Hark, female writers of the science fiction! Something cool is happening. The illustrious Lightspeed magazine are throwing their doors open to women (and whomever identifies as a woman) for a special issue to come out in the middle of the year. It must also be noted that Lightspeed keeps a gender balance in terms of their regular issues. But, you know, it’s kinda awesome that they’re having a specific issue for women, huh?

If you have something that suits, I encourage you to submit. I have! You can find the details, as well as a wonderfully inspirational message from Christie Yant (the guest editor) right here. Submissions close on February 14th.

And hey, if you don’t have anything ready to go by then, keep writing. Keep submitting. Some claim that women do not (or cannot) write science fiction. Ridiculous. Just look at the ladies out there who have and do destroy the joint. Octavia Butler. Karen Joy Fowler. Lois McMaster Bujold. Charlie Jane Anders. Margaret Atwood, FFS.  Kij Johnson. Kelly Link! Nalo Hopkinson. The wonderful Eleanor Wood. There are also many, many more.

I believe that creative women should all strive to write, strive to publish our work. Every story is important, no matter the genre or where it is accepted. As Virginia Woolf wrote in A Room of One’s Own:

“Literature is open to everybody. I refuse to allow you, Beadle though you are, to turn me off the grass. Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt, that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.”

Go get ’em, ladies.