Publishers Note, July 2010

From Paul Clemmons
With our second issue going online, we at Redstone Science Fiction are proud of what we’ve accomplished thus far, and thankful for all of the help and advice that we’ve received.

A few premises have guided us, and we are happy to learn that, thus far, they are not totally divorced from reality. These are:

Writers of short fiction produce a product of value, and should be compensated for their work.
John Scalzi’s arguments for paying authors fairly for their work inspired us to closely examine the marketing and publishing of SF short-fiction, and to proceed dedicated to the notion that “professional pay” is crucial to finding and encouraging quality work. There have been many voices in this debate, but Mr. Scalzi’s voice has been the ‘Clarion call’. We at RSF believe that providing professional compensation for the works we purchase will enable us to provide high-quality fiction to our readers.

SF Short fiction is an art form that can be e-marketed by small/independent entities.
Michael Stackpole, among others, has helped enlighten people to the changes happening in e-publishing, and many find it ironic that, in our geek-laden field, we’ve seen such a slow adoption of digital media. We’ve been hearing for years that the market for short SF is dwindling. Are large publishers too unwieldy in their bureaucracy, or overburdened by their overhead to succeed with digital Short-SF? Perhaps. Can a small company or an individual, with the knowledge, drive, and resources, respond quickly, precisely and efficiently enough to make the difference between financial sustainability and a slow death? We believe so, and we’re out to prove it. So far, we’re on-budget, on-track, and grateful for our wonderful sponsors.

Treating people with respect is crucial to success.
Our editorial staff would like to thank all of our grandmothers, who, from a variety of cultures (Irish, Scots-Irish, German, Filipino, Appalachian, & Southeastern U.S.A.) instilled into each of us the notion that treating others with respect is an absolute necessity. We read every submission, and, thus far, we’ve sent each rejection or acceptance a personal notice of our decision. The work of every submitter, whether an established author or a newbie, is given the same consideration. It is our goal to conduct ourselves in a manner that is professional, respectful, and friendly.

There is more to Science Fiction than tales of wonder.
We believe that SF impacts popular thought, culture, and technology. The reverse is also true. We want to feature non-fiction works that examine this process, including essays from and interviews with those involved in science, technology, medicine and the exploration of space. We will also feature interviews with SF publishers, artists, and other entertainers with “Geek Cred”. Thus far, the greatest volume of feedback has been in response to our non-fiction features, and we’ve noticed others noticing this. As RSF grows, we plan to offer more content specific to the shared culture of SF fans.

We want to thank our readers for joining us, and we hope that you’ll find something here that you enjoy. We appreciate your feedback, and look forward to a wonderful shared future.

We want to live forever. Help us get off this rock.
Paul Clemmons
Publisher and Co-Editor
Redstone Science Fiction