Hey guys, you can now look at the site and register for the first issue. You can begin subscribing tomorrow.
Let's support OSC and his family, and subscribe to the magazine. I can't wait to read all the stories!
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Is there going to be some way to just subscribe for a year, or will we have to subscribe to each issue individually?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Already registered.
Slightly annoyed that the opening date is a Saturday and I won't be able to subscribe until tomorrow night. (Yes, it IS all about me. Thanks for asking! )
And Ann, did you know that your screen-name is strikingly similar to one of the authors in the first issue? Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
In case anyone reads this who is in a position to do anything about it:
When you register and click on the "not yet subscribed" link beside "issue 1", you get a page that says:
"Available August 15, 2005".
EDIT: nevermind, I just sent this via the webform on the "contact us" page. EDIT: double-nevermind. That contact us page is for the website that runs the email confirmation list. I don't think it has anything to do with the IGMS. (Now I've probably really confused someone.) EDIT: Triple-nevermind. I found a contact form on the IGMS website.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Can't wait. I think I'll subscribe at midnight
Posted by JannieJ (Member # 8683) on :
Registered! Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Here's the link. Because I know I'm not the only lazy person here.
Posted by twinky (Member # 693) on :
Consider me registered. Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Maybe I can write a weekly political column
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
registered.
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Think Papa can put this up as a feature post thingie
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Apparently he can Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
He is the best
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Registered.
This is exciting!
Posted by Dagonee (Member # 5818) on :
Can't wait.
Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
How much does it cost to suscribe?
Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :
I just registered.
I'm curious if anybody knows what the rules surrounding this will be. For example, can we print the stories (for personal use only)? And will we be able to see the stories as many times as we want or will there be a limit?
Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
All right, I can't seem to find subscription costs on the website, though I am registered. Is this free/ad-supported or do we pay for it?
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Thanks for the link JT. I think I'm even lazier than you are.
Looks great, I can't wait to read the stuff (and how cool is it that both of our Scotts are in this first issue?) Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
$2.50 per issue.
Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
Thankee, dear rivka.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
How did you find that out?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
There was a discussion on the other side. But before that, because OSC announced as much at signings.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
I wonder if the site will have any kind of forum or message board eventually.
Posted by Brian J. Hill (Member # 5346) on :
Just registered. I'm waaay excited about this!
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
I hate to bring up a sore topic, but has the design changed since the.... controversial discussion. It doesn't seem at all ugly to me.
And on a more practical note. Since we are going to have to pay on a per issue basis, is there going to be any sort of preview of the stories?
Edit: never mind on the second question. I found the preview section.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
The border hasn't changed.
I always rather liked it, though. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Same here. Posted by Irami Osei-Frimpong (Member # 2229) on :
It looks perfect.
Posted by MandyM (Member # 8375) on :
I just registered and I am very excited!
I think the site looks fantastic!
I wish (a little) that it was open to all fiction since I am hammering out a short story right now for the first time in ages. Too bad it's realistic fiction. I will try some fantasy next time maybe.
Posted by Joldo (Member # 6991) on :
Awesome! We get a Mazer story!
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
How sweet is this:
"A New Ender's World Story in Every Issue"
Wonder if we can get them to come out more often!
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I love the site.
The black and white title looks awesome. Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
Anyone know what payment methods will be available?
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
The pics on the site. Let’s see, we’ve got a battle room kid, a woman from the Genesis series offering water at the well, Alvin and Arthur, I forget the head – is that from Treason?, along the top the deer – is that from folk of the fringe?, the woman in the sphere really has me lost, and the bear I’m not sure of either.
Posted by BannaOj (Member # 3206) on :
Deer = Hart's Hope
Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :
That head looks a lot like Commander Riker.
"Take that number one. Let's see you bug me about those away missions NOW!"
Posted by Jay (Member # 5786) on :
Oh yeah, Hart's Hope. How could I forget. So many books...... but never too many!
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
Head = Wyrms Woman in sphere = Pastwatch Bear = Several options, but probably Enchantment
Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :
So there's absolutely no way to just get a year's subscription?
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
The cover minds me a bit of Firefly.
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
I'm registered! Yay!
I'm with blacwolve, is there no way to pay for a year? I'd love that.
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
Will the stories always be up? Or will I have to save them to my computer if I want to keep reading them after the next issue is out?
Posted by R. Ann Dryden (Member # 8186) on :
You'll have permanent access to the issue, and can look at it anytime. I don't know about the year subscription, though. Since it is quarterly at this point, it wouldn't be very expensive. Maybe OSC wants to get a couple issues under his belt before offering it. I don't know.
Posted by Audeo (Member # 5130) on :
Also rumor has it that there will be updates to each issue after the initial post, and before the next issue that will be included in the price of subscription. I'm extremely excited, at least I know how I'll be spending my saturday morning.
Posted by The Rabbit (Member # 671) on :
You know, I never would have looked at this magazine had it not been for the hostilities over it a few days back. Now I've registered and will consider subscribing.
It makes me wonder if the whole thing was a publicity stunt.
I actually find that a hopeful thought. The whole public fight thing made everyone involved seem very petty and juvenille.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
This'll be fun! New OSC stuff quarterly. How cool is that? Posted by JaimeBenlevy (Member # 6222) on :
I won't be able to buy issues any time soon, but how long will each issue be around for? If I want to read all of them 6 months from now, will I still be able to buy the 1st issue?
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
I clean forgot about Sara having a column in it. Now I _have_ to check it out. Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
KarlEd, your notification had the desired result. Good going. Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
Yeah, I got an email saying it was updated very shortly after I sent the notice. Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Well - done registered. Looks nifty. Eye-catching, I think. It'd be nice to purchase a year's worth of the subscription rather than by month -
*wonders if that will be an option*
Posted by Jacob Porter (Member # 31) on :
The website says that you can buy past issues.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Is that Sara as in porcelain girl?
Posted by Cactus Jack (Member # 2671) on :
Bought it!
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
Just bought it. 2.50 is a rather good price.
One thing I was wondering...is there a way to download the entire issue? I poked around a bit, and it doesn't look to be a way to download it (just view the different things online)
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
Hmmmm. I paid through my visa card, but it says I have not purchased the mag on the site. What up?
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
quote:Originally posted by Treason: Hmmmm. I paid through my visa card, but it says I have not purchased the mag on the site. What up?
I only saw a paypal option. Where was the credit card section at?
Edit:
Just finished buying the issue. I've only had time to read respite, but if the other stories are of similar quality then the magazine easily earns its 2.50.
[ October 15, 2005, 03:25 AM: Message edited by: ricree101 ]
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
When it wanted paypal, right next to that it said something like "You don't have to pay directly through paypal, put in your credit card and..yadda yadda."
Posted by Catseye1979 (Member # 5560) on :
Ya I went through the Crdit Card option too and I got a (#SE-1) error. The credit card option pays to paypal then paypal pays to IGMS. It billed me but due to the error it still says I haven't bought it. With the error I got it gave me a prompt to contact them so I just followed instructions for it, hopefully it gets taken care of in the morning.
Posted by accio (Member # 3040) on :
How long does this process take?
[ October 15, 2005, 08:01 AM: Message edited by: accio ]
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
No problems paying with paypal, everything looks good. One thing: the downloadable software is a cool-looking gear-driven clock that also measures your CPU usage and RAm, which isn't difficult because when my CPU stays at 100% as long as the clock is active. Very attractive, but I don't think I'll be using it, thanks.
The Mazer story is great! On to the rest...
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
Accio, assuming you already have a paypal account the process takes about 30 seconds (at least thats how it was for me).
Posted by Minerva (Member # 2991) on :
Worked fine for me.
I second the idea to have it in some kind of printable format. I'd love to be able to print out a story or two for my commute each morning. I'd even be willing to pay another $1 or $2.
I've read two stories so far, and they were both excellent.
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
It's working for me now. That was a pretty quick fix-Thanks to the Webmaster! Posted by Occasional (Member # 5860) on :
The cover reminds me of "Ensign" art from the early 80s with a Sci-Fi twist. Come to think of it, isn' that around the time OSC wrote for that magazine?
Posted by accio (Member # 3040) on :
I got it and read Mazer in Prison. Good stuff! Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Minerva -- the stories are available in a printable format, just click "Print this Page" on the left. I use that and OS X's PDF making capabilities so I can view them in Preview, which I much prefer for reading.
Posted by Catseye1979 (Member # 5560) on :
I'm good too now... time to do some reading. hehehe
Posted by Jiminy (Member # 7917) on :
I don't have a PayPal account so I just used the card option, and I'm having the same problem. I didn't see an error message, but I got billed, and have the emailed receipt and such, but the IGMS site is still telling me I haven't bought the issue yet. Any ideas?
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
Yeah, Sara Ellis was who I meant. Her first "Practical Magic" column is a hoot.
Posted by Dav (Member # 8217) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jiminy: I don't have a PayPal account so I just used the card option, and I'm having the same problem. I didn't see an error message, but I got billed, and have the emailed receipt and such, but the IGMS site is still telling me I haven't bought the issue yet. Any ideas?
I also payed by credit card, and I'm experiencing the exact same problem. Maybe there's a delay when you pay by credit card.
A few hours from now I'm going to check again, and if I still can't read the stories then, I'll use the "Contact" link on the IGMS site to let them know.
EDIT: I did end up contacting them, and they fixed it. Now I can read it, yay!
[ October 15, 2005, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: Dav ]
Posted by Treason (Member # 7587) on :
I sent them an email through the "contact us" link and they fixed the problem for me. Edit: I also sent my reciept with the email. Great stuff!
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Do you guys know if the story art is done specifically for each story, or is it preexisting art? I like a lot of it!
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
The art was done specifically for each story.
And the art for Eviction Notice rocks. I love it. Couldn't be happier with it.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
I'm loving the Mazer piece too. Great stuff!
Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :
Ditto!
I'm torn between devouring all of it at once and taking it a piece at a time.
Posted by R. Ann Dryden (Member # 8186) on :
I cried at the end of "Eviction Notice".
But, man, talk about a dark story! Whew. As a parent, I could barely read it. It was almost as painful to me as OSC's Worthing stuff. Of course, the Worthing Saga is one of my all-time favorites of his, so maybe I just like pain.
The other stories were mostly dark, as well. But good.
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
yes, sara ellis as in porcelain girl
it is really cool to see all the stories up with their illustrations! i hope words spreads fast, because i think this is one high quality publication and such a great opportunity for new talent in both writing and illustrating. glad to hear the good reviews so far.
Posted by Jiminy (Member # 7917) on :
Just thought I'd add that my problem got fixed. I sent an email and they got back to me and took care of biznass with admirable haste. Excellent service.
Why am I using words like "admirable" and "biznass"? All good questions. In time. My lad.
Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
I'm enjoying it.
My dad says he'll check it out and probably subscribe tonight. He'll also call my cousin tonight and tell him about it. I'm doing my part to spread the word.
Posted by Domasai (Member # 8739) on :
I signed up as well but my purchase hasn't gone through yet. Which is fine. I realize that no matter how convenient the internet is, it still could use a little debugging and/or speeding up.
EDIT: Nevermind. I was finally able to spot the 'Submissions' button. Yes, I'm quick. Let me tell ya.
EDIT #2: Still don't have access to the issue. Hmm. Starting to get a little twitchy now. Maybe I should doubly support OSC's family and purchase it twice, yeah? lol.
[ October 17, 2005, 12:24 AM: Message edited by: Domasai ]
Posted by Jiminy (Member # 7917) on :
If you paid by card, just send them an email via the "contact" link. That's what I did, and they fixed it right quick. A few (all?) of the people paying by card are having the same problem.
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Paid, loved "Mazer in Prison" and am off to read some of the other stories now. Looks like a great venue--best wishes, OSC!
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
I'm in, and looking forward to some reading over lunch.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
From slashdot.org:
quote: Posted by Hemos on Monday October 17, @08:44AM from the good-writings-to-be-shared dept. Sci-Fi Books grammar fascist writes "Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, a science fiction / fantasy webzine, went online just yesterday. Card, the editor-in-chief, has stayed true to his ideals: quality stories, author's rights, and trust in people's honesty. New stories are released quarterly, with new column installments added monthly to the current issue. New art is created for each story. There isn't even an attempt at draconian content control. Writers and artists give exclusive rights for one year - after that, limited rights. Card wants your stories and art, not your copyrights. I've finished the first issue now, and the stories are great. "Eviction Notice" made me cry, and I laughed out loud at "Loose in the Wires." I paid my $2.50 initially to support the business model, but the stories themselves are worth it."
hooray!
Posted by lord trousers (Member # 8741) on :
Yeah, I posted that story. It was hardly at any news sites, so I got the scoop. I also got to direct about 500,000 visitors to the Medicine Show site. Bwhahaha!
(I even saw a coworker checking it out. Sweet!)
Unfortunately, the half the discussion devolved into why Orson Scott Card is an "asshat." (Same old, same old, every time he appears in a Slashdot story. His political views make him an evil fascist, and by the way, did you know that Ender is really a sympathetic Hitler? Sheesh.) There were some defenders, of course, which, fortunately, got most of the mod points.
Some good questions came out of the discussion. Why does the Medicine Show require 1 year of exclusive rights when most magazines require first rights? Not that I'm necessarily opposed - it means the company can't keep your rights in perpetuity - I'm just curious. Second, someone was asking about the possibility of a print edition. This would be tricky with the expanding content, of course.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
I don't know the why of 1 year of exclusive rights, but it wasn't a hard sale for me-- I don't plan my writing life around reprints. :-) No, I plan my writing life around avoiding the craft PERIOD.
I'm also guessing that OSC is planning on doing anthologies with material selected from the mag-- so that's your print version.
I'm glad you liked 'Eviction Notice.' More correctly, I guess I should say, 'You seem to have liked Eviction Notice. Have a tissue.'
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Sadist.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
I thought that photo looked familiar, Sara. Haven't seen you around here in a long time. Great column!
Scott, "Eviction Notice" was almost impossible to get through. I had tears in my eyes as well. Geez, make me cry at work.
Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :
The one-year rights as opposed to first rights only may have something to do with the fact that it's online and will allow people to order backissues. I'm not sure if that actually makes a difference in requiring more than first rights as opposed to a print magazine, but I can see how it might.
--Enigmatic
Posted by Domasai (Member # 8739) on :
Finally got in! The stories are great. Congrats to all the writers and artists; cheers for quality work. Oh, and ... that clock is really quite cool. I'm very fond of it. Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
scott, i didn't realize eviction notice was from you, how awesome.
i, too, cried like the sweet sweet pansy i am.
actually it hit home very hard, i reccommended it to all my friends.
thank you for the compliments. if anyone has any special column requests, hey, let me know, i am to please!
ellissara@hotmail.com (where almost everything is an exclamation!)
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Scott, that story was truly amazing. Eviction Notice and porcelain girl 's column are the only things I've read so far, but I'm already hooked.
Telling the future using Skittles. I like it.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
quote:Sadist.
And you liked it. That makes you. . .?
Posted by Shigosei (Member # 3831) on :
I noticed that Eviction Notice was written by a Scott R. I had wondered if that was you! I'm not going to read it now, because apparently it makes people cry, and I'm not up for that right now. But I am looking forward to it.
I did read Mazer in Prison and enjoyed it thoroughly. I'll be letting my friends know about this new magazine. Maybe I'll even buy subscriptions for people I like Posted by KarlEd (Member # 571) on :
I just finished "Respite". Great Job Rachel! I won't spoil it by saying more. So far I've read only that and "Eviction Notice". That's two for two in the great stories department.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
PG, that was one funny article! Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
I really liked the stories so far. I thought eviction notice was great (though very sad). Mazer's Prison and Respite were also great reads.
I haven't read hot sleep yet...but I plan on reading it.
Really, of the short stories the only one I didn't like was Taint of Treason. I just thought it seemed more like a story someone would enter in a new writers contest, rather than something that would be published in a real magazine.
Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
Has anyone else read Loose in the Wires? I liked it, but it's a little strange.
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
Yes, I liked it very much.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
"Loose in the Wires" strikes me as being one of the standouts. Lots of fun to read. My only disappointment was that it was shorter than I'd've liked.
[ October 18, 2005, 09:11 PM: Message edited by: Noemon ]
Posted by Avadaru (Member # 3026) on :
Just registed. I like what I've read so far. Posted by Derrell (Member # 6062) on :
"Loose in the Wires" was good, but I agree that it was too short. I'd like to have learned a little more about the gods worshiped by the bush people.
Posted by docmagik (Member # 1131) on :
I enjoyed Taint of Treason. I sometimes feel I'm incapable of writing anything super-short. (What are the kids calling this stuff? Flash fiction?)
Even my juvenile stories come in at over 1,500 words. I don't think my half my posts here at Hatrack are that short. This story managed, in less than 1,000 words, to have a world that felt fleshed out, tormented characters, and an engaging conflict. If I could do that, I'd be professionally published, too.
It's just different tastes.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Sara: Your skittles piece was utterly delightful. I loved it.
Posted by Lime (Member # 1707) on :
doc - I have to agree with you. I finished it and thought to myself, "Now that was a form-perfect short story."
Excellent stuff all around, and very much worth the $2.50.
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
Gee ... we were hoping you'd think it was worth $8.95 and you were getting such a bargain ... but at least you don't feel cheated <grin>.
Posted by TL (Member # 8124) on :
Well, I love the artwork. Please continue to use Jin Han for future issues. He's great. Evocative artwork.
I found his website if anyone wants to see more of his artwork.
U just used the word "artwork" 3 times.
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
OSC,
When will the next part of Hot Sleep be posted?
I read the first part in one sitting, and loved it.
Also, when you post serial novels, will you post separate links rather than simply continuing it in one long page. It will make it far easier to read if it the parts are separate rather than all pasted together.
BTW, I loved the magazine...and it is a VERY good value.
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
We'll do it. Thanks for the suggestion.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Very high quality writing. The is a great resource for readers and writers of speculative fiction.
Posted by Lime (Member # 1707) on :
quote:Originally posted by Orson Scott Card: Gee ... we were hoping you'd think it was worth $8.95 and you were getting such a bargain ... but at least you don't feel cheated <grin>.
Cheated? Certainly not, sir! I! I! I am having a hard time coming up with something sufficiently zingy. So I will accept your mild ribbing and retire to eat my lunch.
(Really, I'd pay a bound volume price. I'm kinda shocked it was that cheap. Excellent work all around, and I look forward to future issues).
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
Lessee...at $2.95 I simply signed up.
At $8.95, I would have told my wife, and then signed up.
That's the difference. Posted by R. Ann Dryden (Member # 8186) on :
Personally, I think you should be charging more, OSC. I mean, I was recently looking at a small zine that offers both online and print versions. They pay very little to their authors, and still charge almost twice as much as you - for one issue! And there are other similar zines out there, I am sure. Especially considering everything you are offering, I mean, the columns and stories and art and a SERIALIZED NOVEL in every issue. Come on. It's worth a lot. And I know I'm not the only one who thinks so. I bet people would still buy the issue if it was $5.00, or even more.
Anyone else want to comment on the price?
Posted by Boon (Member # 4646) on :
I agree with both afr and Ms. Dryden. Not only did I not discuss buying it with my husband, I used his Paypal account without telling him, and he didn't care because it was a very small amount.
If it was more than $5, I'd have called him first, but I'd have still signed up.
If it was more than $10, I would probably still have signed up...but I'm not sure. Now that I've read it, I'd definitely pay that - or more - for an issue.
I think keeping the price very low, at least for the first issue or two, is a brilliant business move. It'll get more people signed up in the beginning...and, like a dealer giving out cheap samples, will hook more readers. Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
Personally, I'm for keeping the price at 2.50.
I rather like keeping a hold of as much of my money as possible.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by advice for robots: Lessee...at $2.95 I simply signed up.
Who got the extra $.45? We got scalpers or something?
And ScottR, I never said I wasn't.
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
I would always pay more for a print magazine than one that is electonic only, regardless of the quality of the stories (the quality is what convinces me to buy it in the first place).
Also, if you're speaking of the same small zine that I am, they charge $3.50 for their online version. Only the print version is twice the cost. And they did just double the amount they pay to authors, based on the sales of the first issue. Some businesses just have to bootstrap their way into the world.
At any rate, I hope that OSC does not increase the price, because I don't know that I would pay much more for electronic-only content. Others may feel differently.
--Mel
Posted by Oliver Dale (Member # 8398) on :
It seems to me like a $2.50 magazine has a better chance of catching on, word-of-mouth, than a $5 magazine. People are willing to take a chance on a magazine that costs less than their morning latte.
Oh, and as for the year exclusive rights, I think that seems perfectly reasonable. How much would it suck to shell out $500 for a story that's when two weeks later someone could go over to Strange Horizons and read the reprint for free (change the name of the magazine to suit your preference). Hopefully if people learn about the magazine in a few months or even in a few quarters, they'll be inspired to buy a few back issues. That only works if there is still a reason to do so.
Posted by Brinestone (Member # 5755) on :
"Trill and the Beanstalk" is one seriously awesome story.
Posted by aarand (Member # 8745) on :
Registered, just waiting for my PayPal transfer to go through so I can subscribe to this issue. As an artist, I'm quite interested in checking out the illustrations. As a geek, I'm quite excited about an awesome new source to feed my particular addiction!
Posted by lord trousers (Member # 8741) on :
quote:Originally posted by Oliver Dale: It seems to me like a $2.50 magazine has a better chance of catching on, word-of-mouth, than a $5 magazine. People are willing to take a chance on a magazine that costs less than their morning latte.
Yes, yes, yes.
It's like iTunes. If they charged $1.99 per song, they'd lose a lot of customers.
Remember that an online edition, compared to a print edition, is virtually free. There are up-front per-issue costs in paying authors and artists, but after that it's virtually pennies per customer to keep the site up and running. Duplication costs online are very, very low.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
You're right, rivka. I guess I got hustled. That's the last time I buy anything at scalper.com.
Posted by Nell Gwyn (Member # 8291) on :
So far I've only read Mazer in Prison, Eviction Notice, and the Practical Magic column - and everything's just great!
Mazer in Prison immediately made me want to reread all the Ender books. I loved the snarkiness! And it all fit together beautifully.
Practical Magic was hilarious. Are you going to do fortunes for the other Skittles varieties? You know, tropical, sour, etc?
And Scott R - whoa. That was intense. I've been doing a lot of Vietnam research for the past couple months too, so all those references really resonated with me. Chilling. And so, so sad. (That's a compliment!)
I'm resisting the urge to read all the other stories just yet. I'm telling myself that I'll save them for rewards for doing my homework - but I'll probably have read them all by the end of the weekend. Must the magazine be limited to quarterly? What about an issue every other month? Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
>>And Scott R - whoa. That was intense. I've been doing a lot of Vietnam research for the past couple months too, so all those references really resonated with me. Chilling. And so, so sad. [Frown]
Thanks!
Posted by Robespierre (Member # 5779) on :
Hey guys, just wanted to check in and say I was very pleased with the stories on IGMS. Mazer in Prison was great, as was Loose in the Wires. It's a steal for $2.50, quite a micro-payment.
Dragon Clock is rad.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
My goodness. We haven't seen you in a while.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Is his head still attached?
If so he is an imposter!!! Posted by Rusta-burger (Member # 8753) on :
Do you think either OSC or KDW doing a quarterly article on marketing (like KDW does in SF&F Workshop) would be a good idea?
Posted by Oliver Dale (Member # 8398) on :
Marketing what? Personally, I'd prefer seeing IGMS focusing on the readers and not the readers-who-are-writers. Articles on writing should, largely, be restricted to venues intended for writers. So many magazines are already so incestuous about that, I'd prefer seeing IGMS remaining as widely accessible as possible.
Posted by johnbrown (Member # 8401) on :
I'd say keep it cheap and go for volume. Make purchasing it a non-event and get the stories out to a huge audience.
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
We like where the price is. It's true that it puts our break-even point higher - but we are hoping that word spreads to the huge Ender's Game audience, many of whom are young. What parent would refuse $2.50 for a PG-13 magazine for a fourteen-year-old?
As for preferring print copies - we've made sure that you can print this out in a very 8.5x11 paper friendly way. (Choose the "print this page" option.) Our plan is to offer (soon) very nice, slick folders with the cover printed on, into which you can slip your printed-out pages. Then you can bring the folder to conventions and get the authors to autograph their own stories.
We would, of course, charge for the folders. Then again, we'd have to PAY for them, so we'd charge those who want to go this route. Printing it out yourselves will give you an idea, of course, of how much this sort of thing actually costs when you publish in print form ...
So in a few weeks, we'll have figured out what a fair charge for the cover/folder is, and offer it for sale. The editor will probably presign the first thousand covers of the first issue ... And we would print the cover/folder on good but not glossy paper, so it would be signable. In fact, you could bring the folder to conventions WITHOUT the printouts and try to collect all the signatures <grin>.
Anyway, that's what we're thinking ... but we'll see how many people buy issue 1. Right now we're just over a thousand - that's one-tenth of the way toward profitability.
As for making it more frequent than quarterly - we will NEVER make it more frequent than the number of excellent stories will allow. But if the quality of submissions warrants it, and the number of purchasers allows it, of course we'll put out issues more frequently. Since we don't have to meet a postal schedule for bulk mailings, we can publish as many issues as we want - though if we publish TOO frequently, there won't be time for each issue to have its hour in the sun ...
Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :
Ooh, I like the idea of the folders with the cover art.
For the printing option, is it possible to save it to a disk to be printed somewhere else? I ask this because I don't have a working printer, and I rely on office stores for my printouts. They produce better quality than I could anyway.
--Mel
Posted by accio (Member # 3040) on :
I filed the print out in a three ring binder with color paper between the stories. My plan is to insert tabs between issues. I also wanted to insert some kind of art (from the home page) in the binder cover but I love the idea of folders with cover art.
Thank you for the heads up!
I like the idea of an annual subscription. It would make a nice holiday gift. Posted by jin977 (Member # 8752) on :
quote:Originally posted by Scott R: The art was done specifically for each story.
And the art for Eviction Notice rocks. I love it. Couldn't be happier with it.
Hi Scott.
This is Jin, I worked on the drawing for "Eviction Notice. I'm sorry we never spoke, but I'm happy you like the drawing.
It was a great story and I had so many ideas bouncing around when I was sketching out the thumbnails. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you again.
Are you planning to send out e-mails to everyone when the next issue is available? Obviously, those who check Hatrack will know about it, but other people might forget if it's only quarterly and they're not reminded.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I haven't seen any mention of IGMS in The Ansible yet. Have I just missed it? Maybe I should email Langford and see if he'll mention it in his November issue.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Is the problem with credit card purchase fixed yet?
Cause I don't have (and don't want) a paypal account...
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
There will always be a bit of a time-lag for credit card rather than PayPal purchases. But it does work.
We're still working on sending out press releases. But it's all the better if READERS notify people of a magazine <grin>.
If you signed up for email notification, then you'll be notified. We don't assume people want to get emails from us - you have to ask.
Posted by Nathan M (Member # 8762) on :
I think the magazine is a fantastic idea. I payed the $2.50 to see what it was about, and ended up reading the entire thing. I enjoyed the stories that were in it; it's always fun to sit down and read stories like those.
The expense was well worth it. I will recommend the magazine to my fellow OSC fans, and hope they do the same.
OSC: Will you have reader-submitted reviews about the magazine in the future? Let me know of you want one.
-Nathan
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
OSC, I just figured I'd let you know that I posted a message over at Fantasy Essentials (The board run by the Admins at Goodkind's site for stuff not related to Goodkind). Feel free to drop over and say something about the magazine if you wish. We've had a couple of authors drop by in the past when books came out...since there are a good number of fantasy readers over there.
Perhaps it will help drum up interest. I really want to push up readership...mostly for selfish reasons (I want it to do well so I can keep reading more issues).
Posted by lord trousers (Member # 8741) on :
quote:Originally posted by Orson Scott Card: If you signed up for email notification, then you'll be notified. We don't assume people want to get emails from us - you have to ask.
Excellent! For an old guy, you've got this Internet etiquette thang down pat. I know of a few marketing folks and CEOs who could learn some lessons....
Anyway, I had only one suggestion on this topic. The magazine is quarterly, so it's really, really easy to forget about it by the next issue. (The stories and artwork are great and memorable, but that only lasts a month or so.) If customers have to ask for updates, it ought to be more apparent that they can. I only found that link lurking around on the lower-left side of the page after finishing most of the current issue.
It should be at the top, near the persistent "My Account" link.
Posted by Megan (Member # 5290) on :
Terrific! Thank you. Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Eviction notice is fantastic story-telling Scott. Bravo!
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Hopefully it'll get some hits from that (over 150 livejournalers are members).
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
OSC, from mentions you've made about ribbing George R. R. Martin about taking so long in finishing A Song of Ice and Fire, I gather that you and he are on fairly good terms. I realize that in general you want IGMS to showcase emerging talent, but if you were to convince Martin to submit a story to you, it's fairly likely that his sizable online fanbase would be interested in subscribing, at least to that issue. A decent number of them would likely recognize a good thing when they saw it and subscribe in the future as well.
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
The first two issues were open only to former students of mine. David Farland/Dave Wolverton actually attended Boot Camp two summers ago, so he qualified <grin>.
Once the magazine starts getting noticed in the field, professionals will take it seriously as a market. Till then, I'm perfectly happy to go ahead with what we're getting - first-rate fiction from relatively (or absolutely) new writers.
Here's our philosophy: We don't have to hire stars, we'll make our own! <grin>. OK, that's what ALL magazines would like. And you can bet I'd love to have a Martin story.
But take Robin Hobb. She's one of the great ones - and when she had a short story in the Bingtown Traders world, she posted it on Amazon, where she got paid a far higher percentage of the "gate" than she could ever get from us. Martin, too, can sell stories to anthologiest that will give him a percentage of royalties, not to mention advances much higher than what we can afford to pay. So it makes little sense for them to offer the stories to me.
Though I wish they would ...
Meanwhile, though, I'm happy with the writers and stories we're getting.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Oh, sure, I understand that you're primarily interested in helping new writers become established, and I wholeheartedly approve of that. I certainly don't have any complaints about the stories that you're featuring in this issue either--all of them have been quite good. I was just trying to think of ways to boost readership for the first few issues, and having a story from another established name in the field with a sizable online fanbase would help to do that.
I also understand that Martin could get quite a bit more for an original short story elsewhere. Makes perfect sense--he's definitely one of the Big Names these days. I know from various comments he's made in interviews, though, that he sees the value in the short story medium, and while I definitely don't know this, I could imagine that he might be sympathetic to the cause and "donate" a story (so to speak) for the lower rate you'd be able to give him. I don't know--I could be completely wrong about that. I'm certainly not assuming that Martin has gotten so wealthy from his writing that he can just give stories away left and right; he's making a living through writing, just like any other writer does (or aspires to do).
If I were a successful writer, though, I'd like to think that I'd do what I could to try to foster efforts like IGMS.
I really, really want this magazine to succeed. Partly it's out of good will to you, but mostly it's because I think that it's important to SF to have a healthy short story market, and this model seems like one that could have legs. And of course, that's ultimately a selfish reason, since my reason for wanting that really boils down to wanting a steady supply of stories from talented authors with something to say.
Posted by johnbrown (Member # 8401) on :
Scott,
When you say you need 10k subscriptions to break even are you talking about 10k per issue or just 10k single-issue subs per year?
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I have yet another thing to thank you for now, Scott...I didn't know Wolverton and Farland were the same person until you posted that in this thread.
I liked the concept of Serpent Catch so much that I took my screen name from it.
I also read all of Farland's new series, and thought he was a perfect example of making up a new system of magic that followed you own advice (in one of the books you wrote about writing fantasy) in that he made sure that his system of magic included costs, and that it always came at a price..both for the person receiving the "gifts" and for those who were "giving them.
Go figure!
[ October 25, 2005, 07:40 AM: Message edited by: Kwea ]
Posted by Sergeant (Member # 8749) on :
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed the issue I was wondering if there has been any discussion about having a printed anthology of stories once a year.
I apologize if this covers a topic already covered. I searched but did not find anything on an anthology.
Sergeant
Posted by aarand (Member # 8745) on :
Finally purchased my copy today!
It's great and I'll be recommending it to everyone I know.
What are we up to for subscriptions, now?
Posted by Taalcon (Member # 839) on :
Holy crap.
I just realized the artist for Hot Sleep is the same Sam Ellis I knew in Savannah, Georgia, and who gave a talk at my baptism in 2004.
Talk about it being a small world o_O
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
and that Sam Ellis is my older brother - i didn't know he gave a talk at your baptism, whoah.
shrink shrink shrink goes the great big world...
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Wow. Porce's older brother gave a talk at Taalcon's baptism?
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
New columns up!
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Cool! Thanks for the heads up.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
And more Hot Sleep will be up tomorrow. Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
Kwea, I'm glad you remember "Dave Wolverton" as fondly as I do. (Of course the real person is still around and one of the kindest human beings in the known universe.) The Serpent Catch books were brilliant, original SF; the Golden Queen was high adventure sci-fi at its finest. If there were any justice, the Wolverton name would be one of the best known in science fiction ...
But Farland or Wolverton, he's still the Real Thing.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Yeah, I really liked his books, particularily the ideas behind them, in both incarnations.
I have yet to read Path of the Hero, despite my screen name, but I just found it on ebay two days ago.
I couldn't find it anywhere else, it was published too long ago, and book stores usually don't keep things like that around for this long.
Kwea
Posted by JenniK (Member # 3939) on :
Also, I think I met Dave online once, although it may have been a prank on me, I was never sure...
I tried to register the name Kwea on AIM, and couldn't because someone else had already do it. I registered as KweaJr (I am named after my dad IRL), then KweaSr when I couldn't log on as Jr, and sent whoever registered Kwea as a AIM screen name saying "Hey, you took my screen name...guess we have the same taste in books! ".
I got a reply back saying " I made the word up, so I figured no one else would be using it. Glad you liked my book though. -Dave Wolverton"
It could have been another fan pulling my leg, but I thought it was cool. Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Did anyone read the "Difference between American and British Cover Art" article?
Interesting, but I liked the british art better in every case except the Larry Niven one (ex. 2). I was indifferent to the Jonathan Strange cover.
What'd you guys think?
Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :
Hey, we got one less chapter of hot sleep this time around.
It was good, but now I really want more. Posted by Crotalus (Member # 7339) on :
JT,
I read the article. It was extremely interesting. But of course I'd say that because I'm an artist. I also liked the British art better, with the exception also being Niven's cover.
To me most fantasy covers here in the US are borderline garish. Way too busy. There are, however a few artists that are so good that I find it hard to dislike anything they do. Whelan comes immediately to mind. The old Frazetta covers for Conan and Tarzan were fantastic. Keith Parkinson (who recently passed away) was also one of my favorites.
I think our covers are kind of a holdover from the days of the pulps. The covers were colorful and busy, and usually with scantily clad females. All to catch to eye of the teenage boys who were their target audience. Sci-fi has gotten away from this, but I still see a lot of it in Fantasy novels. I do think the scantily clad females are much scarcer now. Darnit.
The Hildebrandt brothers to me did the definitive Tolkein work, and I think a lot of cover art for years was along the same vein as theirs.
Personally, I don't want to see a character's face depicted on the cover. Unless it's someone like Elric who is already described in such detail that it is almost impossible not to see him in a certain way. For the most part, I want to imagine for myself what the character looks like. For example, I know what Ender looks like to me. I don't want to have someone else's image of him floating around in my head. I can only wonder what I would have seen Alvin like if the covers had not depicted him for me. As it is, my mental image of him has been formed by those covers.
I feel like I am rambling now, so I will go. One last thing. The art for IGMS ROCKS! OSC has found him some top-notch talent. The cover illustration for respite is beautiful, and the drawings for the other stories are excellent.
Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Yeah, too many fantasy covers look like romance novels as far as I'm concerned.
Posted by Orson Scott Card (Member # 209) on :
The divisions of Hot Sleep were by rough page count and "natural divisions" rather than by chapter.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
quote:Originally posted by porcelain girl: and that Sam Ellis is my older brother - i didn't know he gave a talk at your baptism, whoah.
shrink shrink shrink goes the great big world...
My brother-in-law is an Ellis. Do you have relatives in Canada? His family is from Vulcan, Alberta - famous for its USS Enterprise replica.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
Famous to you, maybe...
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
*Sigh....
For some reason I got it into my head that the next part of hot sleep was going to be released this weekend. Talk about disappointment.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
quote:Originally posted by Kwea: Famous to you, maybe...
I was joking mostly, though it is probably fairly famous in Alberta as it is featured in a Ford TV ad here (and possibly elsewhere in Canada).
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
And I was just busting your chops. Posted by R. Ann Dryden (Member # 8186) on :
Hey, there's a store now! Yay, I'll be doing some Christmas shopping there.
You can choose from four different versions of the logo, and the merchandise has stuff like T-shirts and baseball caps, tote bags and mouse pads. I'm definitely getting one of the infant onesies for my daughter, and the carry-all bag for myself.
Awesome!
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
And our biographies are up now, too!
Posted by CRash (Member # 7754) on :
Wow, there's some cool stuff in the store. I especially like the colored tees. Right now I'm planning on getting that green one.
Oh, and a P.S.: On the Wizard Oil column about British/American cover art, the image for the UK cover of "Traitor's Knot" is not available. Is it just my computer, or are other people having difficulties with it?
Also, something got screwed up with Chris Bellamy's review of "Doom" around paragraphs 4, 5, and 6. There's a repetition, and either something was missing or put in the wrong order.
[ November 07, 2005, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: CRash ]
Posted by RufflesBag3 (Member # 8735) on :
I finaly got IGMS (way latter then i would have liked) and the ender story is great. I would have payed for it alone. Haven't had the chance to read any thing else tho.the clock this is great!!!!
Posted by Destineer (Member # 821) on :
Does anyone know what sort of sex/violence/swearing the Medicine Show will accept in submissions? There's no mention of any restrictions in the submission guidelines.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Destineer:
There's a link on the main page called 'Note to Parents.'
quote: Note to Parents
We promise to keep IGMS a PG-13 magazine and website.
That means that while we will sometimes deal with intense and adult themes, there will be no explicit or detailed sex of the sort that would earn a movie rating more restrictive than PG-13; nor will there be language of the sort that earns an R rating.
So for children older than 13, you can be assured that they will not be exposed to material that is generally considered inappropriate. For younger children, you may wish to read or scan the issue yourself first. Though if your child has read and enjoyed Ender's Game itself, there is little likelihood of them encountering anything more intense, disturbing, or "adult" than is found in that book.
Sincerely,
Orson Scott Card Editor-in-Chief
Posted by Destineer (Member # 821) on :
Thanks, Scott!
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
No problem.
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
Anyone know when the next part of hot sleep is going to be posted. I was under the impression that it would be today.
Posted by dropofTapioca (Member # 7867) on :
it's up! edit: part 3 of hot sleep, that is
[ November 14, 2005, 12:01 AM: Message edited by: dropofTapioca ]
Posted by Stan the man (Member # 6249) on :
That soooooo belongs in the ooc thread. But yes it is.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
The first few pages of Fat Farm are up.
It looks pretty good-- Jin Han's artwork is Just Right.
Posted by Puffy Treat (Member # 7210) on :
Your new column rocked, Sara.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
)![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
I liked it, but it's a little strange.
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
(That's a compliment!)![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)