From: doughe@tekig6.PEN.TEK.COM (Douglas E Helbling)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: SF Small Press Magazines
Date: 28 Jan 93 17:45:32 GMT
Reply-To: doughe@lunaxyz.rain.com
Organization: Non Implied

In article <1993Jan26.093243.1@bb1t.monsanto.com> bjgaed@bb1t.monsanto.com writes:
>A topic which I do not remember being discussed here is the SF "small 
>press", the rather extensive industry of limited circulation privately 
>published magazines in the science fiction/fantasy/horror genre.  I 
>have been reading _Scavenger's Newsletter_, which surveys this area, 
>and have some questions:
>
>1.  Which of the magazines do people read/recommend?  Do you recommend 
>buying a sample copy or diving in with a 6-month subscription, i.e. 
>can you  get a reading on a magazine from only one issue?
>
	Many of these are published on a quarterly basis.  Most
	all are willing to send you a sample copy for $3-4, and
	will send you submission guidelines for an SASE.

	A one year subscription for many of them runs $15-20, and
	if a particular one is focused on or near your genre of
	choice, it might not be a bad idea to subscribe.


>b)  What is the quality like?  Is this really creative stuff that the 
>mainstream publishers don't understand, or is it mostly junk that 
>can't get published anywhere else?  Yes, yes, I know there is no 
>substitute for actually trying it, and the amount of money involved is 
>not very great, but I don't really need more things I want to read 
>piling up with no time to read them.  Just wanted to get the 
>experience of others:  did you find these magazines to be a worthwhile 
>investment of time and money, or a disappointment?
>

	Quality ranges from marginal/bad to very good.  Some are more
	of the "fanzine" variety.  If you are interested in expanding
	your personal writing horizons, I would generally shy away
	from those that focus on an extension of another author's
	worldview (e.g. Star Trek fan club 'zines).

	Occasionally, you'll find some real gems between the covers
	of the small press publications.  Many of the editors/publishers
	are aspiring or working writers themselves.

	Remember that there is a distinction between literary small
	press mags and other, more genre-oriented mags.  Publication
	in some of the literary rags may have a much more significant
	potential to bolster your recognition.  Some pay rather
	handsomely, others again only in contributor copies.

>iii.  From reading _Scavenger's Newsletter_, about half of the field 
>is dominated by horror, dark fantasy, and vampire stories.  This may 
>just represent the bias of _Scav_ editor.  Is this the case?
>

	There do seem to be quite a few horror rags, ranging from
	"focused", limiting themselves to vampires, werewolves,
	or "adult horror".  There are also a few that are SF-oriented.

	I suggest the Novel and Short Story Writer's Market ('93
	issue out now or very soon now) as a superior source of
	information (though unlike the net version of Scavenger's,
	it is not free).

>4)  Is the small press the place to go to learn to write?  Does anyone 
>know of any successful writers who were first published in one of 
>these magazines, then went on to the mainstream press and publishing 
>houses?  
>

	If you are actually producing stories, I would suggest you
	submit to the high-pay markets first, then when the rejections
	come (and they will come), keep your manuscripts in the mail,
	including the small press mags as you work your way down
	the list, until you are submitting to those who pay in
	contributor copies.

	There are a number of now-commercially-published authors whose
	work first appeared in small press, and there are a number of
	working, KNOWN author's whose work still appears there from
	time to time.

	As for learning to write, you learn in your living room (or
	den or laundry room or dorm or wherever you actually write).
	Keeping your work in circulation, learning from your mistakes,
	this will get you published, assuming you have some talent,
	a lot of perserverence, and something to say.  There are a couple
	of "niceties" about dealing with the small press that you
	might appreciate, though.  One is that you are probably more likely
	to get qualitative feedback on your submissions from a small
	press editor than from an editor for a mag receiving 500 submissions
	per week.  Another is that you are somewhat more likely to
	actually get your work in print; said ego boost might be just
	enough of a rush to keep you writing when you might otherwise
	give up.  (But then YOU won't quit, 'cuz you are a writer, eh?)

	A few small press magazines you might want to check out:

	* Deathrealm
	* Figment
	* Pandora

	Good luck.  Hope to see your byline adorning something at
	BJ Dalton's real soon now ...


						Doug Helbling

					
>-- 
>--Electric Monk            (Bruce Gaede); 
>                            e-mail: bjgaed@ccmail.monsanto.com
>
>"...and then time started seriously to pass."
>--Douglas Adams, _Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency_


--
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           					Doug Helbling
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written