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Shall we start with the numbers?
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Thoughts about the Numbers…
(TL;DR: I did a lot more than I thought I did, and a lot less than I wanted to do.)
I did so much more editing and managing of fiction than I did writing it. As you see, I didn’t even finish a novel in 2025. On the other hand, I created a whole year’s worth of a magazine, managing/editing 14 authors, 5 fact checkers, and a slush pile just for it. That, in and of itself, is worthy. On top of it, I solicited, read for, curated, and edited three Shadowrun short fiction lines (Novella, FF, and GTM). That included so much overhead.
On one hand, it was a lot of work and I don’t really want to do it again. On the other hand, all of these Shadowrun fiction lines have a long tail and 80% of the hard work of them is already done. Now that I have them up and running, all I have to do is keep the ball rolling.
As for writing. I did get 5 new short stories written and sold them all. I’m in the throws of my third Colors Quartet Shadowrun novel, Imre Grey, after its released date got pushed from 2025 to 2026. Am I disappointed? A little. But not enough to castigate myself over it.
It’s taken me a lot of freelancing years to understand that I am not the sum of my output.
Decluttering: I’d say we got about 2/3rds of the way through the Declutter project list box. We’re still working on it, pulling a project out of the box each week. Mostly. Between my schedule and the Husband’s graduate school, we’ve had some “amnesty weeks” where life took precedence. So, it will continue on.
The Year of the Unfinished Book: In 2025, I read 33 books.
One Day Off the Internet a Week: By-and-large, I stuck to this. Boy, did I ever need that time away from the computer/work. This is one of those habits that will stick. I’ve got a new one I want to start but that’s a blog post for next year.
August has been a busy travel month. My brain is mush, my body would like to stop sleeping in strange beds, and my cats cannot decide if they are more needy for attention or still pissed that I was gone. Here’s a Bubble and Squeek for you.
Awards: I did not win the Hugo award this year, but I’m not mad at who won in my category. Neil Clarke is incredibly talented and does good work. So, here’s my finalist certificate framed and hung. (I am seriously considering taking my two rocket pins to a local jeweler to see if he can turn them into really nice earrings.)
Blog: The end of a two year project. Dear Penpal, Belgium 1980 is over and done with. Gotta admit, I don’t regret doing Dear Penpal, but I won’t do it this way again.
eBay and Signed Books: If you would like signed books from me, we have them up on eBay. This will remain on eBay until all of my books are gone. All money goes to me.
Interview: Lindsey Byrd in Writing is Hard podcast. How to edit a book? With Jennifer Brozek. This was a really fun interview. (YT link)
Podcast: The Skiffy and Fanty Show, 832. Shin Kamen Rider (2023) — Righteous Kicks #10. Bug hybrids, evil organizations, and intense vertical kicks, oh my! Brandon O’Brien and Iori Kusano are joined by Jennifer Brozek to discuss 2023’s Shin Kamen Rider! I have many opinions.
Publication: Augment 3, Autumn 2083. Available now! Look at that cover. It’s gorgeous! The universal buy link is here.
Publication: “Praise for the Honored Dead” is Catalyst Game Labs’ free BattleTech fiction for the month of August! Get it now before it disappears and another story replaces it! (New free Shadowrun and BattleTech fiction on the first of each month.)
Support: As always… if you appreciate my work and would like to support me, I love coffee. I am made of caffeine. This is the quickest way to brighten my day.
It’s time for Worldcon! Here’s my schedule that doesn’t include any of the private meetings. Come see me. Say hello. (For the love of Pete, please come to my Thursday Table Talk. I know you need to sign up and must wait until the day before, but I don’t want to sit there alone.) I will be out and about. Feel free to wave or bring me a book to sign. Also, I will have books for sale at Northwest and Guests in the Dealers Hall.
=====14 Aug, Thursday=====
=====15 Aug, Friday=====
=====16 Aug, Saturday=====
=====14 Aug, Thursday=====
12-1pm, Table Talk: Jennifer Brozek, Room 430
These used to be called kaffeklatches. Have an intimate discussion (up to six participants) with your favorite creators. (Advance sign-up is required.)
Jennifer Brozek
2-4pm, Volunteered to Man the Brisbane 28 Worldcon Table: Fan Table 42
4:30-5:30pm, Writing for Franchises (Workshop lecture), Room 330
How do you get started writing for someone else’s universe? In this workshop, you’ll learn how to take inventory of your skills and contacts and then use them to secure writing gigs with established properties. (Advance sign-up is required.)
Jennifer Brozek
7:30-8:30pm, How to Vet Fictional Society Rules, Room 423-424
You can’t break rules until you make them. All fictional societies need an internally logical legal foundation, and understanding it is a key component of writing compelling, credible science fiction. It is the developmental editor’s job to make sure the rules make sense. Panelists will discuss how they vet social and legal structures for their clients’ novels and how breaking/bending these rules can create the story beats that keep readers turning pages.
Jennifer Brozek (M), Alma Alexander, James R. Wells, Joseph Brassey, Sarah Chorn
=====15 Aug, Friday=====
9-10am, Outlining to Sell, Room 423-424
Learn how to create a compelling outline to sell your idea to an intellectual property (IP) or media tie-in acquisition editor. Many tie-in authors have successfully sold novels from outlines… and been paid advances before typing a single line of prose. Learn how to do this from our experienced panelists. Tips from this panel can be used for selling your original completed novel or nonfiction book as well.
A. J. Hackwith (M), Gwendolyn N. Nix, Jennifer Brozek, Rebecca Roanhorse, Rosemary Jones
7:30-8:30pm, Getting the Science Right, Even if It’s Magic, Room 423-424
How important is it for authors to get their science right, in science fiction and fantasy? What does “right” even mean for speculative fiction? How is genre convention tied into those answers? Does science have a role in magic?
Joshua Palmatier (M), Christine Taylor-Butler, Jennifer Brozek, Scott H. Andrews, Max Goller
=====16 Aug, Saturday=====
10-11:30am Signing at Northwest and Guests table, in the Dealers Hall
12-1pm, Where Do Editors Come From?, Room 321
Book editing is one of the last redoubts of the un-credentialed autodidact. While there are training programs for book-editing skills, most book editors come into the job with an enormous diversity of backgrounds. Many editors are successful without any specific training or academic credentials. How does the novice editor become a success in such an unregulated industry? How would they even start to become a professional editor?
Sheila Williams (M), Emily Hockaday, Trevor Quachri, Jennifer Brozek, Carl Engle-Laird
2-2:30pm, Reading: Jennifer Brozek, Room 429
“Citizen, Scion, Savior, Singularity.” Sophia Nyland risks all to make the discovery of a lifetime. After she breaks through what is supposed to be an impenetrable barrier, she discovers that her world is much larger than she thought it was—as is her place within it.
Jennifer Brozek
6:30 pm, Hugo Reception, Signature Room
8:00pm, Hugo Award Ceremony, Ballroom 1
On July 23rd, the day that Hugo voting closes, I posted on social media that “Less than six hours left before we all become Schrödinger’s Hugo award winners. Either we have already won or lost.” This is the period between the end of voting and the announcement of the winners. During that liminal time, we are both Hugo winners and Hugo losers.
I’ve used my Hugo nomination to treat myself to some things I don’t normally buy (a couple gowns, some jewelry, a tiara…), but I kept thinking about that phrase “Schrödinger’s Hugo winner.” So, I decided to support one of my favorite artists, Alina Pete, and commissioned some artwork at Gen*Con.
Isn’t he the best? Now, I will always have “Schrödinger’s Hugo winner cat” on my wall. I’m also gifting it to all of the Hugo Award 2025 finalists (as well as future Hugo finalists when they, too, become “Schrödinger’s Hugo winner”) to be amused by.
You may use the image for blogposts and such as long as you credit the artist, Alina Pete (alinapete.bsky.social or https://linktr.ee/alinapete) on the post.
Sometimes, you just have to treat yourself like you would your best friend.
The 2025 Hugo Award voting closes in 36 days (July 23).
I debated on whether or not I would post this because of reasons (everything going on in the world and more), but as an editor/seminar instructor, I frequently instruct my students/authors not to self-reject. Their job is to do the thing. My job (and the job of all editors out there) is to see if the thing fits what they need. “Don’t do my job for me,” I say.
“Physician, heal thyself.” Or, in other words, “Editor, take your own counsel.” Thus, here I am.
What would a Hugo win mean to me and for my career?
Career: I have not (yet) won a Hugo award. I would really like to. For many reasons. But, I think, most of all, it would help my publishing career. Already the second nomination has allowed me to land a freelance job I wanted at a per hour rate my skills are worth. This is huge for me.
The Husband no longer works in tech. In fact, he’s just been accepted into UW’s graduate program for a Masters in Library and Information Sciences (MLIS). I am so proud of him. However, this means he has school for the next two years, and money will be tight. I need/want my publishing career to continue to level up.
Personal: As an editor, I have been nominated for the Bram Stoker, the British Fantasy, and multiple Hugo awards. While it is an honor (no, really, it really-really is), I would love to win one. Much like qualifying for HWA, IAMTW, and SFWA, it is one of those publishing career goals/milestones. For those in the know, it is an immediate reputation boost. Even outside the publishing industry, many people know what a Hugo is.
Emotional: In my blog post, The Second Nomination is the Best, I mentioned that I burst into tears when I read the email telling me that I was a finalist again. There was relief in knowing the first time wasn’t a mistake. It’s been a joy to hear from people that they were glad to see me on the ballot again.
I think winning a Hugo at a Seattle Worldcon would be the best. It would make me feel like “Hometown Girl Does Good.” There would be relief in finally winning one of the “big ones.” It wouldn’t matter if I was never nominated again. (Of course it would matter, but maybe not as much…)
Is a Hugo win a guarantee to a better publishing career? No. But it can’t hurt. (Unless someone stabs me with it—and what a way to go out!) Do I want to give an awards speech? Absolutely. Do I want to hold the Hugo trophy in my hot little hands and flush like I’ve been drinking all night? You betcha. Do I want to let Seanan put mantises on my head? I’m a little iffy on this one, but I did promise to let her do it if I won (a promise made before I was nominated, and I’m a woman who keeps her promises). Besides, Paul said he’d take pictures, and he takes a really good picture.
I am so pleased to see that I have been nominated for the Best Editor, Short Form Hugo award. It is such an honor to be nominated. This is my second time for the Hugo award, and I have to say, at least in my eyes, the second nomination for any award is the best nomination. Not gonna lie: I burst into tears when I read the email telling me that I was a finalist again.
Like many creatives, I sometimes have imposter syndrome that can be hard on the ego and the creative soul (for example, in this last week I had 3 short story rejections). The first time I was a finalist for an award, I was shocked. I wondered if someone had made a mistake. The first time I was nominated for one of the big awards, the Hugo, I had all kinds of feelings. The next time I was nominated for another big award, the Bram Stoker, I had even more feelings.
But, the second time I was a finalist for the Scribe, the Bram Stoker, and the ENnie, there was a sense of “it’s not a mistake/I’m not a hack/I know what I’m doing/let me enjoy this moment.” Complicated feelings to say the least. Now, after ten years, I am a finalist for the Best Editor, Short Form Hugo award again. I have a certain sense of terror and relief. Relief because I was nominated again. Terror because, maybe, just maybe, I might win.
At this point in my publishing career, I have edited (or co-edited) 25 published anthologies, 2 magazines (including the currently ongoing Augment magazine), become an editor-at-large for Catalyst Game Labs, edited numerous short stories, novellas, and novels for CGL, owned my own small press, Apocalypse Ink Productions, that produced a dozen+ novels for myself and other authors, and the list goes on. Being a decent editor in the publishing industry is one that has kept my kitties in kibble.
I think I have earned some of my professional confidence. My editing has earned me nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and the Hugo Award—now multiple Hugo Awards. Also, I’m the only American (that I know of) who has won the Australian Shadows Award for Best Edited Publication for the Grants Pass anthology that I co-edited with the ever-talented Aussie, Amanda Pillar.
Thank you to everyone who has already wished me congratulations. I sincerely appreciate it. I’m so chuffed at who my competition is. I mean, look at them: Scott H. Andrews, Neil Clarke, Jonathan Strahan, Lynne M. Thomas & Michael Damian Thomas, and Sheila Williams! It makes me so proud to be in such good company.
There you go. I’m a Hugo Award finalist again. I’m honored and pleased beyond words. I won’t lie. I want to win. If you have any questions about my work, please let me know.
Awards Season is fraught with danger for some of us—imposter syndrome, guilt, and the general malaise of everything *waves to the world at large*… and all of it stops us for putting our creative works out there. However, it is these creative works that keep the world going—even while it is on fire. It is not a sin to say “Hey, I did a thing last year and it was good. Please consider it!”
(Ahem: Jennifer Brozek for Best Editor, Short Form for 99 Fleeting Fantasies; Magic, Machines, & Mayhem; and Through the Decades anthologies. Or Shadowrun: The Mosaic Run by Jennifer Brozek [Catalyst Game Labs] for the Lodestone award.)
It also behooves us to point to people we believe deserve some recognition. So, I have some other Hugo nomination recommendations for you. This is, by no means, an exhaustive list.
Best Novel
Best Novella
Best Novelette
Best Series
Best Related Work
Best Editor, Short Form (My competition.)
Best Fan Writer
Best Fan Artist
Best Poem
There you have it. Some other recommendations of people you may or may not have heard of—but should get to know. Go forth and nominate for the Hugo awards—nominations close March 14, 2025. (You can leave your own recommendations in the comments.)
It has begun. The Hugo Award nominations are open! I would be pleased if you would consider my works for nomination. (All about eligibility.) You must be a member of Worldcon (2024 or 2025) to nominate eligible works.
In the editing category, I am eligible for Best Editor, Short Form. I edited 3 anthologies (two co-edited with John Helfers) last year—99 Fleeting Fantasies, Shadowrun: Magic, Machines, & Mayhem, and Shadowrun: Through the Decades. Of all the award nominations, this is the one I am the most interested in and believe I’ve done excellent work.
In the writing category, I am eligible for Best Short Story for my short stories: “Eye of the Beholder” (co-written with Raven Oak), “Hella AFK,” “A Tale for Munchausen’s Merriment,” and “Dueling Minstrels” (co-written with Marie Bilodeau). I am proud of these short stories.
I am also eligible for the Lodestar Award for Best Young Adult Book (not a Hugo) for my novel, Shadowrun: The Mosaic Run. This was one heck of a fun YA heist novel.
If you would like copies or samples of any of these, please contact me through my webform.
(I am so very busy. I’m sorry. This is all I had time to do. At least they are pretty images and informative, too!)
Here’s the numbers. We all love numbers so much.
Thoughts about the numbers:
I don’t really have a lot to say about the metrics for this year. I’m fine with them. They’re respectable for a full time publishing professional. With the Shadowrun magazine coming out next year and being an editor-at-large for CGL, my editing numbers will not be going down. That does cut into the writing schedule. But I’ve got my plans for next year—which I will talk about in the next blog. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures of my cats.
I hope you have had a very good holiday season!
Jennifer Brozek is a multi-talented, award-winning author, editor, and media tie-in writer. She is the author of Never Let Me Sleep and The Last Days of Salton Academy, both of which were nominated for the Bram Stoker Award. Her YA tie-in novels, BattleTech: The Nellus Academy Incident and Shadowrun: Auditions, have both won Scribe Awards. Her editing work has earned her nominations for the British Fantasy Award, the Bram Stoker Award, and multiple Hugo Awards. She won the Australian Shadows Award for the Grants Pass anthology, co-edited with Amanda Pillar. Jennifer’s short form work has appeared in Apex Publications, Uncanny Magazine, Daily Science Fiction, and in anthologies set in the worlds of Valdemar, Shadowrun, V-Wars, Masters of Orion, Well World, and Predator.
Jennifer has been a full-time freelance author and editor for over seventeen years, and she has never been happier. She keeps a tight schedule on her writing and editing projects and somehow manages to find time to teach writing classes and volunteer for several professional writing organizations such as SFWA, HWA, and IAMTW. She shares her husband, Jeff, with several cats and often uses him as a sounding board for her story ideas. Visit Jennifer’s worlds at jenniferbrozek.com or her social media accounts on LinkTree.
