Neil Clarke, EIC of Clarkesworld, on Genre Mags Versus Literary Mags

This interview was originally published, in its entirety, on Sub Club.

Have you ever stared at sub fees and thought, Wait, am I paying to get rejected? Have you wondered how anyone runs a lit mag without being hitched to a university, getting a flashy grant, or having a lit mag sugar daddy/mommy?

I chatted with Neil Clarke, editor of Clarkesworld—one of the most respected speculative fiction mags (and running since 2006!)—to talk about how they manage to survive in an arguably brutal publishing landscape, why the “literary vs. genre” divide is perhaps a waste of time, and what the future of publishing might look like—for readers, writers, and editors.

Shannan Mann: I'm coming into this as someone who really loves sci-fi/fantasy but has mainly submitted to "literary journals" that often seem to make a point of not wanting "genre" submissions. What do you think about this distinction made between literary and genre fiction?

Neil Clarke: Editors have things they do and don't want to see in their publications. Genre is just one of the many ways publications identify what they want from authors and are likely to provide readers.

In the end, genre and non-genre publications are literary in nature. Some people from both sides of that wall just like making it into something bigger and more dismissive than it needs to be. While there are some cultural differences in our communities, we probably have more in common than is typically acknowledged.

SM: Funding is usually a big problem for literary magazines that aren't supported by universities or NEA Grants or the such (and this means they also must be nonprofit). Of course, even with universities and grants, support can be taken away swiftly, often without reason.

Another avenue literary journals have for funding, then, is submission fees and contests. I see that Clarkesworld has a very strong fanbase and has consistently excelled and been well-funded. So, what's your secret? What advice would you offer literary journals?

NC: This is where one of those cultural differences comes into play. Genre magazines have a long history of being subscription-driven. While some non-profits exist, grants haven't played much of a role in US-based publications. Donors, in those cases, tend to be more like subscribers. Advertising and back issue sales can supplement that, but if it exists at all, it tends to be a very small portion of the revenue produced and can fluctuate wildly from month to month.

At Clarkesworld, we don't include advertising or back issue revenue in the calculations for our baseline budget. I use that revenue for special projects, like paying for translations, extra content for anniversary issues, etc. Our budget is built around subscription revenue.

Science fiction and fantasy have also embraced what we call Yog's Law, which states that "money flows toward the writer." As a direct result of this, submission fees are largely seen as a predatory publishing practice in our community. It's highly uncommon.

I would quibble about the "well-funded" characterization. Very few people working for genre magazines are paid more than a token amount for their work, if at all. Only three (of over one hundred and thirty) have staff who are making a living wage, and they were founded before the digital age.

SM: While submission fees are often viewed as predatory, many non-genre magazines argue they're essential for survival, particularly when they lack subscription models or external funding. How do you think non-genre and genre magazines can innovate beyond fees to sustain themselves?

NC: Lacking a subscription model is a problem that can be easily solved. Patreon is probably the most recognized and straightforward option, but there are also a number of reasonably priced options you could host yourself if you really wanted. Personally, I'm a believer in going wide. Offer subscriptions in as many places as you can. Make sure you go where the readers are most comfortable. They may not be ready to trust you with their credit card.

You won't be able to abandon fees overnight, but making a visible attempt to move away from them is a marketing opportunity. I'd probably step down the fees at different milestones along the way. Make it something to celebrate and talk about why you are doing this. If your readers share your values, they may just surprise you.

If you honestly want to move away from fees, you need to be willing to put other things on the table as well. If you can't get enough subscribers/advertisers/donations, etc., it's quite possible that you are living beyond your means. We all hate to do it, but adjusting the budget and perhaps even the composition of the magazine need to be options.

I'm sure that sounds very idealistic to some, but keep in mind that I'm coming from a place where fees are not compatible with my field's values. Not everyone is built the same.

SM: What is the future of speculative magazines and fiction? Do you think they will/are overtaking literary journals? How does print factor into this?

NC: I was under the impression that they had overtaken them already. Seriously, though, it's all a matter of perspective. To some, the simple fact that we don't have submission fees is a sign of victory. To others, newsstand distribution, paid readership, or total readership are the criteria. Choose your own metric because ultimately it doesn't matter. There's much we could learn from one another, and the wall between us isn't helping.

I love having print, but honestly, the viability of print magazines is a serious concern. The sharp increase in printing costs since the start of the pandemic and the federally mandated postal rate increases have done considerable damage. There's only so far the cover price can be pushed, and we've seen several print stalwarts decrease their annual schedule as a cost-saving measure. There is a considerable savings when switching from two issues to one bigger one.

Science fiction and fantasy magazines are primarily digital these days. Even the pre-digital magazines sell more digital subscriptions than print these days. It's only a matter of time before one of our print magazines ends its print edition (or switches it to more of a boutique premium edition) to justify its continued existence. I don't think they'll vanish entirely, much like vinyl hasn't, but the business around it will.

As for the future of speculative magazines? We're seeing new publications launch at a rate greater than the expansion of the potential overall audience. That's a problem, and so is the lack of payment for many staff. The variety is great, but the foundation is unstable. There's no sign of that changing in the near future. I do have faith in my colleagues, though. They'll keep trying to find a path and, eventually, someone will.

My big take is that the future of science fiction is international. Despite the amount of time that has passed, we've only just dipped our toes into what publishing in a digital world should be. We still have regional publishing mindsets that hold us back, preventing us from fully embracing the opportunities that having an entire world as an audience and talent pool brings.