Is There a Need for a Hard Sci-Fi Magazine Focused on Real Ideas?

[Ken Ucarp]

Hi all. I've lurked around PF for awhile enough to realize real physics discussions go on here. Love it. I myself am an informed layman at best, who loves physics and math, but that love isn't returned - I was just never smart enough to do the real work beyond ideas.

I publish a couple non-sci-fi online magazines (won't mention them because I don't want you to think I'm selling something here.) I'm considering starting up a new Sci Fi site and would like your feedback.

There are numerous sci-fi and fantasy sites obviously, and many of those are good to great. BUT I'm wondering if there is a niche for a venue that focuses on hard sci fi only. No fantasy, no zombies, no nearly naked wo/men in the artwork, etc. I'm talking hard sci fi based on real ideas where if you take away the ideas, you've got nothing. Movies like Contact, Interstellar, 2001, etc. are examples of what I'm thinking, except in story form.

What do you think about this? I'm thinking it would feature limited stories (i.e. not just a story mill of anything remotely sciencey), possibly reviews of either hard sci fi movies, and or books, but also interviews with working scientists.

I appreciate your time in reading this far, and look forward to reading your feedback.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Been reading sci-fi magazines since 1965, always found them useful for finding new authors and killing time. If you add a forum (including a "meet the author" sub) and a "online resources" section you may draw more readers.

*Archives.org has over twenty years of "Galaxy" magazine online right now.

 

[Ken Ucarp]

Been reading sci-fi magazines since 1965, always found them useful for finding new authors and killing time. If you add a forum (including a "meet the author" sub) and a "online resources" section you may draw more readers.

*Archives.org has over twenty years of "Galaxy" magazine online right now.

So you definitely know sci-fi! What do you think about what I mentioned in my post?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

So you definitely know sci-fi! What do you think about what I mentioned in my post?

Specific questions, please.

Also, these days having a fanfic "Ready Room" ("Watney's Spud Locker" for an inside joke?) where the piece is posted and a thread is attached for discussion, etc., might be good. Haven't read the current body of work in that area.

 

[Ken Ucarp]

Can I take the lack of response to mean there's no need for a new hard science sci-fi magazine?

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Can I take the lack of response to mean there's no need for a new hard science sci-fi magazine?

Most of the people sitting on their hands are the "show us some reality" types, I think. Concepts come and go all the time. A suggestion would be to look at the successful online sites and see what they did right.

 

[Ken Ucarp]

Most of the people sitting on their hands are the "show us some reality" types, I think. Concepts come and go all the time. A suggestion would be to look at the successful online sites and see what they did right.

Hmm, I'm not asking about features or approaches or how to gain audience. I'm specifically asking if there is a NEED for a new hard sci fi magazine. Evidently you're the only one here who reads sci fi :) (joking of course). I do like your ideas on features, etc. but it's the demand I'm asking about primarily. The survey I did of sci-fi outlets seems light on hard sci fi and heavy on fantasy. So like the person who would read the PF guide on Entanglement Entropy...would they also like to read a hard core sci fi story that incorporates those ideas? That kinda thing. I'm thinking there's a demand for that kind of thing. I'm starting to think I'm wrong.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Cart/horse, I think. I'd establish the 'zine and see if it strikes a cord. I don't know of a way to estimate unexpressed interest. L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace.

 

[Ken Ucarp]

Except the cart and horse cost time, effort, and money (advertising mostly since startup costs, site/domain, etc are relatively cheap). So I try to gauge interest by posting in a forum like this. It's actually very helpful. Last year I was considering a site for musicians to recover lost instruments. I posted in a couple forums and found out there really was no need for it, even though every forum itself had a "lost instruments" thread! But something about a centralized site just didn't sit well with people. Anywho, that's my reasoning for posting here at least.

 

[Noisy Rhysling]

Except the cart and horse cost time, effort, and money (advertising mostly since startup costs, site/domain, etc are relatively cheap). So I try to gauge interest by posting in a forum like this. It's actually very helpful. Last year I was considering a site for musicians to recover lost instruments. I posted in a couple forums and found out there really was no need for it, even though every forum itself had a "lost instruments" thread! But something about a centralized site just didn't sit well with people. Anywho, that's my reasoning for posting here at least.

Try posting at The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe forum, Sciforums, Bad Science Forums, The Thinking Atheist Forums, etc.

 

[SciencewithDrJ]

Hi all. I've lurked around PF for awhile enough to realize real physics discussions go on here. Love it. I myself am an informed layman at best, who loves physics and math, but that love isn't returned - I was just never smart enough to do the real work beyond ideas.

I publish a couple non-sci-fi online magazines (won't mention them because I don't want you to think I'm selling something here.) I'm considering starting up a new Sci Fi site and would like your feedback.

There are numerous sci-fi and fantasy sites obviously, and many of those are good to great. BUT I'm wondering if there is a niche for a venue that focuses on hard sci fi only. No fantasy, no zombies, no nearly naked wo/men in the artwork, etc. I'm talking hard sci fi based on real ideas where if you take away the ideas, you've got nothing. Movies like Contact, Interstellar, 2001, etc. are examples of what I'm thinking, except in story form.

What do you think about this? I'm thinking it would feature limited stories (i.e. not just a story mill of anything remotely sciencey), possibly reviews of either hard sci fi movies, and or books, but also interviews with working scientists.

I appreciate your time in reading this far, and look forward to reading your feedback.

I totally support your idea. Should you need any help, I would do all I can. It's really upsetting when fantasy and magic are mixed together with real Sci-Fi, because it misleads the public and further alienates efforts to popularise real science among the general public. This is indeed a commendable initiative. Books, documentaries, reviews, interviews, websites, lectures, movies, blogs, podcasts, discussions, ideas, and unpublished works could well constitute a rich content.