Strange Horizons: Weekly Speculative Fiction Ezine

Given the tumultuous nature of the Web, and the bewildering rate in which online publications arise and then vanish into obscurity, it's great to see that one of the best sites for speculative fiction (a broad imaginative genre that includes both fantasy and science fiction) is still going strong: Strange Horizons.

For years now, Strange Horizons has endeavored to offer readers some high quality, thought-provoking fare. Many of the issues that are addressed in great works of fantasy and science fiction, like the plight of the individual versus the demands of society, the benefits and consequences of technology, and pagan traditions and ancient beliefs, are all discussed here in some format or another. Each weekly issue includes articles (and/or interviews), a column, fiction, poetry, an art gallery, and a section entitled "This week's reviews". In short, nearly anything that is touched by magic or the implications of science and technology is fair game in the world of Strange Horizons.

Of course, the site needs contributors to make this happen, and the fair compensation that the editors offer is something to make writers and illustrators excited. Each month, one artist is selected to illustrate one story on the site. Payment is $75 per illustration for non-exclusive elctronic rights for the current issue and Strange Horizon's archives. Articles, which can range from 2,000-5,000 words (typically) earn the writer $50 for the piece. Fiction pays $.05 a word, with a minimum of $50: Strange Horizons purchases first-printing world exclusive rights for two months. Shop around a little online, writers, and you'll see that these kinds of rates are quite generous.

Regardless of the medium that you're working in, speculative fiction should lie at the core of what you submit. Illustrators - whether they're exploring abstract expressionism, impressionism, or the photo-realistic - are encouraged to tell a story and try to capture its dramatic moments. The editors have specified that they do not want media tie-ins (sorry, trekkies). They prefer fiction with some literary depth, revolving around unique settings and cultures. Overly detailed scientific/technological treatises are discouraged, however, as is horror, twist endings, and gratuitous sex and violence. Fiction submissions must not be reprints, nor simultaneously submitted to other sites or magazines. Typical subject matter for articles includes speculation about science and technology (explained in terms that a layman would understand) as well as history and culture.

Strange Horizons also has a forum where members can discuss all its various departments: galleries and illustrators,articles, columns, editorials, fictions, reviews, and submission questions. In other areas of the forum, members are free to discuss related fiction in books, magazines, or visual media, or just chat in an relatively unstructured setting.