Market Mondays: Wednesday Worries

This post would have been up on Monday, but due too some, hmmm, "Database" issues, my domain was down for the first half of this week. So Today we get back on track.

The industry is in trouble. Well maybe not, some argue that it's actually in a down cycle but will rebound.

What's going on? A whole lotta changes, some driven by technology, some by consumers. But the end result is that a number of traditional publishers of speculative fiction are either cutting back or worse, getting out of the business.

Realms of Fantasy Magazine is closing. This year would have seen their 100th issue. Other magazines may not be closing their doors, but changing market conditions, lower sales, higher postal cost, etc, are leading them to modify their businesses.
More Below...

So who else is in trouble?

Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&FS) Magazine is changing from a monthly publication to a bi-monthly one.

Susurrus Magazine went on an indefinite hiatus starting January 2009

Southern Fried Weirdness closed to submissions January 2009

Æon Speculative Fiction, the quarterly electronic magazine published by Quintamid Publishing Inc., suspended publication November 2008

That's 4 examples from the past few months, but many more are in trouble and the closures in the industry will likely continue throughout this year.

What can be done? Subscribe. I'm renewing my subscription this month to my favourite Speculative Fiction Magazine: Neo-Opsis. If you don't currently subscribe to any magazines go to Ralans to see the active and dead magazines out there. Find something to your taste and get a subscription.