Asimov's Science Fiction A project of Must Read Books Publishing (see other related projects). About From its earliest days in 1977 under the editorial direction of Isaac Asimov, Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine has maintained the tradition of publishing the best stories, unsurpassed in modern science fiction, from award-winning authors and first-time writers alike. In recent years, Asimov's has placed more stories on the Final Hugo Ballot than all of its competitors combined, and more than twice as many as its closest competitor. Bestselling author Robert Silverberg calls Asimov’s "a truly distinguished magazine, worthy of being set beside such classics of the earlier golden ages as John W. Campbell's Astounding Science Fiction of 1939-42." The Austin Chronicle lauds Asimov's as "the most consistently innovative and readable SF magazine on the newsstands today." Want more insight into the editors' preferences? Read our interview with the editor(s). Country of Publication & Year Established United States Established in 1977 Publication Medium & Frequency Print Publication Print PublicationPublished 6 x per year AI Policy Human-created work only; no AI use allowed Statistics Synopsis FasterAsimov's Science Fiction's overall average response time is faster than most magazines. More ChallengingAsimov's Science Fiction's overall acceptance rate is lower than most magazines. ResponsiveAsimov's Science Fiction's overall rate of non-response is within a normal range for magazines. Collapse section Fiction Open In general, we’re looking for “character oriented” stories, those in which the characters, rather than the science, provide the main focus for the reader’s interest. Serious, thoughtful, yet accessible fiction will constitute the majority of our purchases, but there’s always room for the humorous as well. SF dominates the fiction published in the magazine, but we also publish borderline fantasy, slipstream, and surreal fiction. No sword & Sorcery, please. Neither are we interested in explicit sex or violence. A good overview would be to consider that all fiction is written to examine or illuminate some aspect of human existence, but that in science fiction the backdrop you work against is the size of the Universe.Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, excluding Sword & Sorcery Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Hard Science Fiction, Slipstream, Soft Science FictionLengths: Short Story: 1,000 - 7,500 words. Novelette: 7,500 - 15,000 words. Novella: 15,000 - 20,000 words.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream, Surrealist.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:Professional payment (5 or more US cents per word) Professional payment. Details: USD $0.08-$0.10/word.Submissions:Methods: Submission manager. Postal. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Collapse section Poetry Open Audience:Open to a broad Audience.Genres: Fantasy Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, excluding Sword & Sorcery Science Fiction Open to all/most Subgenres, including: Cross-Genre, Hard Science Fiction, Slipstream, Soft Science FictionLengths: Poem: Up to 40 lines.Poetry Forms:Open to all/most Forms.Styles:Open to all/most Styles, including: Mainstream, Surrealist.Topics: Open to all/most Topics.Payment:Semi-pro payment (US$5-49 per poem) Semi-pro payment. Details: USD $1 per line.Submissions:Methods: Submission manager. Postal. Reprints: Reprints are NOT allowed.Simultaneous submissions: Simultaneous submissions are NOT allowed.Media: Text. Always check guidelines for details and restrictions. If you aren't familiar with these terms, see our glossary. Go to publication's website Report: Submission/Response Correction/Update New Cover ArtSocial:Bluesky @asimovssfmag.bsky.socialFacebook FacebookInstagram @asimovs_sfX (Twitter) @Asimovs_SF Support this Publisher: Shop their Store For the Editor(s): Request Interview Duosuma Submission Manager Link to Duotrope Asimov's Science Fiction Submission Statistics The statistics in this section are compiled from submission reports sent to us through our submission tracker. They are not provided by the publication's editors/staff or by Duotrope's admins. Information in this section is updated a few times per day. Learn more about the statistics. Filter: Category: All Categories Fiction Poetry Group by submission Include outliers Include related projects Accuracy We have received 251 reports from 189 different members within the past 12 months, not including pending responses (see below). The more responses reported, the more accurate the information. Days Reported 1 min | 40.8 mean avg | 26.0 median | 329 max days (259.4 std dev) Responses 98.01 % Acceptances: 3.59 % of submissions accepted (154.9 avg. days per acceptance) | 4.23 % of submitters accepted Rejections are often underreported, which skews the statistics in favor of acceptances. Most publishers have a lower acceptance rate than indicated here. Rejections: 94.42 % (35.0 avg. days per rejection) | 19.4 % personal, 71.7 % form, 8.9 % unspecified | 1.6 % shortlisted Non-Responses 1.60 % Lost/Returned: 0.40 % (22.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as lost or returned) Never Responded: 1.20 % (125.0 avg. days before reporting submissions as never responded) Withdrawals 0.40 % (89.0 avg. days per withdrawal) Pending 26 responses are pending (0 min | 39.5 mean avg | 21.5 median | 193 max days waiting | 104.5 std dev) from 26 different members This only includes pending reports from people who have been active on Duotrope within the past 30 days Other Information The editors will try to make a decision within 35 days. (41.4 % of the responses reported to us for this listing have taken longer than 35 days.) Do not query on the status of your submission before 45 days have passed. Most submissions are acknowledged on the same day. Most recent response reported was received on 03 Sep 2026. Responses have been received for submissions sent as recently as 04 Aug 2026. Date compiled: 05 Sep 2026 21:30 UTC (7 hours, 54 minutes ago). View report of recent responses from this project Work submitted here was also submitted to...This section is available to subscribers only. Sign up and start your free trial today!Members accepted here also had work accepted by...This section is available to subscribers only. Become a member and start your free trial today! Your Submissions This section is available to subscribers only. Join today! Related ProjectsAlfred Hitchcock's Mystery MagazineAnalog Science Fiction & FactEllery Queen Mystery Magazine Before SubmittingWe cannot guarantee that the information on this page is correct. It is not unusual for publications to evolve or close without notice. We do our best to keep up, but it isn't always possible. Duotrope listings do not imply endorsement or recommendation of the project being listed. Before submitting, you should use your own judgment to determine whether the project meets your standards.Always read the full guidelines provided by the publisher.Try to read at least one previous publication to get a better idea of what the editor would like to see.Unless the publisher's guidelines state otherwise, always use industry standard manuscript formatting.Be professional, patient, and persistent. DatesLast Updated: 16 Aug 2026We check their guidelines for changes every four weeks, and we audit the listing twice a year. Cookie Consent: This site uses secure first-party cookies for essential, preference-setting, and statistical purposes. We do not use any marketing, advertising, or third-party cookies. Read our full cookie policy. Accept All Cookies Allow Essential Cookies Only