With its first issue published in 1949, and publishing continuously since then, the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF for short) is one of the oldest and most prestigious short fiction markets in the field of speculative fiction. For authors at every stage of their careers, a story, poem, or novella in F&SF is an important writing credit.

F&SF takes First North American Serial Rights and pays on acceptance (which in practice means on receipt of a contract). Acceptance emails indicate that writers will receive a contract and a check within two to four weeks. However, Writer Beware has recently received multiple reports from writers whose work has been officially accepted but, months later, are still waiting for contracts and checks. Reported delays range from six months to over a year, considerably extending an (already unduly lengthy) three-year publication window. (Spilogale, Inc. is the publisher of F&SF, owned by Gordon Van Gelder).

Writers also report a variety of other delays: waiting for notification of official acceptance well beyond the stated acquisition timeline of 6 weeks to 6 months; receiving copy edits and proofs for accepted stories without having received a contract or payment; receiving contract and payment only weeks before the publication date, after months of waiting; completing requested revisions and then hearing nothing more. Many of the writers who contacted me say that they've sent repeated emails asking about the delays, and haven't received a response.