DreamForge Editor a Winner
in the Scifidea Contest

In March of this year, Scot Noel, editor and publisher of DreamForge Magazine, was selected as one of top ten winners in the SciFidea Dyson Sphere Contest. His entry, “The Eight Pillars of Void and Virtue,” earned a $20,000 prize after evaluation by a panel of well-known judges including the likes of Neil Clarke, Michael Swanwick, Robert J. Sawyer, Nancy Kress, and others.

Unfortunately, the contest lost funding even as the awards were being handed out. But that is a story all its own, and for those who may be interested, the rest of this article takes you on the journey.

A Contest Overview: Inspiration Meets Uncertainty

In 2023, the Scifidea Dyson Sphere Contest offered science fiction writers the opportunity to compete for prizes of up to $20,000. The contest called for novellas (stories starting at 30,000 words) centered around a Dyson sphere, a theoretical structure designed to capture a star’s energy.

SciFidea was founded in Singapore and managed by Chief Editor and Contest Coordinator Tang Feng, along with entertainment IP entrepreneur Bryan Tan. The creators aimed to promote science fiction literature, build a community of sci-fi fans, and help authors monetize their works.

The contest assembled 8 judges from the science fiction field, including Hugo award winners Nancy Kress and Michael Swanwick, along with editors Patrick Nielsen Haden and Neil Clarke.

DreamForge Magazine shared the contest with our DreamCaster writing group in early May 2023. Several DreamCasters submitted Dyson sphere-themed novellas to the competition.

The DreamCasters exchanged feedback on drafts and discussed aspects of Dyson spheres, from gravity variations to ecological systems and construction methods.

When the winners were announced (including DreamForge DreamCasters Brittany Rainsdon and Scot Noel), the contest encountered a significant problem: its funding had fallen through, leaving the organizers unable to provide the promised prize money.

A Community of Contest Entrants

After learning about the funding issue, the winners established contact and began working together. DreamCaster’s Scot and Brittany joined other contest winners in a group organized by fellow winner Jordan Jonas Lie, who reached out to both the contest editor and judges for clarity on the situation.

Contest editor Tang Feng, who has worked with Science Fiction World magazine and helped publish authors like Liu Cixin (“The Three Body Problem,” “The Wandering Earth”), shared the winners’ concerns.

Current developments include:

Contracts between winners and organizers for payment at the end of five years, with authors maintaining copyright
Distribution of accomplishment certificates
Sharing of judges’ editorial notes
Sharing of critiques and comments among the winners

Moving Forward

While the contest’s funding loss was significant, it led to unexpected collaboration among the winners. The top 10 winners formed a support network, and Tang Feng sought new sponsorship opportunities while working on arrangements with the winning authors.

The situation highlighted both the importance of stable funding for creative projects and the value of community support. But for now the story continues, and for the winners, we look forward to one day sharing our works with readers in the science fiction community around the world.

Messenger of the Throne – Finley Weeks

Contest Judges

All the SciFidea Winners are indebted to the contest judges for their selections of our works and their continued support in encouraging our writing efforts. The judges’ involvement lent significant credibility to the contest, giving participants the knowledge that their work would be reviewed by some of the most respected names in science fiction. This panel included:

Phoenix Alexander, the Jay Kay and Doris Klein Librarian for Science Fiction and Fantasy at the University of California, Riverside.
Neil Clarke, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Clarkesworld Magazine, a ten-time finalist and the 2022 winner of the Hugo Award for Best Editor Short Form.
Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Editor-in-Chief at Tor Books, with multiple Hugo and World Fantasy Awards.
Nancy Kress, a renowned science fiction and fantasy author with numerous Hugo and Nebula Awards.
Derek Künsken, a sci-fi novelist and short fiction writer, known for his Aurora and Asimov’s Reader’s Awards.
Robert J. Sawyer, a celebrated science fiction author with a Hugo, Nebula, Aurora, and John W. Campbell Memorial Awards.
Michael Swanwick, a five-time Hugo Award winner with other prestigious accolades.
Liza Groen Trombi, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Locus Magazine, a four-time Hugo Award winner and President of the Locus SF Foundation.

With such a reputable panel of judges, we beleive the contest maintained a high standard of quality and fairness, despite the unexpected setback in funding.

Top Ten SciFidea Winners

Each of these works represents a unique perspective on a Dyson sphere-themed world, showcasing the imagination and innovation of their respective authors.