Do you love reading sci-fi/fantasy books? Do you have a deep knowledge of the SF genre or history?
Good news! The blog at mgherron.com is open to submissions from guest authors.
The mission
Entertain, educate and inspire the next generation of science fiction and fantasy readers.
Which is a fancy way of saying I write these posts to amuse myself—I am that book lover! If you’re reading this, you probably are, too. That said, while writing for myself serves its own purpose, nothing gets published unless others will find it useful.
Any time a visitor to the blog at mgherron.com finds the answer to a question, reads a new story, or discovers a new author, I’ve done them a service. I’ve made their lives richer.
Isn’t that what all good stories do? Enrich people’s lives?
That’s the goal. Entertain, educate, and inspire SF readers.
What does the blog at mgherron.com publish?
Let’s look at a few examples.
When I published a piece about the best Matrix fan theories, it’s because collecting that information in one place is helpful and fun for fans of the franchise. You can learn a lot about the film you may not have realized at first just by scanning through it.
Similarly, publishing a piece about Isaac Asimov’s short stories is educational because readers can learn so much about him that they might not have known before. Interesting anecdotes about his life, quotes that speak to his philosophy, what stories led to which opportunities later. Even the ability to see at a glance how prolific Asimov was can be an eye-opening realization. I know it was for me, and I wanted to share that joy with others.
When it comes to the blog, I’ve gone through a lot of trial and error in terms of what I write here. In the end, I’ve had the most success writing about science fiction/fantasy topics: popular books, film franchises, short stories, themes in SF, book recommendations, and observations on popular entertainment or trends.
I’m also passionate about educating people about fiction in the public domain. One of my most popular posts on that subject is a curated list of public domain sci-fi short stories.
Why ask for guest posts now?
So why ask for guest posts now? Why bother with submissions?
Readership of the blog at mgherron.com is up to about 1,200 unique visitors each month, on average. This is 2x where it was a year ago, and will continue to grow as I continue to write and publish new work here.
But I want to have a bigger impact, and that means I need more content. I spent the last eighteen months slowly pivoting, trying new things, and working to optimize my efforts alone. Now that I can see it’s working, it’s time to lean into it. It’s time to do more.
My aspiration is that mgherron.com grow to become a resource for science fiction and fantasy readers. A place where people can discover new books and stories, discuss ideas related to the SF genre, and make their lives richer through science fiction and fantasy entertainment.
If they buy my books or the books of guest authors, great. We all need to make a living. But the blog at mgherron.com will be truly serving its purpose when a large audience of SF fans find it useful in its own right, and share it with other fans.
Submission guidelines
All that to say… I can’t do it alone.
I need your help.
If you have expertise to share, or a willingness to put your typing fingers to work, read the guidelines below and reach out to me with your idea. I’d love to collaborate.
What I’m looking for
Articles, essays, and list posts in the 800 – 2,000 word range on topics related to:
- Science fiction and fantasy topics, themes, or tropes
- Science fiction and fantasy books
- Stories about major events or periods in SFF history
- Profiles of famous SFF artists, authors, editors
- Deep dives into SFF sub-genres
What I’m not looking for
I’m not looking for articles on the craft of writing. I’m also not looking to publish your short stories. I’ve published lots of fiction on mgherron.com, but it’s either my own or freely available in the public domain.
Most popular posts
To give you a better idea, here are some of the most popular posts on this blog today:
- The Best Matrix Fan Theories
- 6 Impactful Science Fiction Novels of the 20th Century
- 6 Hilarious Science Fiction Novels You Don’t Want to Miss
- The Big Reading List of Indie Published Portal Fiction
- 20+ Sci-Fi Short Stories in the Public Domain
I’m interested in expanding the topics, so don’t let what’s popular limit your imagination.
How to submit
Send an email to matt@mgherron.com with “Guest post idea: [Your idea here]” in the subject line, and your idea in pitch form (~100 words) in the body of the email.
All pieces will be attributed to you as the original author. I’ll also include a link back to your website in your bio, if you wish, but not to a book you wrote unless it’s highly relevant. While these kinds of pieces are great book marketing, selling your book should not be the purpose of the article. Finally, if at any point you no longer want the piece to be published, I will honor the request without hesitation.
Thanks, and feel free to share a link to these guidelines with people you know.
– M.G.
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