Floyd Largent

Science fiction editor

Published writer (short story & article specialist)
Book reviewer
Writing mentor
Developmental editor
Book proposals and query letters

See list of published works below

I'm your basic all-around generalist writer. Most things interest me, and if they interest me enough, I write about them. I'm firmly convinced that a good writer can write anything well, and I hope my career proves that. I'm ready to help you with yours.

In the twenty-odd (very odd) years since I first realized that I was more articulate with a pen than with my mouth, I've written just about everything a writer can: gags, letters of character and recommendation, book and music reviews, press releases, poetry, short stories, novels, non-fiction, how-to, a play, software user manuals, web content, marketing copy, brochures, flyers, queries, book proposals, academic papers, academic theses, you name it. I'm intimately familiar with technical writing, having worked as a technical writer/editor for ten years. I've even published my own e-book listing about fiction marketing (100 Great Places to Sell Your Short Stories, Both On and Off the Web), which also includes pointers on basic manuscript mechanics and submission.

I'm educated as a historian and anthropologist, so when I write non-fiction I tend to stick to those subjects, although I have a wide range of interests and can write authoritatively on just about anything after conducting the necessary research. With fiction, my first love is science fiction/fantasy, though I've dabbled in mystery and mainstream as well. In addition to my e-book, I'm the proud author of dozens of published non-fiction articles, both in print and on the web, as well as two published SF stories.  My non-fiction work has appeared in many of the major U.S. history magazines, including America's Civil War, Military History, Wild West, Old West, American History, and Persimmon Hill. I'm a regular book reviewer for American History.

My career as a content editor has been nearly as varied as my basic writing career. I've edited and rewritten academic papers, marketing copy, web content, short stories, brochures, book-length manuscripts, and many, many technical reports. I enjoy working with other writers, and am particularly gratified when I can impart some of my hard-won knowledge of manuscript mechanics and submission. I'm not an agent and can't replace one, but I can certainly show you ways to make your copy more pleasing to an editor's eyes. Let's get started, shall we?

Published works

Largent, F., 1985. "Haiku Cycle: A Deer Herd" (poem). Sanctum Quarterly, Fall 1985.

Largent, F., 1986. "Haiku Cycle: Homeward Bound" (poem). Poetic Symphony: Music from the Heart, p. 64, edited by Lincoln Stevens.

Largent. F., 1987. "Mindscape" (short story). Trajectories 1(4):26-28.

Largent, F.B. Jr, 1988. "Soviet Science Fiction: The Flip Side of Socialist Realism" (factual essay). Science Fiction Research Association Newsletter, Fall 1989.

Largent, F., 1989. "The Birds" (poem). Litmus: The Literary Arts Journal of Texas A&M, 1989 edition.

Largent, F., 1989. "Gears of Knowledge" (poem). The Unknowns, Spring 1989.

Largent, F. B. Jr. 1994. "Canine Identification." The Trapper and Predator Caller. July 1994, pp. 40-41.

Largent, F. B., 1994. "Guns for the Union: The Starr Arms Company, 1856-1867" (article). America's Civil War, September 1994, pp. 24-26.

Largent, F., 1995. "Fort Buford: Guardian of the Northern Frontier" (article). True West, June 1995, pp. 23-28.

Largent, F., 1995. "The Chief's Mother: The Life of Cynthia Ann Parker" (article). Persimmon Hill, Autumn 1995.

Largent, F., 1996. "Grant's Indian: The Life of Ely Samuel Parker, Seneca Chief and Union General" (article). America's Civil War, September 1996, pp. 54-60. Also published electronically on The History Net (www.thehistorynet.com).

Largent, F., 1996. "Dr. Le Mat's Extraordinary Confederate Grapeshot Revolver" (article). Military History, October 1996, pp.74-78. Also published electronically on The History Net ( www.thehistorynet.com).

Krapf, K.A. and F. Largent, 1996. "The Black Seminole Indian Scouts in Texas" (article). Persimmon Hill, Winter 1996, pp. 73-75.

Largent, F., 1997. "The San Patricio Battalion: American Deserters in the Mexican-American War." True West, August 1997, pp. 35-40.

Largent, F., 1998. "Windigo: A Native American Archetype." Parabola: Myth, Tradition, and the Search for Meaning. Fall 1998, pp. 22-25. (This article has been reprinted several times on the Internet and has been collected in a literary database maintained by SIRS Mandarin, Inc.)

Largent, F., 1998. "Fatal Contact: the Fort Parker Massacre, 1836." True West. December 1998 issue.

Largent, F., 1998. "The Last Confederate General" (article). America's Civil War; scheduled for October 1997 Internet issue (www.thehistorynet.com), but has not yet appeared.

Largent, Floyd B., Jr., 1999. "The Florida Quagmire." American History, October 1999, pp. 40-43.

Largent, Floyd B., Jr., 2002. "Lamar and the Indians." Persimmon Hill. In press.

Largent, F. , 2002. "The First Horse." U.S. Kids (in press).