[Dennis_Mahon]

I was wondering how many of the forum regulars read SF/F Magazines (such as Analog, Asimov's. TMoSF&F, Realms of Fantasy, Andromeda Inflight, The 3rd Alternative, etc.) So, what say you?

[Kilroy]

TMoSF&F doesn't like me, they're rejected me twice. Maybe i shouldn't have sent them a story about Canada invading and conquering the US.

[Rumfuddle]

I've picked up Asimov's and Interzone the odd time, oh and Locus which is an sf news mag so different. I've tried subscribing to Asimov's over the internet twice but to no avail. Once I received a scrappy little postcard with a mailing address in The Philipines from them asking for confirmation of credit card details. Intriguing.
So, I buy them off the shelf at a comics store here in Madrid that occasionally receives English language sf magazines. I'm moving back to Ireland this Summer, after many years, and I've checked to see if Forbidden Planet in Dublin stocks sf magazines. They get just two or three of each per month apparently, so there's obviously not a huge demand for them in Ireland. They said they can hold copies for you so what I'll do when I move back is, I think, work my through the whole range one by one; Analog, Magazine of SF and fantasy and so on. Looking forward to that.
Magazines may be the life blood of the genre, though they're not as influential as in the "Golden" days of Astounding sf in the 40's. Gardner Dozois's Years Best sf Anthology reports dropping sales year after year. He edits Asimov's and debate occasionally rages on their forum about how to attract new readers (nubile women? violence? etc....)
Oh, and then there's the less well known magazines that thrive, or at least exist on a more local level. Ireland's sf magazine is Albedo One, and it's not bad. Here in Spain an attempt was made to produce an national sf magazine containing stories in translation and by Spanish authors. It got to seven issues and then stopped a couple of months ago (on a personal note I had my first ever professional illustration commision with them, I had the pictures almost done and ready to hand when when the editor told me he'd resigned because the publishers were pissing him around, oh well) There are other smaller scale mags right across the board to fanzines. The best one is called Gigamesh, and usually contains authors in translation from English and sometimes French, people don't seem to be that enamoured of locally produced sf. I imagine this is a problem in other parts of the world too.

On a positive note; even as the mega-merged publishing companies reduce sf/fantasy offerings to an ever smaller handful of "star" authors, the little magazines will be out there keeping innovation alive.

Kilroy,
re Canada invading the US. Did you know about the time Ireland inavaded Canada? I do not jest :D

[Dennis_Mahon]

I've tried subscribing to Asimov's over the internet twice but to no avail. Once I received a scrappy little postcard with a mailing address in The Philipines from them asking for confirmation of credit card details.

I recommend ordering through Amazon.com. Lot more reliable.

Magazines may be the life blood of the genre, though they're not as influential as in the "Golden" days of Astounding sf in the 40's. Gardner Dozois's Years Best sf Anthology reports dropping sales year after year. He edits Asimov's and debate occasionally rages on their forum about how to attract new readers (nubile women? violence? etc....)

That's part of the reason I wanted to do a poll; I was wondering if it was a case of lack of exposure, or disatisfaction with the material presented. But first, I wanted to know enough if the posters on these forums read SF/F Mags to make it worthwhile to ask.

re Canada invading the US. Did you know about the time Ireland inavaded Canada? I do not jest

Truth is stranger than fiction. ;)

[Dennis_Mahon]

Kilroy:
TMoSF&F doesn't like me, they're rejected me twice. Maybe i shouldn't have sent them a story about Canada invading and conquering the US.

Depends on the rejection letter.

[Ken Korczak]

I read Analog pretty much cover to cover every month. I have a five year subscription! Then I occasionally pick up some of the others, such as Asimov's and Aboriginal.

This is about all I have time for -- got to read all those novels, too! And write!!!

As for the content, I am often apalled by many bad stories, and frequently ask myself: "How could they have ever accepted this story?"

On the other hand, there are a lot of gems in Analog. Every once and a while, you read a truly terrific story that makes that bill for 5-year subscription worth while.

Incidentally, I have to date submitted 53 stories to Analog, and have never cracked them yet!! It's frustrating and I often think: "I must be a bad writer!" But then I see some of the stuff they do publish, and call me insane, but I just really can't believe they would publish a story with no plot, or nothing but cliche's, or just plain boring ...

And sometimes I think: "Just who DO I have to sleep with to get accepted in this magazine!"

But who knows ... one man's great story is another's piece of crap.

[Heathen]

LOCUS Magazine

[Monty Mike]

I really should buy some....

[Mugwump]

Despite the best of intentions, I've never read a single publication in my life.

I do however buy SF literary criticism in book form, rare though it may be.

[emohawk]

Unfortunately in Australia you have to get most magazines imported and the cost of postage make them unviable. I pick up the occassional Locus issues (especially the Year's Best) edition but other than that I find it's better to wait for Gardner Dozois' yearly anthology to come out.