I’ve got NEWS.
Here’s the short version for busy people: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is going to have a Guest Editor for its July/August 2014 issue. And it’s me.
So get your short stories ready – there’s going to be an electronic submissions period starting on January 1. Oh, yeah, that’s the other news. For the first time ever, F&SF will be taking electronic submissions.
For the long version, the writer’s guidelines, and the link to the submissions form, keep reading.
THE LONG VERSION
About 13 years ago, I made my first short story sale ever. Which was exciting enough! But it was to Fantasy and Science Fiction – the magazine that published writers I grew up with, like Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, and Stephen King. That was a rush. Nothing since – not award nominations, not other short story sales, not book sales – has been quite as exciting as that first sale.
Until now.
I’ve wanted to try editing for a while. Maybe it’s all the workshopping I’ve done, the excitement of seeing a great story for the first time before anyone else gets to read it. Maybe it’s the time I’ve spent as resident editor at the Online Writing Workshops, and the charge I get from helping somebody’s good story get better.
So when F&SF publisher Gordon Van Gelder asked me if I was interested in guest editing an issue of his magazine, I immediately said “Yes.”
Actually, I think I said “HELL YES.”
After some discussion, we worked out the details and settled on the July/August issue next year. I’ll be selecting all the fiction for the issue, working with the authors, and generally putting something together that will kick your eyeballs. In a good way!
Let me put it like this: I am as excited to buy some stories as I was to sell one.
THE WRITER’S GUIDELINES
There is no special theme for this issue. I’m looking for great stories, the kind that will appeal to science fiction and fantasy readers. You know what I'm talking about. The speculative element may be slight, but it should be present. I prefer character-oriented stories, but that’s no surprise either. Fantasy & Science Fiction generally receives a lot of fantasy fiction, but never enough science fiction or humor. I like science fiction. I like to laugh.
For this submissions period, I will consider fiction up to 10,000 words in length. Stories should be attached as .doc or .rtf file. For the standard article on standard manuscript preparation, see the SFWA (Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America) website: www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/.
Payment is 7-12 cents per word on acceptance. Fantasy & Science Fiction buys first North American and foreign serial rights and an option on anthology rights. All other rights are retained by the author.
All submissions will receive a response by the end of February.
THE LINK
Submissions will be accepted at this link from January 1-14: http://submissions.ccfinlay.com/fsf/.