26 May 2004

Together We Can Do It
by Amy Axt Hanson

Amy Axt Hanson's writing career was in the doldrums until she discovered Broad Universe. Then at the first Broad Universe mailing party, she and Jerry Oltion sent off their novelette "Trophies and Treasures" and had it accepted by ANALOG, marking Amy's first pro sale. Her involvement in BU has also led Amy to discover a hidden talent for hawking books at the BU info table at conventions. And now she plans to take the plunge and join a Rapid-Fire Reading reading at a convention, which other BU members have been nagging her to do for years.

Writing is a solitary endeavor. Maybe you have a critique group. Maybe you're taking a workshop. But most of the time, it's just you and your computer.

Do you find your work slowing down sometimes because "it's not very good?"

Do you find yourself not sending out manuscripts for one reason or another?

Do you find the task of promoting your book to be a bit too daunting?

Do you sometimes feel like the deck is stacked against women writers?

Join us! Fight those solitary blues by banding together with other writers and enthusiastic readers.

Broad Universe is here to help women writers at all stages in their careers. Our email list buzzes with market news, writing discussions, and the shared joy of a new sale. Our online magazine, The Broadsheet, provides up-to-date information on marketing along with a bit of humor, an exploration of craft, resources for teaching and commentaries on the state of the genre. Our online mailing parties give us deadlines and encouragement to get those manuscripts out in the mail. Our group readings at conventions give readers a taste test of the kinds of writing we do. We're buying a table in the Dealer's Room at Worldcon this year to pass out flyers, recommend books, and give authors a high-visibility place to sign. And we have a killer PR database with 3,000 entries—all of which is available to you, as a paid member.

Anyone—female or male, writer or fan—can join Broad Universe. Membership at the $30 level provides full access to all of our marketing efforts. Men can provide financial support for our fight, gain access to our PR database, our email lists, the Broadsheet Archives by joining at the $30 level. Membership at the $15 level provides access for both women and men to The Broadsheet Archives and our email lists.

Think about it: Broad Universe membership can put your book on our table at Worldcon. Readers wander by who like the kind of fiction you write. The table staffer points to your book and says: "She's great." (We're not lying because we've met you on the email list and folks have said how much they like your work.) The reader picks up your book, leafs through it, and grabs your flyer as they wander toward booksellers to buy it.

Buyers supposedly have to hear about a book three times before they'll bite. That's the rumor, and if true, Broad Universe will help your readers with one or two more hearings. But we only stock our tables with books and flyers by paid members.

You can use our PR database of 3,000 entries to alert SF/F bookstore buyers, fan groups, and reviewers of your latest title. But the PR database is only available to paid members.

You can list your short fiction on our website's Short Fiction listing, and your books on our website's Book Catalog. But we only list short fiction and books by paid members.

You can be part of our Rapid-Fire Readings at conventions. This membership year, we had readings at WisCon, TorCon, World Fantasy Con, and MarsCon. Plans are in place for further readings at WisCon, Westercon, Noreascon, and World Fantasy Con. But readings are only open to paid members.

Our next membership cycle runs from June 1, 2004, to May 31, 2005. If you bought a membership last year, it's time to renew. Memberships can be purchased through the PayPal link on the Memberships section of our website This is a convenient way for U.S. members or foreign members to pay. Or if you'd prefer to pay by check, you can use the print form and mail it to us.

Join us. Reach for the stars!