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Previous SFWA Membership Requirements

In Effect Until 3/23/2022

These have been replaced with the newest Membership Requirements found here.

Table of Contents

Effective with Bylaws 

Updated 7/2020

Full Members

Full members can and are encouraged to attend business meetings, vote in elections, receive access to private discussion forums, gain entry into SFWA exclusive events and suites at conventions, receive publications such as;  a SFWA Bulletin subscription, the SFWA membership handbook, and may recommend, nominate, and vote on works for the Nebula Awards.

Full member dues are $100.00 USD annually.

A candidate shall be eligible for Full Membership if:

  1. Three or more paid sales of different works of fiction (such as three separate short stories or half-hour scripts) totaling a minimum of 10,000 words. We accept the following payment per word rates for these sales: 8c/word from 9/1/2019 – current, 6c/word from 7/1/2014 – 8/31/2019, 5c/word from 1/1/2004 to 6/30/2014 and 3c/word before 1/1/2004; or
  2. Three or more paid sales of different works of fiction (such as three separate shorter works or half-hour scripts) totaling a minimum of 10,000 words that were self-published, indie published or sold to a small press at 8c/word from 9/1/2019 – current or 6c/word from 1/1/2013 – 8/31/2019. Income verification will be necessary to prove those sales; or
  3. Any combination of three or more sales mentioned above, that meet their specific payment rates/dates; or
  4. One Paid Sale of a work of fiction (such as a novel) of a minimum of 40,000 words, for which the candidate has been paid at least $3,000 as a non-returnable advance before or at the time of publication ($2000.00 if sale made on or before 12/31/2014); or
  5. One professionally produced full length (at least one hour) teleplay (dramatic script) with credits clearly shown on the work and paid at the rate established for works over 40,000 words, credited to no more than two individuals and with a minimum pay rate of 8c/word from 9/1/2019 – current or (6c/word from 7/1/2014 – 8/31/2019) (5c/word 1/1/2004 – 6/30/2014) (3c/word before 1/1/2004); or
  6. A published work of fiction of a minimum of 40,000 words either sold to a small press or self-published for which the author can demonstrate net income of at least $3,000 over the course of a year since January 1, 2013. Income can be in the form of advance, royalties, or some combination thereof or;
  7. Game writers*:  By making at least one paid sale of a minimum of 40,000 words (minimum $3000.00) , or three paid sales to qualified markets totaling at least 10,000 words at 8c/word from 9/1/2019 – current, or 6c/word from 1/1/2013 – 8/31/2019.
  8. Game writers*:  By showing they have earned a net income of at least $3,000 from a game that includes at least 40,000 words of text over the course of a 12-month period since January 1, 2013. Income can be in the form of advance, royalties, or some combination of the three.
  9. Game writers*: If no word count is possible, such as work done for a video game, prospective members can qualify based on one professionally produced full-length game for which they were paid at least $3,000 anytime after a publication date of January 1st, 2013.

Please note: Co-authored novels/short stories with two writers count as 1/2 credit. For example, novelists must have two (2) co-authored works that have each met the $3000.00 USD minimum professional advance/royalties. Short story writers need six or more different coauthored works of fiction totaling 20,000 words that otherwise meet the requirements above to qualify for an active membership. Novels and short stories with more than two authors are not able to be used towards membership.

Qualifying works must be in the English language in science fiction, fantasy, horror and related genres. “Paid Sale” is as defined below.

Associate Members

Associate Members receive access to private discussion forums, entry into SFWA suites at conventions, Bulletin subscription, SFWA Handbook, and may recommend, nominate, and vote on the finalists for the Nebula Awards.

Associate dues are $90.00 USD annually.

A candidate shall be eligible for Associate Membership after acceptance and a signed contract or letters of agreement for:

  1. One Paid Sale of a work of fiction (such as a short story) of a minimum of 1,000 words. We accept the following payment per word rates: 8c/word from 9/1/2019 – current, 6c/word from 7/1/2014 – 8/31/2019, 5c/word from 1/1/2004 to 6/30/2014 and 3c/word before 1/1/2004; or
  2. A work of fiction (such as a short story) of a minimum of 1,000 words that has been self-published, indie published, or sold to small press and paid at 8c/word from 9/1/2019 – current, 6c/word from 1/1/2013 – 8/31/2019.
  3. Income verification will be required to process the application.

Works must be in the English language in science fiction, fantasy, horror and related genres. “Paid Sale” is defined below.

Affiliate Members

Affiliates work in fields adjacent to the business of science fiction and fantasy writers. These roles include people working in professional or developmental support of writers such as: publishers, copy-editors, educators, librarians, editors, agents, assistants, artists, public-speakers, essayists, podcasters, streamers, etc.

Affiliates receive access to private discussion forums, entry into SFWA suites at conventions, Member Directory, Bulletin subscription, and Singularity subscription via e-mail, and may recommend works for Nebula consideration, but not nominate or vote. Dues are $100.00 USD annually.

A candidate shall be eligible for Affiliate status if they:

  1. Presents credentials acceptable to the Membership Committee and provides the names of three current Full SFWA members as references, or, alternatively, provide an affidavit that shows professional or developmental support to science fiction and fantasy writers.
  2. Are working in the science fiction and fantasy publishing stream of commerce as a trade professional (publishers, copy-editors), in service to career development of writers (educators, librarians), professional support to writers (editors, agents, assistants, artists), or in related careers that illuminate, inspire, or educate writers in the field (academics, broadcasters, film producers, astronauts).
  3. Are not eligible to become a Full or Associate member.
  4. Do not charge an upfront fee in return for promise of publication. Agents may charge a commission on sales and nominal fees for office expenses, but only as a deduction from money earned. Editors, proofreaders, and artists may charge a fee for freelance work in alignment with standard industry practices.
  5. Do not engage in predatory practices and are not the subject of warnings from Writer Beware or unresolved complaints to the SFWA Grievance Committee.

Estate Members

Estate Members receive access to private discussion forums, entry into SFWA suites at conventions, Member Directory, Bulletin subscription, SFWA Handbook, electronic SFWA Forum, and a place in SFWA’s Estate Listings database. Estate dues are $90.00 annually.

A candidate shall be eligible for Estate Membership if he or she is the legal representative for the estate of a deceased author who was an Active member or who was qualified to be an Active member at any time during their writing career.

Life Members

SFWA shall honor the onetime dues assessment that Life Members, at the time of reincorporation, made to the organization. SFWA shall keep those Life Members in good standing with the rights of their respective classes (Active, Associate, and Affiliate) during their lifetime.

Senior Members

After thirty (30) years of continuous membership, at least twenty-five (25) of which have been as Active members, each member so requesting on an annual membership-renewal notice, will be granted free Associate membership for the rest of their life.

If the member wishes to return to Active status, they may do so at any time by recommencing to pay dues, provided they qualify for active status under the then-current membership rule

.

Family/Group Memberships

Active Family:  Active-level members who live at the same address may choose a family  membership. Benefits will be the same for each member, except that only one Bulletin subscription will be included. Family dues are $150 for two members plus $60 for each additional family member. Voting rights retained for each member.

Associate Family:  Associate-level members who live at the same address may choose a family membership. Benefits will be the same for each member, except that only one Bulletin subscription will be included.Family dues are $140 for two members plus $50 for each additional family member. Associate members in this group will still have individual rights to nominate in the Nebula Awards.

Affiliate Group: Affiliate level members working for the same parent company are eligible to combine their memberships into a group discounted rate. Dues would be $150 for two members plus $75 each additional member. Limit five members in one group.

Additionally, members who inhabit two different levels are not eligible for family/group memberships at this time. (e.g. Associate and Active levels would not be able to combine at this time.)

If any member wishes to take advantage of the family/group rates, please email office@sfwa.org for more information.

 

Paid Sales

    1. Paid sales are works that have been accepted for publication by an eligible market and paid for, either in advance or on publication; or
    2. Are works of fiction in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, or horror published in the English language.
    3. By unanimous vote of the Board of Directors meeting in San Jose, California, on August 16, 2018, contest publications no longer qualify toward SFWA membership*, effective August 16, 2018. Current members in good standing who qualified via contest publications are unaffected by this change.
    4. The Membership Committee, at its discretion, may also accept sales that met prior criteria for SFWA membership at the time of sale.
    5. Applicants must submit proof of net income at the time of application.
    6. For Rule III sales**, proof of payment must also be submitted at the time of application, such proof to consist of photocopied checks, etc. The SFWA Membership Committee, at its discretion, may accept or reject any documentation as proof of an applicant’s credentials.
    7. For sales that qualify under Rule III* for Active Membership; All amounts are in US Dollars/cents; equivalent payment in other currencies will be determined by the Membership Committee.
    8. The Membership Committee shall have discretion to decide whether any publication and/or proof thereof is acceptable as qualification for active or associate membership in the Corporation, consistent with the Bylaws.
    9. All documentation submitted with applications will be archived at SFWA’s office and may be used to conduct statistical and contract term analysis, but authors’ identities will not be revealed.

*Contests: Hundreds of literary contests, across a vast range of sponsoring organizations, offer paid publication as a prize for selected entrants. Determining whether each of these prizes, each year, meets SFWA’s standard of professional pay rates imposes a burden on SFWA’s employees and volunteers, beginning with its Membership Committee. Moreover, this burden is in the service of publications that never were envisioned by SFWA’s founders as professional qualifications. Like scholarships, fellowships, grants and guest-of-honor laurels, literary prizes are welcome at all stages of writers’ careers, and always to be encouraged, but they do not constitute publishing success in the professional marketplace, the arena which historically has been, and must remain, SFWA’s focus.

Qualification Update: Publication Via Contests As Applicable to Rule III Sales

Short fiction and novels that are published as part of a contest, including publication in print or digital anthologies and magazines or online publication on a web site, can be used as qualifying sales under Rule III of the SFWA bylaws, provided they meet all requirements. The qualifying sales are subject to the same restrictions as sales to any other market (such as: no entry or submissions fee, no warnings by Writer Beware, no advisory by SFWA, appropriate minimum payment per word). The contract must show that the author is receiving payment for publication rights separately from any monetary contest prize that may also be received.

**Rule III sales: As stated in the SFWA Bylaws:

For work(s) of fiction submitted as credentials for membership that have been published by a non-qualifying market or by the individual author acting independently and not by any company or any entity, the author must show Proof of Earnings for one written work of fiction of a minimum of 40,000 words, or at least three different written works of fiction which total a minimum of 10,000 words.  The Proof of Earnings must meet the minimum rate of pay and accounting standards as set by the Board (or a selected committee thereof).  

Qualifying Markets

NOTE: The following lists contain qualifying markets that have been submitted by or on behalf of the publishers for consideration. They are then vetted for inclusion. This is not an exhaustive list.  If you do not see a market on this list that has paid you the minimum professional rate and you would like to apply with that sale, please query office@sfwa.org.

Additionally, some of these markets may not be open to submissions or may be defunct, however would still be an eligible market for potential SFWA members if they made their qualifying sales when the market was in operation.

List of Qualifying Markets

Novels

  • Ace
  • Abaddon Books
  • Angry Robot
  • Baen
  • Bantam Spectra
  • Black Library
  • Choice of Games
  • Constable and Robinson
  • DAW
  • Del Rey
  • Design Image Group
  • Disney Hyperion
  • Dorchester/Leisure – (Only work contracted prior to 12/10/2010)
  • Elder Signs Press
  • Eos
  • Fitzhenry & Whiteside
  • Flux Publications
  • Gollancz
  • Green Knight
  • Grim Oak Press
  • Harlequin (except for work contracted between 11/1/2009 & 4/30/2010)
  • Haikasoru
  • HarperCollins
  • Head of Zeus
  • Kensington Publishing
  • Meisha Merlin
  • Orbit
  • Paizo Publishing
  • Phobos
  • Phoenix Pick
  • Prime Books (from May, 2009 forward)
  • Pyr Books
  • Quercus Books UK/Jo Fletcher Books UK
  • Roc
  • Serpent’s Tail
  • Shadow Mountain Publishing
  • Soho Press
  • Tanglewood Press
  • Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show
  • Solaris
  • St. Martin’s Press
  • Tor / Forge
  • Ulysses Press
  • Warner Aspect
  • White Wolf
  • Wizards of the Coast

Other large independent publishers and US imprints of large conglomerates that meet membership/income requirements such as Bertelsmann, Penguin Putnam, von Holtzbrinck, Time Warner, etc. (thus, Harcourt, Vintage, Farrar Strous & Giroux, Random House, Scholastic, Viking, Doubleday/Nan Talese, Houghton Mifflin, etc.)

Anthologies

The following markets are considered Qualifying Markets. Original short fiction sold to the following markets, as of May 23, 2015 and provided it meets the $80 minimum (1000 words x .08 word) sale requirement, may be used to qualify for SFWA membership. Markets not listed will be determined on a case by case basis.

  • Any anthology published by a qualified novel or magazine publisher listed
  • Clockwork Phoenix 5 (Added 4/17)
  • Dreaming Robot Press (Added 4/17)
  • Flame Tree Publishing
  • Unidentified Funny Objects

Magazines and Short Fiction Venues

The following markets are considered Qualifying  Markets. Original short fiction sold to the following markets, as of June 16, 2014 and provided it meets the $80 minimum (1000 words x .08 word) sale requirement, may be used to qualify for SFWA membership. Markets not listed will be determined on a case by case basis.

  • Analog Science Fiction and Fact
  • Apex *starting with June 2008 issue
  • Arc Manor
  • Ares Magazine *Added 4/2017
  • Asimov’s Science Fiction
  • Augur Magazine *Added 12/2019
  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies
  • Cast of Wonders
  • Chaosium *Added 1/2018
  • Clarkesworld Magazine
  • Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores *added 12/2017
  • Cricket
  • Daily Science Fiction
  • Diabolical Plots
  • Escape Pod
  • Fantasy Magazine
  • Fireside Fiction
  • Flash Fiction Online
  • Future Affairs Administration *added 6/2017
  • Future Science Fiction Digest (Future SF) *added 8/2020
  • Galaxy’s Edge Magazine
  • Grantville Gazette *starting with May 2007 issue
  • Grievous Angel *added 7/2017
  • Grim Oak Press
  • Highlights
  • Lightspeed Magazine
  • The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
  • Marion Zimmer Bradley Literary Works Trust
  • MUSE Magazine *added 12/2019
  • Mysterion – *added 1/2020
  • Nature
  • Nightmare Magazine
  • Odyssey
  • PodCastle
  • PseudoPod
  • Slate: Future Tense *added 12/2019
  • Star Citizen Jump Point Magazine
  • Strange Horizons
  • sub-Q Magazine *added 2/2019
  • Terraform (Motherboard)  *added 9/2017
  • Tor.com
  • Uncanny Magazine
  • Zombies Need Brains *added 7/2017

Other Qualifying Markets

SF/F/H short fiction sold to major non-genre magazines that clearly meet the qualifying criteria but that have not explicitly gone through the qualification process are eligible for qualification. Examples might include The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Boys’ Life, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and so on.

Notes on Delisted or Non-Qualifying Markets:

Novels:

  • The all – electronic imprint Hydra from Random House is not a qualifying venue.
  • As of 4/3/2013, Night Shade Books is no longer a qualifying venue. This action refers to Night Shade Books, the company owned by Jeremy Lassen and Jason Williams.

Short Fiction:

Short fiction sold during the dates shown to the following markets, which are on hiatus, no longer publishing, or which SFWA no longer accepts for new sales.

  • Aboriginal SF (to 2001)
  • Absolute Magnitude (12/2001-9/2004)
  • AE – (Removed 6/2017)
  • Amazing Stories (1926-2000)
  • Artemis (to 12/2004)
  • Baen’s Universe (to April 10, 2010)
  • Brutarian (to August 30, 2013)
  • Bullspec
  • Buzzy Magazine – Unable to publish stories at this time. Accepting sales through 10/2016.
  • Cemetery Dance is no longer a SFWA-qualifying market. In 2014, SFWA increased the standard of payment from 5¢/word to 6¢/word and this publication has not increased its pay rate to keep pace. In addition, payment for stories is capped at $250, regardless of length. Cemetery Dance was alerted in September about the issue and their upcoming de-listing and has declined to raise its rates or change the story cap. Should the magazine change its policy to meet SFWA standards, it will be reinstated to our qualifying list. SFWA will still accept stories from this market as qualifying sales up to October 31st, 2016 provided the work was paid at the qualifying rate for the whole piece.
  • Chizine **Advisory Warning**
  • Cicada (to 12/2019)
  • Compelling Science Fiction (to 12/2019)
  • Cosmos (Removed 6/2017)
  • Crossed Genres – Closed – SFWA will accept stories from 1/2013 through 12/2015.
  • Dark Discoveries
  • Dark Wisdom
  • Dead of Night (1989-1995)
  • Dragon (sales are valid through 1/2013)
  • Fantastic (1952-1980)
  • Fantastic Stories of the Imagination – Closed ( Accepting sales to May 17th, 2017)
  • Galaxy (1950-1995) Galileo (1976-1980)
  • Gothic.net (2/1999 to 2/2003)
  • iBooks / Byron Preiss (to 2/2006)
  • If (1952-1974)
  • Interfictions Online – No Longer Publishing. Accepting sales until 11/2016.
  • Interzone (to 4/2006)
  • Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine (to 2000)
  • Nerve
  • Nightbird Unique Magazine (1990)
  • Omni Magazine (1979-1995)
  • Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show (to 12/2019)
  • The Pedestal Magazine (March 2007 to August 2012)
  • Penumbra (2011 – December 2014)
  • Postscripts (to 3/2007; only sales at 5c/w or more)
  • Pulphouse (1988-1995)
  • Realms of Fantasy (through final issue, 2010)
  • Redstone Science Fiction
  • Science Fiction Age (1992-1998)
  • SciFiction / SciFi.com (to 12/2005)
  • SFF.Net Darkfire anthology series (through final volume 2002)
  • Shadowed Realms (to 4/2007; for sales meeting the $50 minimum sale requirement)
  • Speculon (to 2/2003) Starshore (1990-1991)
  • Story House Coffee (to 12/2005)
  • Subterranean Magazine (through Winter 2014)
  • The Third Alternative (to 4/2006)
  • Twilight Zone Magazine (1981-1989)
  • Unlikely Story (Removed 6/2017)
  • Weird Tales (to 12/2004)
  • Would That It Were (2000-2006)
  • Writers of the Future Anthology (Publications in Anthologies up to August 2018)– Contests Rule Change | SFWA Statement

To Qualify a Venue

NOTE:

In January 2022, SFWA unveiled a comprehensive market matrix or scorecard to better guide creators towards professional publishers. We are starting with short fiction markets on this rollout, and while the committee makes the finishing touches, we are suspending new additions to the short fiction qualifying markets list. If you were a short fiction market that submitted an application in the last few months, we appreciate your enthusiasm to be a part of the list.

To qualify a new Qualifying Market, it must be found acceptable to the Membership Committee. In particular, it must satisfy the following criteria for a given date range to qualify for membership purposes:

  1. Payment for all works of fiction (other than reprints or serializations), either in advance of publication or on publication, at the rate of either (a) at least $3000 for a single work or (b) at least 8¢/word: and
  2. Must have published consistently for a period of at least one year before the market will be considered qualifying; and
  3. Must have a print run or circulation of at least 1000 copies, or the equivalent in other media (e.g., demonstrated downloads in electronic media); and
  4. Is not vanity press or other type of author-paid or fee-charging press, as demonstrated such as (1) by having published at least ten distinct works by different natural persons during the date range; and (2) by authors not having paid or been requested to pay fees or give consideration of any kind.

Any party may request a venue be evaluated (an applicant, the publisher, another author, etc.) but must submit proof that the market meets the criteria. Please submit requests for new markets and evidence of meeting the above criteria via this form.

The SFWA Membership Committee will evaluate the material and add it to the list of qualifying markets if/when it meets the criteria. (Do note that, once qualified, the qualification date will be set back to the earliest date for which the criteria were met; thus, for example, allowing sales during the year in which a market has demonstrated consistent publication, not just from year two onward.)

If you have an older sale, for example to a long-dead market not already listed, please use the market query form. A venue may become disqualified for membership purposes at the discretion of the Membership Committee if it meets the disqualification criteria.

In Effect Until 5/14/2014

These have been replaced with the newest Membership Requirements found here.

Table of Contents

Membership Requirements

To become an Active member of SFWA, applicants must demonstrate either:

  1. Three Paid Sales of prose fiction (such as short stories) to Qualifying Professional Markets, with each paid at the rate of 5¢/word or higher (3¢/word before 1/1/2004), for a cumulative total of $250, minimum $50 apiece; or
  2. One Paid Sale of a prose fiction book to a Qualifying Professional Market, for which the author has been paid $2000 or more; or
  3. One professionally produced full length dramatic script, with credits acceptable to the Membership Committee.

“Paid Sale” and “Qualifying Professional Market” are as defined below. To become an Associate member of SFWA, applicants must demonstrate:

  • One Paid Sale of prose fiction (such as short stories) to a Qualifying Professional Market, paid at the rate of 5¢/word or higher (3¢/word before 1/1/2004), minimum $50.

To become an Affiliate member of SFWA, applicants who have a professional involvement in science fiction or fantasy (such as academics, editors, agents, artists, graphic novelists, reviewers, etc,) but are not eligible to become an active or associate member may join as affiliates. No agent, editor, or publisher who charges authors an upfront fee in exchange for representation or publication is eligible for affiliate membership.

To become an Institutional member, applicants must be organizations with legitimate interest in science fiction and fantasy (such as high schools, colleges, universities, libraries, and similar institutions, as well as broadcasting organizations, film producers, futurology groups and similar organizations) or individuals associated with these groups. Applicants must present credentials acceptable to the Membership Committee and must be able to provide the names of three Active members as references.

To become an Estate member, applicants must be the legal representative for the estate of an Active member. While every attempt is made here to detail the membership requirements, ultimately the SFWA Membership Committee’s decision on criteria and qualifying for membership is final.

Paid Sales

Paid sales are those which have been accepted for publication by a Qualifying Professional Market and paid for, either in advance or on publication, and sold to markets on the list below. (Note that this list is not exhaustive. Many markets not yet listed here may qualify as professional markets. If you do not see a particular market listed and you believe it meets the qualifying criteria, please query sfwa using this form.)

The works must be print- or electronic- prose fiction or drama in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, or horror, in the English language and be published in the qualified professional venues as described below.

Contest prize money does not count toward determining the payment rate unless publication rights are required to receive the prize. (That is, only payments tied to publication are considered.) Note all amounts are in US Dollars/cents; equivalent payment in other currencies will be determined by the Membership Committee.

The Membership Committee, at its discretion, may also accept sales that met prior criteria for SFWA membership at the time of sale.

Collaborations between two persons are counted as half (two novels or six short fiction collaborations, or one collaborative novel plus three collaborative short stories, etc.). Note that collaborations among more than two people are not accepted.

Qualifying Professional Markets

The following markets have been qualified by the SFWA Membership Committee as meeting the SFWA bylaws and other membership criteria. (Other markets not listed may not be used for application credentials until they become listed. If you wish to use a market not listed, first seek to get the market listed then send in your application. Do not send in an application listing unqualified markets; applications listing unqualified markets will be returned.) [Top]

Qualifying Novel Venues

Novels sold to the following publishers are considered qualified (list last updated 6/29/2011):

  • Ace
  • Angry Robot (guidelines)
  • Baen
  • Bantam Spectra
  • Black Library
  • Constable and Robinson
  • DAW
  • Del Rey
  • Design Image Group
  • Dorchester/Leisure – (Only work contracted prior to December 10, 2010) Details
  • Elder Signs Press
  • Eos
  • Fitzhenry & Whiteside
  • Flux Publishers
  • Green Knight
  • Harlequin (except for work contracted between November 1, 2009 and April 30, 2010).
  • HarperCollins
  • Head of Zeus
  • Kensington Publishing
  • Lee & Low Books/Tu Books
  • Meisha Merlin
  • Orbit
  • Paizo Publishing
  • Phobos
  • Prime Books (from May, 2009 forward)
  • Pyr Books
  • Quercus Books UK/Jo Fletcher Books UK
  • Roc
  • Serpent’s Tail
  • Shadow Mountain Publishing
  • Tanglewood Press
  • Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show
  • Solaris
  • St. Martin’s Press
  • Tor / Forge
  • Ulysses Press
  • Warner Aspect
  • White Wolf
  • Wizards of the Coast

Other large independent publishers and US imprints of large conglomerates  that clearly meet the qualifying criteria such as Bertelsmann, Penguin Putnam, von Holtzbrinck, Time Warner, etc. (thus, Harcourt, Vintage, Farrar Strous & Giroux, Random House, Scholastic, Viking, Doubleday/Nan Talese, Houghton Mifflin/Clarion, etc.)

NOTE:  The all-electronic imprint Hydra from Random House is not a qualifying venue.

NOTE: As of Apr 3rd, 2013, Night Shade Books is no longer a qualifying venue. This action refers to Night Shade Books, the company owned by Jeremy Lassen and Jason Williams. We are aware of current negotiations by Night Shade with other companies to continue the brand name under other ownership. If in the future that new company meets SFWA requirements, we will be happy to consider it becoming a SFWA qualifying market. Please see below to qualify markets not listed. [Top]

Qualifying Short Fiction Venues

Short fiction sold to the following markets are considered qualified. Please note the $50 minimum sale requirement as listed above.

And these markets which are on hiatus or no longer publishing, or which SFWA no longer accepts for new sales, but were acceptable during the dates shown:

  • Aboriginal SF (to 2001)
  • Absolute Magnitude (12/2001-9/2004)
  • Amazing Stories (1926-2000)
  • Artemis (to 12/2004)
  • Baen’s Universe (to April 10, 2010 – article available here)
  • Brutarian (to August 30, 2013)
  • Bull Spec 
  • Chizine 
  • Dark Wisdom
  • Dead of Night (1989-1995)
  • Fantastic (1952-1980)
  • Fantasy Magazine (merged with Lightspeed Magazine in 2012)
  • Galaxy (1950-1995)
  • Galileo (1976-1980)
  • Gothic.net (2/1999 to 2/2003)
  • iBooks / Byron Preiss (to 2/2006)
  • If (1952-1974)
  • Interzone (to 4/2006)
  • Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Fantasy Magazine (to 2000)
  • Nerve
  • Nightbird Unique Magazine (1990)
  • Omni Magazine (1979-1995)
  • The Pedestal Magazine
  • Penumbra
  • Postscripts (to 3/2007; only sales at 5c/w or more)
  • Pulphouse (1988-1995)
  • Realms of Fantasy
  • Redstone Science Fiction
  • Science Fiction Age (1992-1998)
  • SciFiction / SciFi.com (to 12/2005)
  • SFF.Net Darkfire anthology series (through final volume 2002)
  • Shadowed Realms (to 4/2007; and applicants should note the $50 minimum sale requirement above)
  • Speculon (to 2/2003)
  • Starshore (1990-1991)
  • Story House Coffee (to 12/2005)
  • The Third Alternative (to 4/2006)
  • Twilight Zone Magazine (1981-1989)
  • Weird Tales (to 12/2004)
  • Would That It Were (2000-2006)

(Other defunct professional markets as determined upon request)

Please see below to qualify markets not listed. [Top]

Venues Other Than Those Above

The following markets may not currently be used for membership purposes. If/when any of these are determined to meet the applicable criteria, they will be moved to the list of qualifying markets. No judgment as to the quality of these markets as publishing venues is in any way expressed or implied by their inclusion on this list.

  • American Book Publishing
  • Armitage House
  • Barbour Publishing
  • Creeping Hemlock Press
  • Crossquarter Publishing Group
  • Embiid Publishing
  • Fairwood Press / ElectricStory.com
  • Fictionwise.com
  • Gardenia Press
  • Great Plains Publications
  • Golden Gryphon
  • Gothic.net (for dates after 2/2003)
  • Harlequin (for dates after 11/2009)
  • ImaJinn
  • iUniverse
  • Medallion Press
  • Oak Tree Press
  • Oceans of the Mind
  • OnSpec
  • Paradox
  • PublishAmerica
  • Silver Lake Publishing
  • Small Beer Press
  • Spectrum SF
  • Unbelievable Stories (Quill-Pen Press)
  • The Urbanite
  • Vestal Review
  • Wheatland Press (e.g. Polyphony anthology series)
  • Wildside Press
  • Xlibris.com
  • Zumaya Press

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To Qualify a Venue

To qualify a new Qualifying Professional Market, it must be found acceptable to the Membership Committee. In particular, it must satisfy the following criteria for a given date range to qualify for membership purposes:

  • Payment for all works of fiction (other than reprints or serializations), either in advance of publication or on publication, at the rate of either (a) at least $2000 for a single work or (b) at least 5¢/word (3¢/word before 1/1/2004); and
  • Must have published consistently for a period of at least one year before the market will be considered qualifying; and
  • Must have a print run or circulation of at least 1000 copies, or the equivalent in other media (e.g., demonstrated downloads in electronic media); and
  • Is not self-publication, vanity press, or other type of author-paid or fee-charging press, as demonstrated such as (1) by having published at least ten distinct works by different natural persons during the date range; and (2) by authors not having paid or been requested to pay fees or give consideration of any kind.

Any party may request a venue be evaluated (an applicant, the publisher, another author, etc.) but must submit proof that the market meets the criteria. Please submit requests for new markets and evidence of meeting the above criteria via this form. The SFWA Membership Committee will evaluate the material and add it to the list of qualifying markets if/when it meets the criteria. (Do note that, once qualified, the qualification date will be set back to the earliest date for which the criteria were met; thus, for example, allowing sales during the year in which a market has demonstrated consistent publication, not just from year two onward.) If you have an older sale, for example to a long-dead market not already listed, please use the market query form. A venue may become disqualified for membership purposes at the discretion of the Membership Committee if it meets the disqualification criteria. To request qualification of a new market, use the form here.

Membership Application Form

The membership application form is here. We respond to membership applications in the order they are received. If it’s been more than five (5) business days since you submitted your application and you haven’t heard from us yet, you may query on the status of your application here. Best wishes in your writing!

Legal notices, etc.: Note that this is current as of 2/25/2014 but that changes may have taken place since. The information on this page is for informational purposes only; the decisions of the Membership Committee are the final authority.