Submission Guidelines
The Internet Review of Science Fiction welcomes the submission of reviews, criticism, interviews, essays, and articles. We do not buy fiction or poetry. Before submitting your work, please review the formatting guidelines. IROSF accepts queries, but no commitment can be made until we see the final piece. Queries are particularly advised for time-sensitive material, and interviews. For (much) more detail, read on.
Pay Rates
IROSF pays $70 per article, regardless of type or length. Eventually we hope to offer some 'profit sharing' -- but first there will need to be some profit. Rest assured, even at a mere $70, you are being paid considerably better than the editors are. (We do this for the love of it.)
Length
We have no length requirements and no length restrictions. An article should be the right length for its subject matter, and its subject matter should be right for our readers. In internet publishing, we are not bound by any particular page requirements, so length is not a logistical limitation. If it seems too short, perhaps there's just not enough substance. If it seems too long, then perhaps it's just not interesting enough. Conclusion: length is not an issue for us. Content is.
Rights Bought
IROSF purchases First Exclusive Electronic Rights. We do not, in general, purchase works that have already appeared elsewhere. We do not, ever, purchase works that can be found anywhere else on the internet. We require exclusive rights for three months, and non-exclusive right to keep the work available in our archives for subscribers.
Formatting Guidelines
Submissions should be in either Rich Text Format (preferred), plain (ascii) text if the article does not require any formatting whatsoever, or Microsoft Word (grudgingly accepted). Note that Rich Text Format will typically have a ".rtf" file extention, ascii documents will usually end in ".txt" and Microsoft Word documents will end in ".doc". If none of these formats work for you, we are astonished and you are out of luck.
In general, we prefer double spaced for RTF format, but single spaced with two returns between paragraphs for ASCII format.
Where To Submit
All submissions should be submitted online.
We do not accept snail-mail submissions. Sorry, but we are the Internet Review of Science Fiction.
You do need to create an account with us to submit, but you are welcome to use the free account option.
Once you have submitted something to us, you can track its progress through our system through your account page.
Deadlines
We publish on the first Tuesday of each month. We usually finalize the table of contents two weeks prior to this, so any submissions not in our hands by that Monday are unlikely to have a chance at that issue, unless prior arrangements have been made.
Reviews
There are many publications and websites that attempt to comprehensively review science fiction and fantasy novels. Although we believe that connecting readers with the works they will get the most out of is perhaps the most important undertaking in an age of declining readership, there are enough venues for that already.
Instead, IROSF seeks reviews that identify something new or important in a work: either in the vision, the ideas, or the craft. IROSF is looking for reviews of single works that are in-depth, analytical, and which will enhance the reader's understanding of the work, its place in the literature, and the larger context in which this importance manifests (cultural, political, philosophical, and so forth).
In short, IROSF is not looking for plot summaries or capsule reviews. IROSF wants reviews of a more exploratory, analytic nature.
Criticism
Works of criticism that cover more than a single novel are also welcome. Perhaps you have insight on a set of related works, on the larger body of work of some author, or on some prevalent theme or a trend in the genre. Criticism differs from other essays in that it should demonstrate an exacting attention to the text, using specific detail to prove the point. The object of criticism, as we look for it, is to make connections between texts that bring more richness and understanding to the experience of the reader.
Essays
More general essays on the genre are also welcome, and can cover any topic from the experience of the writer, through the views of the editor, to the experience of the reader. Essays on the 'industry' are welcome, essays on society, politics, science, culture, even religion are all welcome so long as they have some deep connection to the science fiction, fantasy, or horror genres.
Articles
We love to receive more journalistic reports from around the world of science fiction and fantasy. Any sort of informative piece that will be of interest to writers, editors, and readers is invited, whether it be an insightful con report, or an entertaining account of a disastrous book tour. We are not interested in retread "How To Sell Your Novel" stuff, or other generic topics. Rather we are interested in compelling accounts of the experience of being in the genre. Articles that illuminate the culture, history, or intrigues of fandom are all welcome.
Interviews
Interviews with luminaries of the field are a good bet, but here's the key: we are interested in getting under the hood with an interview. No stock questions, or meandering collections of anecdotes. We are interested in what really excites authors, editors, and fans. IROSF publishes interviews that surprise, intrigue, and inspire.
