proportion . . . I said major characters- like the example I gave, your character has not been pal'ing around with VSD from the age of 5 and regularly meets for cocktails- but that still leaves a LOT of empty names.  Want to submit a story about a company you created in the 2nd Regulan Hussars in 3061?  Sure, grab the characters from FMFWL & FMU and have them in the story.  But a story about a unit that Duncan Fisher endorses and says they are like the Black Thorns but better . . . very likely will not be in the cards.

My only point was they would likely have very similar guidelines as the BC ones that were released.

[HyperionCormyr]

My comments are being blown out of proportion . . . I said major characters- like the example I gave, your character has not been pal'ing around with VSD from the age of 5 and regularly meets for cocktails- but that still leaves a LOT of empty names.  Want to submit a story about a company you created in the 2nd Regulan Hussars in 3061?  Sure, grab the characters from FMFWL & FMU and have them in the story.  But a story about a unit that Duncan Fisher endorses and says they are like the Black Thorns but better . . . very likely will not be in the cards.

My only point was they would likely have very similar guidelines as the BC ones that were released.

I am not disagreeing with you. Most of the major characters like VSD have been overwritten IMO and need to be left alone to explore the rest of known space.

Could you post a link to the BC Submission guidelines?

[Mendrugo]

The original guidelines were on BattleCorps.com, which is now 404 territory.  Craig Reed, one of the main BattleTech authors on BattleCorps, posted some good guidelines (along with the dead links to the official guidelines) here:  http://thebattletechstate.blogspot.com/2012/03/dos-and-dont-of-battlecorps-writing-dos.html

[Dubble_g]

Could you post a link to the BC Submission guidelines?

They used to be up on the BattleCorps site, but since that's disappeared it might be hard to find an exact copy. From what I recall, when I inquired some of the highlights were:

- Length: 5,000-10,000 words
- Standard manuscript format (title page with title, contact details, word count, Times New Roman or other standard font, etc.). On that note, I found this site helpful: https://www.shunn.net/format/story.html.
- Follow BattleTech spelling conventions and styles
- Could not break canon (no AUs or what-ifs, etc.)
- Similar to the above, but no universe-changing events (which is where I think the earlier advice about major characters comes in--not that you couldn't mention them or have them at the periphery of the story, but they couldn't be main characters)
- No vanity unit or write-up of your tabletop games (not that you couldn't invent a unit, but rather the narrative/story had to be the focus)
- No multi-part or ongoing sagas (had to be a self-contained story)

If Adrian's comment above ("any well-written story") is any guide, it doesn't look like they're thinking about thematic issues, but if the guidelines aren't settled yet then I would guess they might be a ways from having a detailed publication schedule.

[HyperionCormyr]

The original guidelines were on BattleCorps.com, which is now 404 territory.  Craig Reed, one of the main BattleTech authors on BattleCorps, posted some good guidelines (along with the dead links to the official guidelines) here:  http://thebattletechstate.blogspot.com/2012/03/dos-and-dont-of-battlecorps-writing-dos.html

They used to be up on the BattleCorps site, but since that's disappeared it might be hard to find an exact copy. From what I recall, when I inquired some of the highlights were:

- Length: 5,000-10,000 words
- Standard manuscript format (title page with title, contact details, word count, Times New Roman or other standard font, etc.). On that note, I found this site helpful: https://www.shunn.net/format/story.html.
- Follow BattleTech spelling conventions and styles
- Could not break canon (no AUs or what-ifs, etc.)
- Similar to the above, but no universe-changing events (which is where I think the earlier advice about major characters comes in--not that you couldn't mention them or have them at the periphery of the story, but they couldn't be main characters)
- No vanity unit or write-up of your tabletop games (not that you couldn't invent a unit, but rather the narrative/story had to be the focus)
- No multi-part or ongoing sagas (had to be a self-contained story)

If Adrian's comment above ("any well-written story") is any guide, it doesn't look like they're thinking about thematic issues, but if the guidelines aren't settled yet then I would guess they might be a ways from having a detailed publication schedule.

Thank you both. I have pulled the information from both sites and will be using it to put the final touches on my initial story. I would imagine the PTB are holding off from putting out any guidelines and a submission "box" because A) it's the holidays; B) They weren't expecting the absolute shattering of every stretch goal and then some; and C) They want to get their publishing ducks in a row before opening things up.

I honestly wish someone would revive/recover the BattleCorps site as it sounds like there was a lot there that I missed out on while I was a lapsed player.

[trboturtle]

I honestly wish someone would revive/recover the BattleCorps site as it sounds like there was a lot there that I missed out on while I was a lapsed player.

Sharpnel is supposed to be Battlecorps' replacement. We will be looking for new authors. My guidelines mentioned above should still be good as an outline to start with.

Craig

[Cubby]

I would imagine the PTB are holding off from putting out any guidelines and a submission "box" because A) it's the holidays; B) They weren't expecting the absolute shattering of every stretch goal and then some; and C) They want to get their publishing ducks in a row before opening things up.

Guidelines are in progress. Management is aware of the demand and working to get something out to everyone asap.

I honestly wish someone would revive/recover the BattleCorps site as it sounds like there was a lot there that I missed out on while I was a lapsed player.

Not a small task, and not without its snags. But some of the large repository of BC stories will be making their way out again in digital collections soon.

[Talen5000]

"Shrapnel" is the projected name for an upcoming new, canonical BattleTech magazine in the fashion of the old BattleTechnology and 'Mech magazines.
It was achieved as a stretch goal in the Clan Invasion Kickstarter.

Yes - and much as I support the magazine, I think a more "neutral" name might be beneficial.

There is plenty of BT stuff to include, but a more inclusive approach, a magazine that included material for Shadowrun, Leviathans and other CGL products would have a wider audience and possibly a more stable foundation at, admittedly, the cost of focus. It's like a comparsion between the BattleTechnology magazine, and Dragon or Rifter.

[HyperionCormyr]

Now that the initial issue has started to be released, has there been an update on submitting a story?