hi im short fictions number one weirdgirl (lie, this title goes to probably like idk kelly link or cat valente or something, im short fiction's number 152 weirdgirl) and heres A GUIDE FOR WHICH MAGAZINE U MIGHT LIKE (based on what i read):
Analog and Asimovs: These are PRINT MAGAZINES! you can BUY THEM IN STORES! They go more Scifi scifi, regular ass scifi (appreciative). the Big Boys
F&SF: Also a print magazine!! as the name suggests - fantasy and science fiction! one of the Big Boys.
Clarkesworld: mostly science fiction, literary/experimentalist bent, lots of stories you read and go "well i suppose it is time to think about that forever now!" (think kij johnson, cat valente, sam j. miller, peter watts) - updates monthly, with podcasts, AND pays authors the most out of all the mags rn.
Apex: sf&f with kind of a gothy (appreciative) vibe, reminiscent of neil gaiman maybe? its good i prommy - also has podcasts!!!
Lightspeed: sf&f with a ??? bent - not particularly married to a style other than Weird and Interesting and Very Quality - lots of stuff that makes you go huh?? If you're a fan of the weirder sort of fanfic (you know what im talking about, the one weird fic in the fandom that you cant stop thinking about) this is for you. I like it lots. also podcasts!!
Fantasy: Lightspeed's sister magazine - just fantasy! not a ton to say here other than generally really enjoyable shit. (The EICs are so nice also)
Nightmare: HORROR! oops all horror! I don't read this regularly but one of Lightspeed's sister magazines. (and if you end up liking Nightmare - the Dark is also a good magazine)
Uncanny: mostly fantasy, some scifi (in my experience). Lots of big names in this one, so the work is usually very quality. believe they also do podcasts.
Escape Artists (Podcastle, Escape Pod, Pseudopod): this is a PODCAST NETWORK! If ur like audio THESE R FOR U. if you liked the magnus archives, fuckin peter lukas (aka: his va) DOES run these, fun fact. As name suggests - these are split into genres (fantasy, sf, horror).
if you like DEATH, check out THE DEADLANDS !
if you want to support diaspora fiction, read KHOREO!
anyway not to be tumblr about this but rly, think about it like sending ur favorite fic writer a kofi, or donating to ao3.
all the magazines run on shoestring budgets but also produce some of the most interesting experimental shit on a tighter timeline than the novel publishing industry - and there's a side benefit that if you support these magazines, you're supporting essentially a sff incubator. a lot of the people writing short fiction at point x end up writing a crazy novel at point y. (taz muir is a good example of this)