Student Illustration Wins First Place

Rhiannon Taylor, a sophomore in the Fiction Writing Department, recently received a major accolade for her work by placing first in the L. Ron Hubbard Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contest for illustrations that were inspired by her science fiction and fantasy writing. The contest was founded by Hubbard, a bestselling science fiction author, to aid aspiring professionals in building connections and getting published.

Taylor is currently working on a novel entitled “Alben Rache,” an urban fantasy about “crime, romance, and supernatural monsters duking it out in Chicago.” She hopes to finish her final draft in November. She is also an active member of Columbinomicon, a science fiction and fantasy writing group at Columbia.

When asked for her advice for other aspiring writers and illustrators, Rhiannon said, “The number one way you are not going to succeed is by not trying to succeed, not putting yourself out there. You have to press the submit button even if you think nothing is going to [come] of it, because it just might.”

(Thanks to Senah Yeboah-Sampong, whose Columbia Chronicle article is adapted/excerpted here. Please see the October 1 Chronicle for more about Rhiannon and her award.)