'The Singularity 50'is a Create50 Project

A collection of 50 science fiction stories exploring the journey to the moment when technology overtakes us. Can YOU write one?

Somewhere around the middle of this century, artificial intelligence will evolve beyond its human architects, vastly superior in every way. Technology will become independent of us, rapidly evolving beyond our wildest dreams… or nightmares.

We want to explore this future in a science fiction anthology set over the fifty years leading to the Singularity.

‘The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.’
Steven Hawking

Countdown to the Singularity… Our future history

We have created a flexible story universe, a future history if you like, that will challenge and inspire writers to explore the ideas and themes of a world and society that becomes increasingly dependent on new technology.

We've split the years leading up to the Singularity into five Eras, with a sixth section or Moment on the day of The Singularity itself.

This future history will form the flexible backbone of the stories and ensure all stories feel part of the same universe and timeline. While the Singularity50 is science-fiction we want the stories to be grounded in our world, in our reality. So no aliens, zombies or the paranormal, please.

For a text version of the Future History click HERE.

The final anthology will be split into six sections, and you can help us by including on your title page the Era or Moment your story is set. Depending on what you, the Create50 community, submit, we may end up producing several Singularity50 volumes.

‘I particularly like the community aspect and the right to reply to reviewers, and I love how supportive everyone is. I will definitely write more for Create50 whether or not I am successful this time round’
Suzi Finlay, Writer

We will help you GROW

The Singularity50 isn't a competition. It’s a creative community and self-driven writing school.

You will be asked to feedback on work submitted by other and you will receive feedback on your own work. Unlike any other initiative, you can then redraft and resubmit based on the notes you get. This is the Create50 model. We have achieved outstanding results from our previous Create50 initiatives (50 Kisses, Twisted50 and Impact50) and we believe this process, of writing, reviewing, and rewriting, makes us better writers.

‘‘Twisted has been an excellent bit of innovation and terrific value for money. I can't remember the last time I so immersed myself in writing - this last weekend was worth every penny, regardless of what happens next. A big thank you to you and your team for making it happen.
Chris Stanley, Writer

Let's Celebrate!

After publication, winners will be invited to a book launch party in London, where a selection of the winning stories will be read by renowned actors. The book will also feature an introduction by a renowned and successful writer in the sci-fi and fantasy field.

You will rub shoulders with other authors, composers and other artists - some at the start of their journey, others veterans and a few world-renowned names to give out the prizes. This will give you the opportunity to network with publishers, agents and other extraordinary creatives. It will be an amazing experience for everyone involved.

Awards Categories and Judges for 'Singularity 50'

Best Story (1st place)
Best Story (2nd place)
Best Story (3rd place)
Most Inventive Use of AI
Most Moving Story
Best AI Character
Most Original Writing

Prizes For Best Writing

Winners will be announced at the gala book launch in London.

1st Place for Best Writing £250 cash plus goodies TBC
2nd Place £100 cash plus goodies TBC
3rd Place £50 cash plus goodies TBC

Judges (more to follow)

Julian Friedmann - Literary Agent

Julian represents book and script writers across a broad range of subjects and formats. He set up a literary agency in 1976, later merging with Carole Blake to establish Blake Friedmann who now rep over 200 authors via eight agents. Their offices are based in London.

Louis Savy - Founder and director of Sci-Fi-London

Sci-Fi London is the world's largest film festival dedicated to science fiction. Louis is an award-winning producer, and actor with a vast wealth of experience as a judge, running a series of 48 hour Challenges, in both film-making and flash fiction.

Phil Ford - Screenwriter and Producer

Co-creator of Wizards Vs Aliens. Co-producer and lead writer on Doctor Who spin-off series The Sarah Jane Adventures. As a screenwriter Phil's credits also include Doctor Who, Torchwood, and New Captain Scarlet. Twice nominated for Best Writer in the Children’s BAFTA Awards.

Adrian Tchaikovsky - Author

Adrian is a critically-acclaimed SFF author, whose works include the 10-book Shadows of the Apt series, Guns of the Dawn and Children of Time. Adrian has been shortlisted for the Arthur C Clarke Award, the David Gemmell Legend Award and the British Fantasy Award.

Singularity:50 is represented by Blake Friedmann Literary Agency

Blake Friedmann is providing its expert representation, which it gave us on Twisted:50, again on Singularity:50. This means that we will be guided every step of the way, and their expert involvement will facilitate the best route to the market, be that with a big publisher, a smaller press with more focus, or even a direct deal with Amazon.

About The Rights You Will Give Us

If your story is selected in the final fifty, you will be expected to sign an agreement that gives us the right to publish your work, as well as rights to adapt the story for film as an extended part of the same initiative.

You will retain copyright in your idea should you wish to expand it or develop it for another platform at a later date.

'Being part of the like minded community helped me push even harder towards achieving excellence in my own writing, but just as importantly allows me to contribute towards helping others do the same for themselves, so we all share in a combined excellence'.
Dee Chilton, Writer

Writers Notes

The Future History timeline is a framework only, the events and tech steps just "hooks" on which to hang your stories. So don't worry if your story doesn’t explicitly incorporate any of these. Feel free to create more and your own.

Although ultimately there will be one sparking moment that leads to the singularity event, multiple AI projects will be concurrently approaching this point, and writers should feel free to explore different strands.

In the event that two stories with inconsistent timelines reach the final 50, we will work with the authors to tweak events without losing the substance of the story.

Remember! AI is not only robots. The robot is a personified shell for the AI. So think big and broad.

Although this is science fiction, we want to see stories addressing big human questions.

We want stories that make us laugh, make us cry, make us sit up and think about who we are and where we are going.

There were some great ideas and discussions about the future of AI in the comments section of our blog, The Singularity 50… What do YOU think our future history looks like? We have decided to keep the era descriptions fairly broad-brush, however, please do check out the conversation on the blog for inspiration (and feel free to add to it).