Comments on: F&SF is going bimonthly

By: Jeff Kempin

Jeff Kempin — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:57:06 +0000

I’ve just come back to the F&SF fold after being away for 7-8 years. I’d originally started reading the mag back in the late 80’s and collected up a several year run before taking a break. Then in the late 90’s I came back to it for a few more years before dropping it again. I’d always had too many unread issues piling up and I never got caught up. Regrettably, I donated my whole collection (maybe 50-60 issues total) to a local book drive and I wish I had them all back now.
Now that F&SF is bi-monthly I have started up the subscription again. I should be able to stay current with the book, although I am fighting the urge to order up a couple years worth of back issues and I look forward to reigniting my interest in SF.
Even though I’m taking a chance with my mailman delivering the issues in decent condition by restarting the sub, that is my only choice apparently as none of the bookstores around me carry F&SF which is very frustrating. I’ve been to 3 different Borders and came up empty.

By: Bayrak

Bayrak — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:30:22 +0000

I occasionally will buy F & SF, the main problem is that it isn’t carried by the majority of the bookstores I frequent. So, I’m subscribing. Going to bi-monthly with larger issues doesn’t bother me at all. What’s the next featured author issue, do you still do those?

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:39:21 +0000

BOO – you guys need to add a “preview message” button to this thing! C’mon, this is SOOO 1995.

All my spelling and grammatical errors above are simply due to human imperfection.

And the lack of a preview function.

By: Bryan

Bryan — Tue, 12 May 2009 13:37:40 +0000

I’m disappointed in that I have to wait just that much longer to get my F&SF! :(

I do understand that rising costs have forced a change, and I would rather read F&SF bi-monthly than not at all.

I do have a request – **STOP doing classic reprints**! I have been reading F&SF since 1980 (ah shoot, I’m old) thanks to my dad getting me hooked. Needless to say, if you’re going to reprint something, unless it is 30+ years old I’ve likely already read it. I can (and do) go back and read my old F&SFs from time-to-time, so this is nothing new.

I’d much rather see the classic reprints offered in e-Book or PDF from your website. You could either approach this the way Baen Books does and consider it a promotion to hook more readers, which would obviously help you and also us readers (more readers = better content = continued F&SF!)

Thanks and keep on printing!

By: Bruce Day

Bruce Day — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:09:51 +0000

As a binge reader the switch to every other month bothers me not at all. Were it not for a 2 month forced vacation it would have gone unnoticed till mid summer. But I have not missed an issue since 1960 and am pleased you are still around and doing a good job. In fact, the regular appearance of F&SF has been the most constant aspect of my long and varied existence.

Maybe more suited for another thread but I was particularly saddened to learn of Thomas Disch. His death, not so much, as I am getting used to that, but that his last years were not so happy. One of my fondest memories is of reading “The Brave Little Toaster” to my two children by the the light of a lamp while on a camping trip.

Bruce

By: Gordon Van Gelder

Gordon Van Gelder — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 19:14:56 +0000

We still do single-author issues but we don’t have one scheduled right now. The April/May 2009 issue turned out to be a bit of a tribute to Tom Disch, but that wasn’t even planned.

By: Allen Smith

Allen Smith — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 18:27:48 +0000

By: Ray Steele

Ray Steele — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:34:22 +0000

The switch to bi-monthly is better than no F&SF. But I’m worried the higher price will hurt news stand sales?

I have been thinking (and I know it’s too late now) that the magazine should be published monthly (I like the covers!) but send 2 out to each subscriber at a time, i.e. the Jan and Feb issues would be sent out in one envelope. I think that may be a good way to go for other magazines, too.

By: Geo

Geo — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:30:42 +0000

After careful deliberation, I’m stoked about the larger issues every two months. If you think about it, this will leave editors more times to read stories and choose the best to print, and add more to each issue. Statistically, this should give me a better chance to get published in FSF.

By: graham riley

graham riley — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:51:29 +0000

Dear Gordon,

I first bought FSF in December 1951, and with a short break have been reader ever since.As a subscriber since about 1990, I also like the more substantial feel of the bigger issues. Anyway, I can at least look forward to your magazine in the future!

Two questions:
How will you mark the anniversery issues as something special?

As I look at the shelf after shelf of back issues I wonder whether some of this
wealth of SF history couldn’t be exploited by publishing a reprint three times a
year?

Looking forward to future issues.