Introduction
So. We’re all fans here, so we probably don’t have to tell you that Amazing Stories was started in 1926 by Hugo Gernsback, giving it the distinction of being the first science fiction magazine in the world. You already know that Amazing Stories published many of the early greats in the field, including Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, E. E. “Doc” Smith, Ursula Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, John Campbell Jack Williamson, and Claire Winger Harris.
But what has Amazing Stories done lately?
The field of science fiction (or scientifiction as Gernsback originally called it) has changed substantially in the ninety years since Amazing Stories was first published. For one thing, science has progressed substantially, giving us men on the moon, a map of the human genome, virtual reality, the Internet of things, and real robots and artificial intelligence; never before have science fiction writers had so many toys to play with, and new ones seem to be appearing every day. For another thing, science fiction readers are more sophisticated than they were an almost century ago; they’ve been there and done that with the formulae of the genre, and they’re looking for what’s next.
Amazing Stories plans to be what’s next.
Special Theme Issues
We’ve decided to switch things up a little at Amazing Stories. We hope to be able to put together special theme issues in the future. If they are popular, we may expand the themes to every issue. When submitting stories, please indicate in the cover letter if the story fits a specific theme.
THEME ONE: Sol System. In the relatively near future (less than five hundred years), humanity has colonized the solar system. What would the practical challenges of trying to live in the solar system’s harsh environments be? What sorts of politics would develop between the center (Earth) and the periphery (everywhere else)? What sorts of adventures are possible?
Examples would include: The Expanse series of novels/TV and Allen Steele’s Near Space series
THEME TWO: Everything Computes. In the relatively near future (less than five hundred years), computation has escaped the bounds of computers and now exists in all matter throughout the solar system. Thank you, Gordon Moore! When the environment is completely programmable, the only limit to what can happen is the human imagination. Is your imagination up for it?
THEME THREE: Save the Planet! Humanity already faces various crises from climate change, to possible meteor impacts and more. What BIG IDEAs will we come up with to address these challenges?
Weekly Fiction
Amazing Stories is also excited to announce the launch of a brand new, weekly series of science fiction stories. These tales of the extraordinary and the impossible will be first released exclusively to our Patreon subscribers, before being shared free with the wider world on our website two weeks later.
What We’re Looking For
Amazing Stories is looking for short stories that are fresh and new. We want to be surprised. We want to be delighted. We want your stories to be amazing. It’s not enough to be technically proficient and have a sort of, somewhat semi-original idea; we want to be dazzled by your original, ideas, style, and substance.
Our goal is to feature works from writers who are passionate about inspiring readers with both real science and real people. We are looking for stories that not only entertain but also encourage readers to reflect on and critique contemporary society. These stories should, at times, address significant topics such as social norms, religion, nationalism, racism, politics, and various forms of sexism, all within a science fiction context. A sense of humor is often welcome. We want to publish writing that is both thought-provoking and enjoyable to read.
We intend to have a balance of relatively known and relatively new writers. Don’t be reluctant to submit stories just because you aren’t a famous writer – if you have an original idea and style, submitting to Amazing Stories could be your first step to becoming one.
We will not reject stories solely because of “adult” content. Keep in mind, however, that such content is not in keeping with our optimistic approach, which will make stories with graphic content (of a sexual or violent nature) a hard sell.
Amazing Stories encourages visible minorities, LGBQ+ writers, and members of other minority or marginalized groups to submit to the magazine. The future will be diverse; we would like to see that reflected in the stories we tell and the writers who tell them.
We speak humor here. Well-written humorous stories are always welcome.
The Deets
LENGTH: 1,000 to 24,000 words.
PAYMENT: Eight cents per word for magazine publication. Payment is upon publication. For the Weekly Stories, we’ll be paying $20 for original short stories, or longer, and $10 for original flash fiction (stories up to 2,000 words) or $10 for reprints of any length.
ART SIZE: Typically 8.5 x 11 inches – 300dpi.
ART PAYMENT: Typically $50 or $25 for interior pieces. Cover (color) pays up to $600. Payment is upon publication.
RIGHTS: Amazing Stories buys first-world publication rights. In addition, we are buying non-exclusive electronic archival rights, in perpetuity, and the right for non-exclusive publication in the quarterly issue (ebook and print on demand, as well as a print “collector’s edition”). We also ask for non-exclusive rights to republish the story in an anthology for a separate fee.
MAGAZINE STORY REPRINTS: Although Amazing Stories publishes reprints for the magazine, they will be limited in number and solicited by the publisher, so please do not submit them (although suggestions are appreciated). The reprint rate is $100 regardless of story length.
SUBMISSIONS: We do not accept emailed or print submissions. Stories must be submitted using our online submission system. This will require setting up an account. Under Login on the top right corner of this page, you will be asked to create a username and supply your email address. When you have submitted this information, you will receive an email asking you to activate your account. Click on the link in the email and you will now have an Amazing Stories submissions account.
When you next log onto the submissions page, you will see more options, including “Submit a Story” and “Stories.” When you click on “Submit a Story,” you will be asked for information about the story and to upload a digital copy. If you want to see a list of stories you have submitted and what their current status is, click on the “Stories” button. If it says QUEUED we still haven’t read it. Don’t email about it in this case.
Amazing Stories uses a anonymized submission system, so please make sure that your name does not appear anywhere on the manuscript or your cover letter; if any identifying information appears anywhere in your submission, it will be rejected unread. We could repeat this instruction five times to show you just how serious we are about it, but we’d hate to waste the bandwidth, so let’s assume that you are paying attention and will follow it.
NOTE: Print magazine currently on hiatus.
SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSION: No. Just…no.
MULTIPLE SUBMISSION: Also no.
MANUSCRIPT FORMAT: Do we have to tell you to use standard manuscript format? Really? Double spaced? Bold and italics in bold and italics? If you’re in doubt, you can find the standard guidelines here: www.sfwa.org/2008/11/manuscript-preparation/. But Remember: DO NOT include your name on the ms or cover letter.
