TEMPORARILY CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS

General Overview

The Bulletin is open to non-fiction article and column submissions that would be of interest to new and/or established writers of science fiction and fantasy. We are looking for a wide range of articles including, but not limited to: discussions of the genre publishing business (traditional and self-publishing); essays on the writing process and the reading experience; historical perspectives of our field; and scientific or historical material that might be of use in stories. In short, if you believe it would be beneficial to other writers, we’re interested in hearing about it.

Length:
500-3000 words (Serialization permitted.)

Pay:
10 cents per word

Formatting:
Any attached documents must be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .rtf file formats.

Rights:
First English language rights in print and digital formats for a single issue. Exclusive rights for nine months from publication.

At this time, we are not considering:

• interviews
• reviews or literary criticism
• reprints (unless the work is previously unpublished in English)

In addition to general submissions, the following columns are currently CLOSED for submissions:

• State of the Art: Science and Technology.
• Anthropology 101: History and Anthropology.
• Writers’ Bloc: General writer news/do’s and don’ts/etiquette.

Submission Instructions

Requirements

Stand-alone pieces or articles for existing columns may be submitted as:

• Pitches – a few paragraphs outlining the theme of the piece and direction you would take.
• Drafts – a near complete article.
• Finished works.

Proposals for new recurring columns should include:

• A pitch that outlines the overall theme and at least four possible topics.
• A list of potential contributors. Columns that feature multiple contributors, even if only one at a time, will be favored.

All submissions must include the author’s full name, address, and a short bio outlining their experience with the topic.

Process

CLOSED FOR SUBMISSIONS UNTIL JANUARY 2025

Submissions can be made here: https://airtable.com/shr3HpNGBcn39XkAx

Allow up to thirty days for a response. In most cases, we will use form letters. After thirty days, you may query at bulletin@sfwa.org.

Contracts will be issued for completed articles. Payment will be issued on receipt of a completed and signed contract.

Deadlines

The Bulletin is published four times per year. Unsolicited time-sensitive articles must be delivered three months in advance of that issue. For example, the deadline for the Nebula issue (May) is February 1st. Pitches for these articles should be made as far in advance as possible, but no later than four months in advance. Exceptions will be granted on a case-by-case basis for articles that require information that may not be readily available by our deadline (like award nominees). Permission for these exceptions must be granted in advance.

FAQ

1. Do I have to be a SFWA member to submit?
   No.
2. I have an idea for a column, but I don’t know anyone else who could write about it. Would you help me find other contributors?
   Yes. Even if you don’t ask, we might suggest other contributors further down the line.
3. I have an idea, but it overlaps with an existing column that isn’t listed as open to submissions. Should I submit it?
   Yes, but please keep in mind that the columnists may have this proposal already in mind. If it is particularly interesting, we might suggest a different direction that would allow you to write about it for us.
4. Are serials or multi-part articles allowed?
   If you have something that can’t be explained in the 3000 words or less, then let’s talk about it. If the concept is something that we find exciting, we can certainly consider serializing your article in multiple parts.