Submissions Open: The Lone Wolf Anthology 

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If, like us, you have imagined characters and adventures in hidden corners of Magnamund, mapped elaborate tales in RPG sessions, or day-dreamed about The Darklands War, Sun Eagle’s quests, or the Sommer Isles - we are delighted to announce a call for short stories for a Lone Wolf anthology!

Since 1984, Lone Wolf has sold more than 12 million copies, been translated into 18 languages, and won multiple international awards. A major contribution to 1980’s fantasy culture, Lone Wolf helped popularize choose-your-own-adventure style gaming books. Now, the Lone Wolf universe is expanding and Holmgard Press is looking for new writers to contribute to the lore of Magnamund. 

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What to submit:

1. Your Story Pitch: a short 200-500 word outline of your idea. 

In this brief space, you need to convey the essence of your plot (beginning, middle and end, please!), introduce key characters or concepts, and generate interest. Focus on the unique aspects of your story, its themes, and why it stands out. An action-heavy story doesn’t have stakes without an emotional core, and a philosophy-heavy story has no stakes unless its characters take action.

Important: We are not requiring a completed story at this stage – just a pitch. 

2. The (anticipated) length of the story.
3. Please include, if available, a sample of previously published work and/or a writing CV.

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Please send your pitch to info@magnamund.com with the Subject Tile “ANTHOLOGY PITCH’. 

The deadline for pitches: 30 April, 2024

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Guidelines:

You should be familiar with the world of Lone Wolf. One criteria is suitability to the established universe. All the books are available to read for free HERE, but reading thirty books in preparation for a pitch is a big ask, so we recommend at least scanning the Magnamund Companion.

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Prominent themes in the Lone Wolf books include:

• Hero's Journey: From training and initiation to quests against the forces of darkness, Lone Wolf undergoes personal growth and transformation.
• Universal Balance: Central to the series is the ongoing struggle between the forces of Light, embodied by Lone Wolf and the Kai Lords, and the forces of Dark, represented by the Darklords and their minions. The balance of Aon forms the background to the struggles on Magnamund. 
• Friendship and Companionship: Be they fellow Kai Lords, allies, or others you meet along the way, the theme of friendship and the strength gained from allies is recurrent.
• Courage and Sacrifice: Themes of courage, resilience, and the willingness to make personal sacrifices for the greater good are woven into the narrative.
• Destiny and Free Will: The interplay between destiny and free will is a recurring theme as Lone Wolf grapples with his role in the world.
• Exploration of Morality: The series delves into complex moral choices, often presenting dilemmas that challenge Lone Wolf's ethical stance. 
• High Magic and Epic Fantasy World-Building: Magnamund is richly detailed with diverse landscapes, cultures, and magical elements. The exploration of this fantastical world is a thematic cornerstone.
• Persistence and Tenacity: Themes of persistence, determination, and tenacity resonate throughout the series as he faces overwhelming odds.
• Redemption: Some characters in the series undergo arcs of redemption, reflecting the possibility of transformation and forgiveness even in a world beset by darkness.
• The Power of Knowledge: Themes of the power of knowledge, training, and wisdom are evident as Lone Wolf uses his Kai abilities to combat evil.

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These themes contribute to the enduring appeal of the Lone Wolf series, making it a beloved classic in the realm of gamebooks and fantasy literature. Stories that resonate with these themes will stand out. 

Take your time. Read lore. Develop ideas. Break it down. Build it back up again. Then do the same for your pitch. Hone it. Polish it. Make it shine. 

If your pitch is approved, Short Stories should be 2,000 to 4,000 words, but if your story needs 8,000 words to be successful, have at it.

Style: Our first call for submissions will not mandate a theme or style. We will assess pitches and allow thematic common ground to emerge. 

Font 12 pt Garamond, Double Spaced, No headers, footers, or special formatting. DOC, DOCx, or RTF format.

The guiding principles of this universe for forty years have included no hard limits on violence, but strict curtails on cursing/vulgar language and upon sexual content (especially sexualised violence), and we ask that contributors plan their stories accordingly.

Stuck for ideas? Listen to the Journeys Through Magnamund podcast for plenty of Lone Wolf lore that has gone unexplored in literature to date (for example, the most recent episodes on the Darklands War).

Any questions or concerns about the submissions process or about the story world can be directed to info@magnamund.com with the subject title ‘Anthology query’. Our team is available to help you develop your ideas.

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Terms:

Multiple submissions are fine.

For accepted stories we pay rates of $0.04 / £0.03p per word for original stories.

Payment for the chosen stories will be made within 30 days of the final advertised publication date, although some may be paid earlier than that.

Submission does not imply the right to publication. Each story will be read and assessed by the selection panel.

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Where to send your pitch:

Please send your pitch to info@magnamund.com with the Subject Tile “ANTHOLOGY PITCH’. 

The deadline for pitches: 30 April, 2024.

You will be notified by email after this date if you are selected as a contributor to the anthology. At that time, you will be provided with a contract outlining the writing timeframes and confirming the rates of pay.

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If you are an artist or illustrator, or if you have a specific artist in mind for your story - please reach out and let us know. We would love to include artwork in the Anthology.

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For Sommerlund!