Last year, we announced that Black Library Open Submissions would soon be… well… open! We hope you’ve been busy with your quill/pen/typewriter (delete as appropriate) because the window is opening today.
This year, Black Library is after stories about Space Marine successor Chapters – here are the caveats:
They need to be a successor Chapter – that means anyone after the First Founding, from Second Founding stalwarts to Ultima Founding newcomers, and even those of unknown Foundings (or founders).
Established Chapters only – no creating your own homebrewed ones for this.
We’re not looking for stories about Chaos Space Marines – some Chapters may have shakier relationships with the Imperium than others, but devotion to the Ruinous Powers is (rightly) forbidden.
No Space Marines from outside the typical Chapter system – the Grey Knights and Deathwatch are off the table, as are stranger groups like the Legion of the Damned.
Lastly, your story must be set during the time of the Indomitus Crusade* – not the millennia leading up to the Era Indomitus, and certainly not the Horus Heresy. After all, there weren’t any successor Chapters around back then!
Eventually, your proposed story will end up at between 5,000 and 10,000 words, but all that’s required at the moment is a gripping 500-word extract of your epic tale, accompanied by a 100-word synopsis. This synopsis should be as engaging as possible, while summarising any key plot points – don’t worry about squeezing in every last detail, as we’ll ask you to expand on it if your story is selected.
Don’t worry if you’re still working on your extract – you have until the 11th of February to complete your submission.
When you are ready to submit, just hit this big button and fill out the form.** If the editors like what they read, they’ll be in touch – and you could become a published author!
If you’re still after some last-minute inspiration, pick up The Successors: A Space Marine Anthology, and for somewhere to capture your ideas, grab this notebook featuring the Flesh Tearers – a classic successor Chapter.
* Learn more about Roboute Guilliman’s plan to reclaim the galaxy in Dawn of Fire: Avenging Son.
** Don’t forget, you can only enter once, you must be over 18, and your story must be in English. Good luck – we look forward to seeing your name on the cover of a Black Library book soon!