What's Going On Here...

I have always loved science fiction, especially short stories.  (If you're reading this I bet you're a fan, too.)  After a number of years using my writing skills in the exciting world of business--hey, it pays the bills--I've decided to try my hand at sci-fi.  My friends' reactions to my stories?

• Gripping!
• Wow!
• Gripping *and* wow!
• I thought you were just good at numbers...

I've written over half a dozen stories over the last year or so, they're all ready to publish.  But I also realized that nothing sparks the imagination like reading other people's work, too.  So, I came with the idea of publishing a sci-fi magazine.  Like Asimov's or Analog, you know?  But all digital.  And less expensive!

What You Get

So what's in it for you?  As an ESTEEMED READER you'll get:

• Awesome sci-fi stories...
• Dirt cheap!
• Did I mention cheap?
• And awesome!
• No "bleh".  I promise.  Individually reviewed and edited stories from a number of independent authors. 

All of that for just a dollar!

And what's in it for you if you are a CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR? 

• A real review.  No form letters.  Constructive, detailed critiques, whether you're selected or not.
• The chance to be published if your story is selected.
• ...which would mean YOUR NAME on the cover (oh yeah!) 
• If you're published in issue #1 (or are strongly in the running), I'll contact you in advance for future issues to see if you have something you'd like to submit.  Still has to go through the review process, of course.
• Twitter!  Shout outs and free publicity.  If you're published, I'll let everyone know you wrote a little slice of excellence!

Yeah, I'm asking for a little more for the review, but it's still less than that trenti mondochino latte at the coffee shop.

I'm expecting to publish at least 35,000 words per edition, probably more like 40,000-50,000, with an average story size of maybe 3,000-4,000 words?  I'm hoping for like 8 to 10 stories from other authors, and I'll probably put in two of my own.  (I have 8 ready-to-publish stories ready, averaging about 4,500 words each.) 

(Question for Mr. Alter:  Do you use as many exclamation points in your stories as you do in your pitch?  Answer:  No!!!)

Where Am I Going With This Thing?

Long-term goal:  a paid 'zine, starting with the second edition.  Instead of paying per word directly, I'd share a portion of the receipts from paid sales, with bonuses going to the best-rated stories.  The more sales, the more paid out, with a formula to be determined.  Costs are very low (just the cost of processing payments), ya gotta love digital publishing!

Maybe I'll Indiegogo it for every edition?  Request stories from my existing authors (only if the quality is good enough, and paid by the formula), and ask for submissions from new authors on Indiegogo (unpaid per Indiegogo's rules).  A mix of pros and amateurs each time.  Still thinking about the structure, I'm open to suggestions.

How often do I want to do this?  I'm thinking two editions a year.

Some Notes If You're Submitting A Story

More bulleted lists, but it has to be done:

• PG-13 or tamer. 
• No fantasy or spells & sorcery.  May accept a "tales of the weird" kind of thing.  Light horror in the sci-fi vein is quite welcome.
• Please proofread and spellcheck!  If I see "baited breath" one more time...
• Submissions will be text-only in an email, the published version can have things like *italics* and underlining and bold.  No pics for now.

Financial risks: none!  The day job pays pretty well.  I'm just looking for some spending money, here.  Take my wife out for a nice dinner, that kind of thing.  I know I'm asking for free work in the first edition, but in the future, I'm willing to give a fair cut to all non-Indiegogo-campaign authors.

Other Ways You Can Help

Let your friends know!  Social media, and all that!  Use the Indiegogo Share Tools (whatever those may be, I'm a noob).