Asimov's Science Fiction

Asimov's Science Fiction
source
Title	Asimov's Science Fiction
Editor	Gardner Dozois; Shawna McCarthy; Sheila Williams; TBA
Category	Science fiction magazine
Publisher	Dell Magazines; Davis Publications; Penny Publications
Firstdate	1977
Country	United States
Language	English
Frequency	Monthly (varied)

Asimov's Science Fiction is an American periodical devoted to speculative fiction that has published short stories, novellas, and serials by leading and emerging authors since its founding in 1977. The magazine became a major venue in the field alongside Analog Science Fiction and Fact and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, attracting contributors and editors associated with major awards such as the Hugo Award, Nebula Award, and Locus Award. Over decades its pages have featured work connected to authors, editors, and institutions across the science fiction and fantasy community, shaping literary trends and professional careers.

History

Founded in 1977 by Dell Publishing under an arrangement with Isaac Asimov—who served as a non-editing editorial board chairman and whose name provided branding—the magazine launched amid the post-New Wave era that included writers associated with Harlan Ellison and Michael Moorcock. Early distribution leveraged relationships with periodical chains and newsstand networks tied to Time Warner-era conglomerates and specialty booksellers. During the 1980s and 1990s the magazine navigated ownership changes involving Davis Publications and later Penny Publications, reflecting broader shifts experienced by magazines such as Omni (magazine) and Heavy Metal (magazine). Its editorial direction evolved alongside cultural moments like the rise of cyberpunk exemplified by William Gibson and the consolidation of awards institutions including the World Science Fiction Convention and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

Editorial Leadership and Contributors

Initial editorial stewardship involved figures connected to established editors like Damon Knight and John W. Campbell, although formal editors who shaped the magazine include George Scithers, Shawna McCarthy, Gardner Dozois, and Sheila Williams. Contributors have ranged from canonical names such as Isaac Asimov (in an advisory capacity), Ursula K. Le Guin, Robert Silverberg, Arthur C. Clarke, and Frederik Pohl to award-winning contemporary authors like Connie Willis, Ted Chiang, N. K. Jemisin, Alastair Reynolds, and Kim Stanley Robinson. Regular non-fiction features and columns have featured critics and scholars tied to institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, Oxford University Press, and the Library of Congress, while art direction has connected to illustrators represented by galleries and collectives familiar to editors at Locus (magazine) and art directors of Analog. Guest editors, themed issues, and collaborations have occasionally drawn on networks around festivals and conferences including Worldcon and San Diego Comic-Con.

Notable Stories and Awards

The magazine has published numerous stories that won or were nominated for the Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Locus Award, and Philip K. Dick Award. Standout pieces include works by James E. Gunn, Vernor Vinge, Kim Stanley Robinson, Judith Moffett, and George R. R. Martin that received critical recognition and reprint in anthologies from publishers such as Tor Books, Penguin Books, and Orbit Books. Several novellas and short stories from the magazine have been adapted or optioned for media tied to production companies like Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and streaming platforms associated with Netflix and Amazon Studios. Anthologies and "best of" collections produced by editors have been published in collaboration with houses including Baen Books and William Morrow, reinforcing the magazine's role as a source of prize-winning work and career-making publications.

Format, Circulation, and Publication Practices

Published primarily as a digest-size magazine, the periodical's format has paralleled competitors such as Analog and F&SF, while experimenting with larger formats and special issues in tandem with distribution partners like Ingram Content Group and newsstand distributors tied to Bertelsmann. Circulation has fluctuated in response to market trends impacting periodicals such as Omni and pulp resurgence movements connected to specialty retailers like Border's (defunct) and independent bookstores affiliated with the American Booksellers Association. The magazine supports submission practices including open slush reading alongside solicited work from agents associated with agencies like JABberwocky Literary Agency and Writers House. Electronic editions and back-issue sales have been managed through platforms linked to digital aggregators and subscription services used by publications including Kindle and Apple Books.

Influence and Legacy

As a venue that published both established and emerging writers, the magazine influenced the trajectories of careers linked to award networks such as Hugo Award, institutions like the Science Fiction Research Association, and academic programs at universities including University of Iowa and Brown University. Its role in curating contemporary short fiction has intersected with anthologies and textbook syllabi used in courses at MIT and Stanford University, and its archives have been cited by researchers working with collections at the British Library and the Harry Ransom Center. The magazine's legacy is visible in the careers of authors who moved from its pages to novels with publishers such as HarperCollins and Macmillan Publishers, and in influence on magazine editorial practice mirrored by newer venues like Clarkesworld Magazine and Strange Horizons.

Category:Science fiction magazines