Saladin Ahmed is creating
fantasy fiction and geek culture commentary
Author of the Hugo-nominated THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON, essays on politics and geek culture, and far too many tweets.
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Hi! I’m Saladin Ahmed. I wrote the Locus Award-winning novel THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON, which was praised by George RR Martin as “a rollicking swashbuckler,” and nominated for the Hugo, Nebula, and British Fantasy Awards. I've published numerous award-nominated short stories, as well as essays on politics and geek culture in places like Salon, BuzzFeed, Gizmodo, Strange Horizons, and Fantasy Magazine. I'm also quite active on Twitter, where I talk about everything from feminism in 1940s comics to the politics of national security.
I like to think I write stuff worth reading, and I hope I bring a unique perspective to fantasy and geek culture. But – in large part due to severe Major Depressive Disorder and being the primary caregiver to twin preschoolers – I work *slowly.* A novel every few years, a few essays and short stories in between. I’ve been overwhelmed with the positive responses my work has received, but I don’t produce it quickly enough to make a living. And so I do freelance editing, occasionally teach at a university, etc., etc. And the writing gets put on hold, and still the ends don’t quite meet.
And so, I'm turning directly to my readers for support.
I get some folks’ distaste with this model of online beggary. But I also know that there are many readers who understand that some writers take a long time to produce, and that the work they produce won’t always be supported by ‘the market’ alone. I know that there are readers out there who are willing to invest a bit extra in the voices they cherish. I’ve tried to be one of those readers. I’m also lucky enough to have had a few of those readers myself. It’s to you folks that I’m speaking.
In return, I’m offering something new: I’ve had wonderfully kind editors from most of the major SF/F magazines ask me for work, but my next short story (which will be done in June) will NOT see its debut in a magazine. Instead, it will be made available exclusively to my patrons. What’s the new story about? What genre is it? It’s a surprise. But if you support me, you’ll be among the first to find out!
As always, thank you all for your incredible support. I just plain couldn’t do this without it.
I like to think I write stuff worth reading, and I hope I bring a unique perspective to fantasy and geek culture. But – in large part due to severe Major Depressive Disorder and being the primary caregiver to twin preschoolers – I work *slowly.* A novel every few years, a few essays and short stories in between. I’ve been overwhelmed with the positive responses my work has received, but I don’t produce it quickly enough to make a living. And so I do freelance editing, occasionally teach at a university, etc., etc. And the writing gets put on hold, and still the ends don’t quite meet.
And so, I'm turning directly to my readers for support.
I get some folks’ distaste with this model of online beggary. But I also know that there are many readers who understand that some writers take a long time to produce, and that the work they produce won’t always be supported by ‘the market’ alone. I know that there are readers out there who are willing to invest a bit extra in the voices they cherish. I’ve tried to be one of those readers. I’m also lucky enough to have had a few of those readers myself. It’s to you folks that I’m speaking.
In return, I’m offering something new: I’ve had wonderfully kind editors from most of the major SF/F magazines ask me for work, but my next short story (which will be done in June) will NOT see its debut in a magazine. Instead, it will be made available exclusively to my patrons. What’s the new story about? What genre is it? It’s a surprise. But if you support me, you’ll be among the first to find out!
As always, thank you all for your incredible support. I just plain couldn’t do this without it.