Editor Interview: Dirty Magick Magazine

fantasy with urban bent

This magazine was inspired by Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy, but I also love Beneath Ceaseless Skies

Classic: Fritz Lieber, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, C.L. Moore Contemporary: Wole Talabi, N.K. Jemison, T. Kingfisher

We have a focus on urban fantasy (which can mean contemporary or sword and sorcery), especially when combined with detective/crime fiction. We also accept gothic horror, meaning vampires, werewolves and ghosts, but it's best when those tropes are combined with other genres. I will also gladly publish comedy which I think genre fiction needs more of.

1. No info dumps. Start in media res.
2. Make the trope the centerpiece of your action, not the sideline which reveals itself at the end.
3. Resolve the conflict. I don't want the first part of a longer series. It must be self-contained.

1. The submitted file name is the title of the story.
2. A quick start which tells me immediately what the conflict is.
3. Relatable (not necessarily likeable) characters who drive the plot.
4. Interesting action scenes.
5. Satisfying (not necessarily happy) ending.
6. Writing that has some flair.

I just get an e-mail with the file attached. I don't want your life story, but a bio there is welcome.
Also, no outside genre. I get way too much sci-fi and horror.

Again, send something short with a bio. I want to know your publication history, but it probably won't affect my opinion of the story. I love publishing first timers.

I try to read every submission all the way through. I do it on 75% of my subs. If a rule is broken (it's sci-fi or it's not in the genre), then I'll quit quickly. But if you submit me the correct story and it's under the max word count (12,500), I'll usually make it to the end.

I read and rank on a scale of 1-10. Usually, all of the 9s and above get through. Great stories get rejected because of the limited space. I don't ask for rewrites and resubs because I usually get enough stories to fill out the slate.

This is a part-time job for me, so my busiest time is during the first few weeks of the month. I do everything: edit, layout, write columns, then set up publication. I usually get the last two weeks of the month to myself.

I give it one good pass, then send it back to the author to accept/reject edits and add anything they need. I give it one more read through, then publish it. I mostly do copy editing/proof reading. If the story is good enough to be published, it usually doesn't need substantial work.

I will but I haven't found the avenues yet.

Subscriptions and my day job. We are not profitable yet, but as an e-magazine, the cost isn't huge. I look forward to growing my subs to break even monthly.

Social media. Every story gets at least one post and the magazine as a whole gets a few. I also share the covers with the writers early so they can promote themselves. I will also do the occasional podact.