Contributed by Leah Ning

Contest Judges Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

Today, the writers started off hearing judges Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta speak about writing and professionalism in publishing. This included Heinlein’s rules, how to act at conventions, rules for interacting with fans, along with anecdotes. And most importantly: don’t be a jerk! They also talked about income from writing and how it can wreak havoc with taxes, in addition to considerations for quitting your day job to write.

Associate Publisher of WordFire Press Marie Whittaker

Marie Whittaker followed Kevin and Rebecca to tell the writers about how to organize their lives and manage their projects. She taught them about Agile with her own special twist to make it work for writing and personal projects. She also spoke about how to work as a hybrid author and the tools she uses to do so.

Contest Judge Orson Scott Card

After a brief session on slush reader secrets from Contest first readers Kary English and Leah Ning, judge Orson Scott Card sat down to talk to the writers. He spoke about his style of research—generally not hands-on—and the translation of Ender’s Game from page to screen. The writers also heard about clarity and believability in writing, and how this will draw readers in. He emphasized the importance of writing without thinking too hard and avoiding grammar checkers.

Past winners Martin Shoemaker, Darci Stone, Eric James Stone, and Leah Ning

While the judges went off to the Taglyan to rehearse for the award ceremony, past winners Martin Shoemaker, Darci Stone, Eric James Stone, and Leah Ning talked to the writers about some next steps in their careers. They answered the writers’ questions about agents, short story submissions, and how to market themselves amidst the heat death of social media.

Liza Trombi, Editor-in-Chief of Locus Magazine

Next, Liza Trombi, the editor-in-chief of Locus Magazine, talked to the writers about how to get their work reviewed, what sort of work they review, traditional vs. self publishing, and independent publishers.

Bill Fawcett on Conventions and the Gaming Market

In their last session of the afternoon, illustrators and writers gathered to learn from Bill Fawcett, a veteran of the gaming industry as well as publishing. He spoke about the benefits of conventions for your career, including the different sizes and types of conventions and what to expect from each. Then he discussed things you can do to promote yourself at a convention, and also things to avoid.

Next, Bill talked about writing and art opportunities outside of books and magazines, such as games.
Anticipation Builds!

After a break for dinner, the winners all got their first glimpse of the Taglyan! They rehearsed for their award ceremony, which will take place tomorrow. Stay tuned for the much-anticipated gala!

More Guest Instructors and Portfolio Reviews: Illustrators’ Workshop Highlights

Contributed by Martin L. Shoemaker

Art Direction with Lazarus Chernik

Contest judge Lazarus Chernik spent part of the morning speaking from his experience as both a commercial art director and as a working illustrator. An art director, Chernik said, is the communication bridge between the commercial client and the artist’s work. His task is to think like the artist so he can suggest options suited to their style. He wants to get the best possible work from the artist.

Lazarus further discussed the illustrator’s role in the contract process as a hired, qualified expert, someone who knows their area of expertise that the client needs. It is important for the illustrator to recognize and respect their own skills and abilities while navigating the client relationship.

Lazarus finished with tips on where and how to meet art directors. The art director prepares the creative brief, which defines client needs and expectations. The creative brief may include a mood board of examples and inspirations to guide the artist in pitching the project.

Laura Freas Beraha on Form in Illustration

In their next session, Contest judge Laura Freas Beraha spoke about the differences between illustration and fine art. The job of the illustrator is to raise questions that can only be answered by reading the story. Using examples from her own work and that of the late judge Frank Kelly Freas (especially a scene from the Jerry Oltion story, “Hit and Run”), she gave pointers on how to design illustrations without contradicting the story or giving away the ending.

Larry Elmore from Afar

To finish out the illustrator morning, Contest judge Larry Elmore joined remotely. He spoke of the life experiences and influences that led him to become an artist, from a Kentucky youth in a family who made and encouraged art to college and into the art business. The illustrators viewed Larry’s retrospective on his career and asked questions about his path.

Portfolio Review

The afternoon opened with portfolio reviews. Judges met with illustrator winners in round-robin sessions to look over the winners’ portfolios and suggest markets, promotion, methods, subjects, and more.

A Visit from Bob Eggleton and April Solomon

Next, Contest judge Bob Eggleton (via Zoom) and past Contest winner April Solomon joined for an extensive conversation about the business of illustration with an emphasis on networking at conventions. They showed examples of their work from conventions, contests, and other venues, and they discussed how those built to more opportunities. April’s message was “Never say no.”

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Contributed by Leah Ning

The writers started the day by group critiquing two of the 24-hour stories they wrote the day before. They went around the room giving each other ideas of what went well and what might need another look, and both Coordinating Contest judge Jody Lynn Nye and judge Tim Powers gave the writers their opinions on the stories.

Lezli Robyn, Editor of Galaxy’s Edge

With the critiques done, Lezli Robyn, editor of Galaxy’s Edge anthologies, spoke to the winners about short stories, novels, and the business of publishing from an editor’s perspective. This included tips for writing to theme for anthologies, what first readers are looking for in submissions, working at different story lengths, and what types of novel-length works are selling well in her experience.

Contest Judge Katherine Kurtz

After lunch, judge Katherine Kurtz gave a talk on her career as a writer, starting while she still worked for the LAPD. She told the writers how she went from working for the police full time to making enough on her writing to be able to quit, and spoke about how she finds the hinge between real and magical in her contemporary fantasy.

Contest Judge S.M. Stirling

Next, judge S.M. Stirling talked to the writers about the many methods there are for writing books and the ways in which history can inform your worldbuilding. He also answered questions about historical subgenres, including alternate histories and future histories. He was joined by Jody Lynn Nye and Bill Fawcett to talk about collaborating on writing projects as well, both why and how to do it (and when not to).

Contest Judge Nancy Kress

Judge Nancy Kress then spoke about the things she wished she had known when she started writing, including things about craft, being a writer, and publishing. The writers heard about the different ways that stories can begin, tentpole scenes, and the cost of magic before she moved on to routine vs. inspiration, wearing multiple hats, and what sorts of things to read to improve your craft.

Contest Judge Larry Niven

The last speaker for the day was Larry Niven. He held the writers rapt with his talk about how to work with collaborators, tips about decision making and contracts, advice on how to work with editors, and precautionary anecdotes. He then opened the floor to questions about any of his experiences the writers could use to help them in their careers.

Book Signing and Barbecue

To wrap up the schedule for the day, the writers and illustrators joined the judges to sign 300 copies of Volume 42, and to enjoy a sumptuous barbecue dinner for everyone involved in the Contest.

Bonus: “Space Can”

The evening finished in the L. Ron Hubbard Theater with a live audio performance of the L. Ron Hubbard classic “Space Can.” Jim Meskimen narrated the story accompanied by tabla player and composer Salar Nader.

More Pros Arrive: Illustrators’ Workshop Highlights

Contributed by Martin L. Shoemaker

The Return of Contest Judge Ciruelo

In the morning, the illustrators returned for a second session from renowned dragon artist and Contest judge Ciruelo Cabral, the cover artist for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42. Ciruelo started with a video and discussion of his “petropictos,” art painted on and discovered within natural rock. This time he delved into specific methods and media in this project that brings him personal joy to drive his art.

He also spoke of the challenges of the future, especially AI and how it will prove impossible to regulate. If any jurisdiction chooses not to regulate, business will flow to that jurisdiction. His advice is to trust yourself, be optimistic, passionate, and confident in your own abilities. These are human elements found in no algorithm. He discussed points in his career where he had to adapt, and how superior adaptability got him through changes that derailed other artists. Returning to AI, he encouraged the illustrators to adapt to AI, learn from it, and build beyond it.

A Visit from Contest Judge Craig Elliott

To finish out the morning, Contest judge Craig Elliott met the illustrators to discuss his work on a new the Amazing Spider-Man series and numerous other projects for Disney. He started at the studio in 1996 as a layout artist. There he produced more than 5,000 drawings in a few years, which served as a great immersion in layouts, backgrounds, environments, and other art that defines the world in which an animated film takes place. From there, he found time to work on fine art while also progressing through illustration work and art directing. He gave a presentation of many of his projects in visual development, with an emphasis on his methods for animation work, illustration, and sculpting. He answered eager illustrator questions about the projects and how he achieved amazing effects.

The Return of Contest Judge and past winner, Bea Jackson

After lunch, Contest judge Bea Jackson returned to discuss financial literacy for artists, fundamental skills which are often ignored in education. She explained her own struggles with loans early in her career and recommended financial planning approaches.

Live Figure Drawing Studio

Next, the illustrators put their newfound skills to immediate use when professional models arrived, clad in pirate-style flowing garments with swords and whips, inspired by the L. Ron Hubbard story, Typewriter in the Sky. Under the students’ direction, the models struck poses on the stage for the artists to sketch and photograph.

A Visit from Contest Judge and past winner, Brian C. Hales

After the figure drawing, Contest judge and Volume 18 winner Brian C. Hales introduced his work and discussed his career since the Contest. He currently works on commissions, runs an art academy and has written, illustrated, and published extensively. He spoke of how his career led him into illustration and graphic design, both areas of study he recommends. He also urged the illustrators to learn UX design, the study of designing automated systems for human usability.

To further their career, illustrators need to understand that AI is perceived as “good enough.” That tightens competition. He recommends learning skills beyond what AI does.

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Contributed by Leah Ning

The writers’ workshop began with the writers receiving their checks for the publication of their stories, for some it was the first time they’d ever been paid for a piece of writing!

The writers entered today’s workshop with mingled exhaustion and relief, all having completed their 24-hour stories. Two of these stories will be workshopped by all of the winners as well as coordinating judge Jody Lynn Nye and judge Tim Powers tomorrow. Jody and Tim chose which stories in a “very scientific” way: by printing out all the manuscripts, throwing them down the stairs of Author Services, and seeing which ones flew farthest.

To support their day of hard work, the writers received tips for self-motivation, which included various useful methods of tricking yourself into doing the parts you’re dreading. They also learned about how to edit their manuscripts, when is the best time to edit, and how to know when to stop editing.

Jody and Tim also talked about worldbuilding. In particular, they talked magic and how to incorporate it into the world such that, as Tim put it, “the characters consider it the same way we consider the IRS.”

A Talk from Judge Mark Leslie Lefebvre

Judge Mark Leslie Lefebvre took the stage to speak to the writers about the business of writing and publishing on both the traditional and self-publishing tracks. He told them about the multitude of platforms they could use to self-publish their work and emphasized the importance of persistence in the industry.

Instruction with Judge Nina Kiriki Hoffman

Then, judge and past winner Nina Kiriki Hoffman taught the writers how to create stories with nothing but numbered lists and a d20 die. They spent time doing writing exercises based on the stories they rolled.

Guidance from John Goodwin on Acceptance Speeches

In the final session before dinner, Galaxy Press President John Goodwin advised the writer and illustrator winners on giving their acceptance speeches at Thursday’s Gala. Goodwin discussed speech etiquette, and how to be comfortable and natural in front of a grand audience.

L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition

After dinner, the writers went to the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibit, where they learned more about the life and writing of the man who originated the Writers of the Future contest. They were then sent back to the hotel to spend the night reading the two stories for workshopping tomorrow.

Wisdom from the Pros: Illustrator Workshop Highlights

Contributed by Martin L. Shoemaker

The Illustrators’ Workshop opened with Coordinating Judge Echo Chernik revisiting the topic of AI in the arts and addressing questions from the winners. She discussed ways to explain the ethical and quality issues in a meaningful way with customers and consumers.

A Visit from Irvin Rodriguez

The highlight of the morning was a workshop session from Irvin Rodriguez, a past grand prize winner from Volume 27. Originally from New York City, Irvin has since moved to Los Angeles, where he has worked in games, comic covers, book covers, and now focuses on independent work that gives him more creative freedom and control. He showed samples of his work, particularly for the Magic: The Gathering game (including Marvel, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings) and The Last of Us game. He also talked about working conventions to cultivate contacts and leads, and the importance of in-person time. He explained the benefits and approaches to working with reference models.

A Visit from Ciruelo Cabral

Next, the illustrators were treated to the first session from renowned dragon artist and Contest judge Ciruelo Cabral, the cover artist for L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42. Ciruelo hails from Barcelona, Spain, and he shared photos from the Barcelona sky and elsewhere that inspire his dragon work. He’s a traditional artist who works in oil on canvas, gouache, and inks, and he’s adding digital tools to his repertoire. He spoke of how watching your surroundings with an artist’s eye can reveal new works you can create. His most recent projects reflect this: painting on rocks, a technique he calls “petropictos.” Ciruelo spoke of studying the rocks until he could see figures emerging from within. This ties into his study of textures as underlying imagery. He finished with a discussion on doing art for yourself, not just for clients, in order to keep your passion and grow your skills. Ciruelo demonstrated this in his own life, beginning as a professional illustrator at age 18 and building for 25 years, following his dream of becoming a fantasy artist. Today, he focuses on exhibitions, conventions, and creating his own personal works.

Bea Jackson and “Art and Communication”

After lunch, past illustrator winner and Contest judge Bea Jackson introduced herself and discussed how lessons learned in the workshop then have fed into her career today. She explored the opportunities and pitfalls she faced as her career progressed. Her primary theme was emphasized in an essay from L. Ron Hubbard, “Art and Communication.” An artist can use their illustrations to communicate across languages and cultures. She also spoke of how the projects you accept shape the messages you communicate. As an introvert, she spoke about learning to put herself forward, connect with people, and build opportunities; and how to stand up for yourself and defend your principles and boundaries. She urged the artists to advocate for themselves and advised them that networking often brought more work than their portfolios alone would. She discussed ways to protect yourself in contracts and negotiations, including how to prevent your work from being used in AI training.

A Visit to Rob Prior’s Studio

For the next session, the Illustrator winners headed to the local studio of Contest judge Rob Prior so they could see the studio space of a working professional artist. Rob asked questions about their goals as artists and their past and future projects. He asked about their fears, even suggesting that AI art might be a fear. Then he delivered his primary message for the day: Art is about failure. Fail every day, because that means you’re trying. That’s how you grow. He stressed that leaving yourself an escape plan, an easy way out, means most people will take the easy way at the first resistance. Fully committing compels you to work your way through, and to become a greater artist.

Then the winners studied Rob’s tools and processes, examined his works in progress, talked to his apprentices and reviewed their progress and portfolios, and asked questions about establishing and running their own studios. After that, Rob led them through an exercise in gesture drawing: quick, simple strokes in short succession, without analysis paralysis yet building to something surprising and impressive. After the gesture drawing, Rob added a new factor to his message from failure to growth: tenacity. Everybody gets rejections, even talented people; but tenacious people move on to the next challenge and the next opportunity. Tenacity wins.
They finished with another exercise in spontaneous risk taking and discovery: Rob had started a piece earlier in the day; and each Illustrator got a chance to work with Rob on his painting. Without any verbal communication, they still collaborated to create a bigger piece that none of them could have foreseen. Illustrator winner Tracy Eire said it was an experience she will carry with her for the rest of her life.

Creating from Reference

The illustrators reconvened for some creative play as Contest staff unlocked the prop closet. Emerging with swords, pirate hats, and an assortment of costume pieces, they staged a lively mock sword fight to capture reference photos for the next day’s sketching assignment. Contest Judge Echo Chernik provided tips on developing a useful reference library.

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Contributed by Leah Ning

The writers’ workshop began with the writers receiving their checks for the publication of their stories, for some it was the first time they’d ever been paid for a piece of writing!

With that finished, head judge Jody Lynn Nye and judge Tim Powers collected contact information for the winners to be able to keep in contact with each other. They took questions from the winners about villains and spoke to them about dialogue, editor relationships, and writing groups during the time they had before one of the most exciting moments of every workshop week: the art reveal.

Art Reveal!

Mid-morning, the writer winners gathered in the Hubbard Theater as workshop staff finished setting up easels and artwork in a semicircle—each piece a custom illustration created for a winning story. Lining the room were illustrators, volunteers, and staff from Author Services and Galaxy Press, all buzzing with quiet anticipation for one of the contest’s most memorable moments: the art reveal.

As the writers entered, they made their way around the displays, and almost immediately, gasps and exclamations of recognition filled the room. Writers and illustrators met for the first time, exchanging excited conversations, hugs, and the occasional happy tears—making it one of the most emotional events of the week.

Once everyone had taken in the artwork, John Goodwin, President of Galaxy Press, presented L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 42. Each winner received their first copy, flipping through the pages to see their stories and illustrations in print—joining the legacy of over 1,000 writers and illustrators published through the Contests.

Workshop Continues with Jody and Tim

After lunch, the writers returned to Jody and Tim for a last few words of wisdom before they were sent off to begin their 24-hour stories. They encouraged the writers to lean into their own unique stories to stand out in a saturated market. They also covered work for hire and earning money in traditional novel publishing.

With that, the writers were off to write their stories! They will be frantically writing for the next 24 hours, when they will come back for more wisdom in pursuit of future stories.

Illustrations and Revelations: Illustrator Workshop Highlights

Contributed by Martin L. Shoemaker

The first full day of the illustrator workshop opened with a tour of the Author Services building, learning the history of L. Ron Hubbard’s career and the history of the Contests as well. They saw examples of Hubbard’s manuscripts and covers as well as exhibits and art from the bestselling Illustrator judges.

After the tour, the Illustrators returned to the L. Ron Hubbard Theater in Author Services, their workspace for this week. There they formally met Coordinating judge Echo Chernik. Echo introduced her background and showed off her work, regaling students with challenges she faced while getting started in advertising art. She also discussed the schedule for the week, including opportunities to have their work evaluated by the judges. She finished with a discussion of diversifying your art career, and then she answered business questions.

Art Reveal

See above!

A Deeper Look into History

After lunch and garment fittings, the Illustrator winners next took a brief ride to the L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition, a museum dedicated to the life and lessons of the man whose vision created the Contests. The museum chronicles his life, explorations, studies, and writings that made him one of the most prolific writers in history. Along the way, he developed a deep philosophy of the importance of arts in a thriving culture; and so he chose to pay it forward with the Contests to actively discover and cultivate new talents.

Making a Living as an Artist and Illustrator

Next Echo gave tips on making a living in the arts, covering things like commercial design, typography, and animation. She talked briefly on the business decisions ahead, while strongly recommending a good accountant as part of your business strategy. She also examined the illustration process from contact to delivery, including how to interact with clients and representatives—and especially with writers, who benefit from an illustrator’s visual sense. She provided resources for copyright, marketing, pricing, and promotion, then discussed negotiation and getting paid. Near the end of the night, she covered the impact of AI on the arts, and she stressed the importance of being adaptable.

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Contributed by Leah Ning

The writer winners kicked off their first workshop day with a tour of the Author Services building, including the banners in the windows for their volume, the library, the stage—where they’ll see a live radio play later in the week—and the library of L. Ron Hubbard’s works.

Jody Lynn Nye and Tim Powers then took the stage to begin imparting their wisdom. They started off by pairing the winners up in advance of their 24-hour stories, and then dove straight into speaking about the advice they can take from L. Ron Hubbard’s essays on writing. This included balancing the research rabbit hole with trusting your subconscious, and tools for focusing and honing in on their upcoming stories. On the flip side of the research rabbit hole, they also talked about how to avoid, as Jody put it, “cold, indigestible lumps of exposition.”

Before a short break, the writers received their random objects to include in their 24-hour stories, and spent some time talking with each other about how they could incorporate their objects. Tim and Jody then spoke about plot, including how to write an opening—and how not to (hint: do not wake up and eat toast), how to use conflict, and the components of a satisfying ending.

After lunch, they jumped straight back in by talking about how to craft a great first line that hooks readers without overwhelming them. They also talked about creating characters, and the characters’ responsibilities and worths within the confines of the story. Finally, before the winners went to their tux and dress fittings, they heard about the mechanics of creating magic systems. Their last activity of the day before dinner was to be sent out to Hollywood Boulevard to talk to a stranger in further preparation for their 24-hour stories. Stay tuned for day two of the workshop!

Where the Week Begins: Illustrators Meet and Prepare for What’s Ahead

After a busy period of travel, the Illustrators of the Future Volume 42 winners from around the world arrived in Los Angeles and came together for the first time to begin their workshop week. Contest Director Joni Labaqui welcomed each illustrator at the hotel, while teams from Author Services and Galaxy Press ensured everyone arrived smoothly and got settled in.

The evening’s official activities began with a meet and greet, where the illustrators were introduced to key staff and organizers, including John Goodwin, President of Author Services, and Coordinating Judge and workshop leader Echo Chernik. John opened with words of encouragement, emphasizing the significance of the artists’ achievement and the opportunities ahead—both during the workshop and in their future careers. He also highlighted the legacy of the Contest and the exposure winners will receive, including interviews on the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Podcast.

Following introductions, each illustrator had the opportunity to introduce themselves, helping to break the ice and begin forming connections. Echo Chernik concluded the evening with a brief overview of the week ahead.

Tomorrow, Echo will begin with a deep dive into the business side of illustration—covering essential skills rarely taught in art school.

The post Writers & Illustrators of the Future Workshop Week</br>2026 – Day 2 appeared first on Writers & Illustrators of the Future.

Today the writer winners arrived at Los Angeles International Airport from Australia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and seven US states. They were met at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel by Joni Labaqui, Meliva Koch, John Goodwin, Emily Goodwin, Jody Lynn Nye, Tim Powers, and the staff of Author Services. After some chatting in the lobby, they checked into their rooms, then were whisked away to Ralph’s Supermarket to pick up supplies and snacks for the coming week.

After dinner, the winners assembled in the hospitality suite, where John Goodwin, President of Galaxy Press, introduced himself and welcomed the winners to the 42nd winners’ workshop. He laid out the structure for the week and discussed the Contest’s anti-harassment policy. Because of the Contest’s commitment to a respectful, inclusive environment, the contest prohibits harassment based on race, gender or gender expression, ethnicity, political leanings, nationality, or any other identifiable characteristic. He introduced Emily Goodwin, who talked about publicity and other facets of the events to come. They introduced Meliva Koch and Claude Sandoz, who will be photographing and creating promotional videos throughout the week.

Then Contest Director Joni Labaqui invited each winner to introduce themselves, giving everyone a chance to connect, break the ice, and meet each other face to face after weeks and months of giddy interaction online.

With the workshop officially underway, the writers headed back to their rooms to rest up for the busy and exciting week ahead.

The post Writers & Illustrators of the Future Workshop Week</br>2026 – Day 1 appeared first on Writers & Illustrators of the Future.

And the winners are:

First Place – Casey Phillips from Tennessee
Second Place – Sandra Siegienski from Oregon
Third Place – Caleb Bishop from Missouri

Finalists:

Mari Harrison from Massachusetts
Ethel Jean from Kansas
Kain Massin from Australia
John McLaughlin from Pennsylvania
Martijn Veltman from California

Semi-Finalists:

Jackson Bylund from New Mexico
Mack Gage from West Virginia
Vivi Kanari from Greece
Myra Karine from Utah
Doug Lawson from Virginia
Matthew S. Muller from Pennsylvania
Ari Officer from Illinois
Dhara Parekh from California
Morgan Seward from Maryland

Silver Honorable Mentions:

A.M. Aikman from Florida
Vicky Auricchio from Brazil
Ly Ann Blain from Canada
Jeffrey Brooker from California
TF Burke from Pennsylvania
Brandon Case from Nevada
Christine Elise Chen from Australia
Jared Chen-Wynn from California
David L. Clink from Canada
Anna de Roo from New Zeaand
Victoria L. Dixon from Kansas
Ray Evans from Louisiana
Andrew Fain from Arizona
Bryce Fessler from Nevada
E.S. Foster from Florida
Nate Givens from Virginia
Mimi Gua from Canada
Phillip Hall from Virginia
Jennifer L. Hilty from Ohio
Isaac R. Howard from Idaho
Ione J.H. from Taiwan
Mark Janssen from California
Kent Alan Jones from Iowa
Toshiya Kamei from Missouri
Taria Karillion from Great Britain
May Thaw Khine from Myanmar
Laura Lamoreaux from Utah
Syll Lian from Singapore
Mary Beth McGruder from North Carolina
Tara McKee from Washington
Mihajlo Ivanovic Mikser from Serbia
Julie Noble from Great Britain
D.L. Norman from Utah
Ryan D. Palmer from Massachusetts
Jackie Payson from Florida
Ariel Roberts from Illinois
Cass Sims Knight from Oregon
Benjamin Tyler Smith from Alabama
J.L. Smyser from Colorado
J K Stephens from Florida
Eric Scott Stevens from Kentucky
Kai Swanson-Dale from Wisconsin
Kenneth Urban from Massachusetts
Hunter Kay Wallace from Montana
Michael J. Winegar from Georgia
Dean David Yeng Yemeh from Ghana
Sergiy Yevseyev from Ukraine
Quinn Young from Iowa
Katie Young Seidemann from Oregon
J.H. Zorn from New York

Honorable Mentions:

Owen Abbott from Illinois
Jason A. Adams from Virginia
Kay Adelin from Ohio
Olubunmi Adeloye from Washington, D.C.
Iryna Afonina from England
Kosoluchi Agboanike from Nigeria
Addyson Aiken from North Carolina
Kaylin Alexander from Texas
Arden Baker from Victoria
Erica Balfour from Colorado
Eloy Bates from North Carolina
Izabel BaumRust from California
Karen Phipps Beck from North Carolina
Manda Benson from England
Ian Best from India
Cameron Bloomfield from Japan
Nathaniel Bly from Canada
R.C. Bowyn from Kansas
T.E. Bradford from New York
R.J. Breathnach from Ireland
Max Brinson from Arkansas
Daphne Bumbrey from North Carolina
Gabriel Burch from Oklahoma
Daniel R. Burkhard from Utah
Margaret Byrne from California
Aaron Canton from Utah
Jenny Perry Carr from Texas
Theo Carr from Great Britain
MR Castillo from New York
Madeleine Chae from North Carolina
M.T. Chambers from Florida
David J. Cochrane from Louisiana
Daniel M. Cojocaru from Switzerland
Zhanna Coker from Georgia
Margot Conor from Washington
D.B. Corsi from North Carolina
Rachel Delaney Craft from Colorado
Adrian Croft from Canada
S. Donovan Croft from South Carolina
T.W. Crone from North Carolina
Matthew Cushing from Connecticut
Edward Daschle from Maryland
Emily Dauvin from Canada
Fabien Delorme from France
Harper Dent from Australia
Timothy Des Chanes from Canada
Black Diamond from Nigeria
Michelle J. Diaz from Oregon
Danielle Daria Dimaculangan from Georgia
Cray Dimensional from Pennsylvania
Naresha Dumas from Washington
Joshua Dyer from West Virginia
Bryce Easton from Kansas
Ruth Eccles from Minnesota
Kate Eccles from Great Britain
Tim Emery from Great Britain
Mark English from New Zealand
Kelli Etheridge from Canada
Caitlyn Ewald from Oklahoma
Lizhi Fan from New York
Angela Fang from New Zealand
Kat Farrow from Utah
Angelique Fawns from Canada
Zary Fekete from Minnesota
Steven Ford from Connecticut
Tim Ford from Canada
Des Fox from New Mexico
Russell Giles from Utah
Cara Giles from Utah
PR Gomez from Illinois
Ian Gonzales from Washington
Brianna Goodrich from New Hampshire
Chris Griffiths from New Zealand
Henry E Hack from North Carolina
Anusha Haque from New York
Johan Hawkins from California
Laura Heider from Washington
Hollis Henry from Trinidad & Tobago
T.A. Hicks from Kentucky
Ella T. Holmes from Australia
Moze Howard from Ohio
Mark Ian from Great Britain
Joseph Isenberg from Iowa
Stephan James from Missouri
Kelli Johnson from North Carolina
Bob Johnston from Great Britain
Dale Jones from Pennsylvania
Eli Jones from Oregon
Todd Jones from Michigan
Daniel Kason from North Carolina
John Kessler from Colorado
Malachi King from Michigan
Hridoy Kundu from North Carolina
Lyndsay Lambis from North Carolina
Isaac Lang from New York
Eric Lard from California
Adrian Law from New Mexico
John Leahy from Ireland
Mathew Lebowitz from Massachusetts
Jayeon Lee from South Korea
Christina Leggett from Washington
Anna Leitensdorfer from Missouri
Jessica Lindhardt from Utah
Karly M Lively from Nevada
Luna Lupescu from California
Malcolm MacGregor from Australia
William Mangieri from Texas
R. Mann from Wisconsin
Michael Manzer from Washington
Robert J. McCarter from Arizona
Michael McCartney from Maryland
Shamus McGillicuddy from Massachusetts
Sue McLean from Great Britain
Assaph Mehr from Australia
Devin Miller from North Carolina
Albert Morrow from Missouri
Caitlin Moyer from Ohio
Joe Mullich from California
Joanna Myers from Kentucky
Jayant Neogy from India
Elle Odyssey from North Carolina
Eva Oiko from Greece
Marie Oldenburg from Texas
Sia Patel from New York
Jacob Perez from Connecticut
Fred Phillips from Louisiana
Nelson Plank from Missouri
T.E. Poremba from Washington
Adam Porkolab from Hungary
Beth Powers from Indiana
Kieran Protheroe from Great Britian
Emilia M. Pulliainen from Finland
M.K. Ragab from Egypt
Addison Reid from Utah
Robbie Reilly from Japan
Anna Reynolds from Virginia
Jeanne Rhodes-Moen from North Carolina
K.Z. Richards from Ohio
Christian Riley from California
Michael Rosenstein from Oregon
Elliot Ross from Florida
Gabby Russell from New York
Edward Sammons from Florida
Annmarie SanSevero from Arkansas
L.A. Selby from California
Adam Short from West Virginia
Ian Siragher from Great Britain
J.A. Smith from California
Jamie Sonderman from Michigan
Daniel W. Stohel from Oregon
M. Swenson from Idaho
G.E. Syme from Utah
J.M. Tanenbaum from California
Greg Teragon from Connecticut
Niz Thomas from New Jersey
Glenda Thompson from Texas
Gary G Vail from Louisiana
Sean Eric P. Villaverde from California
David Vowell from Texas
James R. Waggoner from Michigan
K.A. Warhurst from Utah
B.K. Wellman from Montana
A. Wellyard from Germany
Aaron Werntz from Texas
Kevin West from Germany
Thomas White from Japan
Dave White from Illinois
Euron Whiteley from Jamaica
J.C. Williams from Great Britain
Bruce Worthel from Illinois
Mona Wrains from Great Britain
Trey Young from Missouri
T.J. Young from Washington
Sarit Zadok from France

The post Writers of the Future 1st Quarter Winners Announced for Volume 43 appeared first on Writers & Illustrators of the Future.

And the winners are:

Elizabeth Botkin from Michigan
Steven Huang from Pennsylvania
Dariru Knickrehm from Japan

Finalists:

Mia Axtar from Massachusetts
Moses Ost from California
Cadence Smorynski from Illinois
Ting Xue from California
Elena Zong from Texas

Semi-Finalists:

Alex Aguilera from California
Isa Ambrogi from Florida
Zolise Balka from Illinois
Aicha Benali from Texas
Martin Brisebois from Canada
Lily Bunnell from Colorado
Jonathan Curtis from Great Britain
Giada D’Alerta from Florida
George Durrant from Idaho
Negoman Gicelanovic from Serbia
Philippa Haney from California
Kaylia Jones from Maryland
Anastasia Kondratenko from Maryland
Liza Lendel from Arkansas
Jimmy Li from New York
Rachel McNeilly from Wisconsin
Carolin Mitterberger from California
Rachel Polvadore from Georgia
RJ Reynaud from Montana
Razan Safi from California
Gloria Sanchez from Colorado
Jurney Schenck from North Carolina
Matisse Smith from California
Shy Star from Illinois
Ella Swartz from Florida
Iago Tvalabeishvili from Spain
Asher Tyner from Michigan
Charlotte Whitley from South Carolina
Jiayi Zhang from Texas
Yimin Zhou from China

Honorable Mentions:

Zoe Ashurst from South Africa
Harmonia Azzrealle from India
L.A. Baldwin from Kentucky
Megan Bell from North Carolina
Eliza Bennett from Indiana
Millie Benson from South Carolina
Victoria Berrocales from North Carolina
Daisy Bright from Louisiana
Kedian Brown from Jamaica
Lily Bush from New Jersey
Kyra Byrd from Michigan
Emma Canafax from Texas
Marguerite Cherfils from New York
Gretchen Clarcq from New York
Adrianna Clark-Skeete from Texas
Sydney Clements from Michigan
Mika Collins from California
Daniel Connor from Ohio
Joseph Crago from Pennsylvania
Annalise Dean from Virginia
Anne DiFebbo from Pennsylvania
Andrea Espinoza Castillo from California
Saeedeh FarzinPour from Chile
John Louie Gantala from Hawaii
Allie Gianino from Michigan
Tristan Harris from New York
Kam Haynes from Louisiana
Freddie Henson from Pennsylvania
Alliyah Herrera from Texas
Medrina Hiemstra from Missouri
Teferi Hill from California
Timothy Holcomb from Texas
Anna Howard from Indiana
Sadie Hunsel from Missouri
Meadow Iemma from Indiana
Kasei Jaramillo from Equador
Izzy Jezierski from Massachusetts
Shannon Johnson from Missouri
Robert Jones from Florida
Sarah Jusino from Florida
Shireen Kamali from New Mexico
Grace Kerschner from Pennsylvania
Audrey Knaack from North Carolina
Jaylon Kraus from Colorado
Jurijus Kriukas from Lithuania
Charlene Kurnianto from Massachusetts
Madeleine Labok from California
Lily Jane LaCross from Michigan
Nora Laufenberg from Minnesota
Mercy-Grace Lewis from Florida
Xinyi Li from Great Britain
Hannah Liansing from North Carolina
Hillary Liansing from North Carolina
Zarina Madjidova from Uzbekistan
Jasmine Misaro from New Jersey
Beck Mitchell from Florida
Xavier Miville from Canada
Alain Mogena from Florida
Billie Morozova from Florida
Ali Muzaffar from Uzbekistan
Keegan Myers from Ohio
Tasa Nguyen from Illinois
Oli Okoth from Kenya
John Olajimi from Texas
Natalie Pardo from New Jersey
Ava Pease from Maine
Isis Perkins from Alabama
Jay Peters from Nebraska
Talitha Powell from Georgia
Wendi Powers from Tennessee
Daniel Rivera Stahlschmidt from Florida
Sophia Rohena from Florida
Alexis Smith from Ohio
Harley Smith from Louisiana
Bojan Spasojevic from Russia
Corin Tate from Connecticut
Rhoda Taylor from Ireland
Joelle Werts from Maryland
Maggie Wilson from Canada
Eli Worley from Texas
Cindy Wu from New York
Wenting Yang from California
Tiffany Young from Illinois
Kaylee Younts from North Carolina
Ligang Zheng from California

The post Illustrators of the Future 1st Quarter Winners Announced for Volume 43 appeared first on Writers & Illustrators of the Future.

Every quarter, our panel of internationally renowned judges selects three winners who receive a 30-day commission to illustrate a winning story. These illustrations are featured in our annual anthology and compete for the prestigious Golden Brush Award.

Below, explore the portfolios and journeys of our 2026 winners and featured alumni. To see their full story illustrations, pre-order or pick up your copy of Volume 42.

These winners were handpicked by a panel of internationally renowned artists serving as Contest judges:

Born in Slovakia, Bafu creates illustrations and comics that blend humor, emotion, and the strange. Currently working on the webcomic Jasper’s Haunted Home, his work focuses on finding comfort in spooky and unusual places.

A digital illustrator and educator, Nathan Deiwert specializes in world-building and character design. Influenced by masters like Frank Frazetta and Norman Rockwell, Nathan’s work explores everything from “fear-inducing entities” to happy, imaginative moments.

Based in Newfoundland, Tracy Eire is an oil and charcoal artist known for “NobleBright” fantasy. Her narrative paintings focus on powerful, resilient women—figures who feel both ancient and modern, often described as “harpies in couture.”

An aspiring concept artist currently at the Columbus College of Art and Design, Anna Malone combines digital media with traditional painting. Her style is shaped by the “stylized fluidity” of Alphonse Mucha and the elegance of J.C. Leyendecker.

Studying at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Josie Moore uses art to turn fear into beauty. Her work often features “odd love stories” and whimsical creatures like elves and faeries.

Born in 2007, Karah Richardson turned the challenge of prosopagnosia (face blindness) into a passion for portraiture. Her work involves blending features together like a puzzle to create unique, storytelling-focused art.

Utah-based artist Tray Streeter combines classical painting techniques with the contemporary possibilities of digital art. He aspires to illustrate for Dungeons & Dragons and create iconic comic cover art.

With a background in civil engineering and physics, Roddy Taylor brings an intricate, nature-inspired perspective to his role-playing game art and storytelling-focused illustrations.

A freelance concept designer and portfolio coach, Allen Zhang specializes in world-building and character design for films and games, rooted in a foundation of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting.

Also featured in Writers of the Future Volume 42
A returning alumni from Volume 41

A returning favorite, Haileigh Enriquez blends fantastical realism with Mesoamerican mythology. Her work is a joyful exploration of identity, resilience, and cultural diversity.

Also featured in Writers of the Future Volume 42
A returning alumni from Volume 39

Known for her “fantastic realism,” April Solomon is a master of creature design. Her meticulous understanding of anatomy and texture brings dragons and werewolves to life with stunning detail.

We highly recommend following these artists, there is a tremendous amount of good work to come.

The post Best New Sci-Fi & Fantasy Artists: 2026 Contest Winners appeared first on Writers & Illustrators of the Future.

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. —Albert Camus

Some of us are born storytellers, full of tales yearning to burst into bloom with the first breath of spring. I know one young author who published 27 books before her sophomore year in college, and she’s still growing strong. Others, like me, need some rings under our bark before we bear our first creative fruit. I was over 60 when my story  “Kill Switch” won a place in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 41, and I wasn’t the oldest winner in the volume. It always irks me when someone says Writers of the Future is a contest for young writers. It’s a contest for aspiring writers in all seasons of life.

I dreamed of writing science fiction and fantasy since I started reading those genres in middle school, but I never took my dreams seriously enough. Covid was my call to adventure. The Pandemic made me realize I might run out of time before I ran out of excuses. I took online classes like the unique and totally free Writers of the Future course while sheltering in place. When the lockdowns unlocked I reached out to past winners and contestants, joined an incredible writers’ group, and found an invaluable mentor, Volume 35 winner Wulf Moon. I wrote and wrote and entered the contest every quarter until one of my stories came up a winner. After more than fifty years as a reluctant hero, Writers of the Future became my ongoing Hero’ s Journey. It can be yours as well, no matter how old you are.

Strong Roots Bear Good Fruit

Starting a creative career in midlife or later has lots of advantages. The greatest of these is experience. We’ve ridden the emotional roller coaster more than a few times. We’ll never forget the painful ardor of our first crush or the healing sorrow of realizing it was not meant to be. Discovering new lands and cultures? We’ve lived in towns that weren’t built when we were born and worked in countries that weren’t countries when we were in school. Try/fail cycles? We fall on our faces on a daily basis and get up with a little help from people who love us. Character development? We’ve supported our partners, cared for our parents, raised our children and seen them become everything they hoped to be.

Or not.

You don’t get as far as we have without at least a peek into the abyss. The most noble quest can fail; not all roads can be taken; some doors stay shut. Tears and scars help make us who we are. Many of us begin our creative journeys when pain and loss create voids in our lives or reveal those that were already there. What does not kill us makes us stronger writers.

Adding laugh lines to our faces often brings another big advantage. Securing uninterrupted time for writing is always a challenge, but handing off responsibilities for parenting or work can make it easier. Dedicating time and space to writing makes it possible to enter flow state, a not-so-secret weapon for productivity for authors of any age. It’s all about getting the most out of the time we’re given.

The final advantage we mature writers have is a strength often hidden even from ourselves. We’re better able to deal with rejection. Rejection is an unavoidable part of the writing life, especially when we first gather the courage to send our work to publishers. I’m not saying that rejections hurt less as we get older. I wish! The story I submitted the quarter before my winner got a flat rejection, which landed like a punch in the gut. I am saying that our life experience makes us more able to roll with the blows and put rejection in perspective. We wouldn’t have made it this far without developing at least a little resilience. We also know the value of a support system such as a good writer’s group, which you can find or form by connecting with contestants of all ages in the Writers of the Future Forum.

When the Leaves Start Falling

Being chronologically gifted has downsides as well. We have less energy than we once enjoyed. This can mean shorter writing sprints, longer breaks between projects, and fewer trips to cons, book fairs, and other career-enhancing events. We can still make connections and socialize, but all-night brainstorming and filk song jam sessions are right out.

We’re also more prone to health issues, thieves of time even more notorious than procrastination. Self-care is important for all writers, but for us it’s critical. The time we take for our physical and emotional health isn’t time taken away from writing, it’s a force multiplier.

Speaking of time, the clock ticks louder the older we get. Very early in my career, I was talking with a young writer about whether or not an aspiring writer should have a website. (Answer: You should.) His position was that a website wasn’t necessary until you publish twenty books.

I thought about that for a minute and said, “I’m not going to live long enough to publish twenty books.”

I hope to prove myself wrong. But I don’t write particularly fast, so I’m not likely to match Writers of the Future judge Kevin J. Anderson’s total of 197 published books (and counting) or Coordinating Judge Jody Lynn Nye’s over 50 books and 200 short stories (ditto). L. Ron Hubbard wrote over 200 published novels and stories. But even if by some miracle I could match their output, I wouldn’t, because that’s not how I judge success. My goal has always been to write at least one book of the kind that inspired Middle School Me to imagine new ideas, new possibilities, new worlds. I’m still working on that, and I’m determined to fill every volume I write with wonder and love. Long or short, the writer’s journey is worth taking.

Bloom Where You’re Planted

Age is more than just a number, but that number doesn’t measure your artistic potential. Physicists tend to get their best ideas before age 30, but writers have a much longer creative lifespan. The oldest Writers of the Future winner was 70 when their story won the contest. Want to set a new record? There’s an old saying: The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, but the second best time is now. Whether we’re talking about trees, writing, or any of the creative arts, I must respectfully disagree. Aspire. Get started. Work on your craft. Write your stories. Enter the Writers of the Future Contest. The best time is now.

Robert F. Lowell is a Writers of the Future winner and Baen Fantasy Adventure Award finalist. His complicated relationship with reality began when he was born between two movie studios in Burbank, California. In previous professional lives he researched and wrote about international relations, weapons of mass destruction, and terrorism. He taught at universities in the US, Costa Rica, and Switzerland and was kissed by a dancing horse in Siberia. Now he expands the universe of online learning as an instructional systems designer and writes about swords, sorcery, robots, aliens, and mystical beasts as a member of the Wulf Pack Writers. He, his wife Lady Lowell, and their dog Murphy live in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Step into his universe at www.robertflowell.com.

The post The Second Spring appeared first on Writers & Illustrators of the Future.