Hi, does anyone here have any experience trying to publish a short story with Asimov's Science Fiction or other similar magazines? I'm just curious what word length is optimal, they say on their submission guideline how much they pay for how many words, but just wondering what would be a good length for a new writer? Any help or advice would be appreciated! thanks
Read it. Learn what they want. That's the best thing to do. If you don't know the style of the magazine your chances of being published are significantly reduced. The submission guideline is all very well and good, but you need to know the magazine. I don't know the magazine (in terms of the big magazines, I'm in a monogamous relationship with Interzone, with dalliances with a number of other not the major magazines venues for short SF), but if I was going to sub to it I'd be making sure I had read at least two issues. The same goes for any other major publication, though I will say that you ought not to worry about length - if it's good enough and in the right vein, it'll be long/short enough.
