Clarkesworld Subscriptions Update

As I hope you know by now, Clarkesworld Magazine is now available for subscription on the Kindle (device and Android app). This is something I’ve been trying to accomplish for some time now. Ebooks and subscriptions are very important to the future of Clarkesworld. They provide the financial stability we require to continue to operate and grow.

In this month’s editorial, I made a promise: If we can pick up 500 subscribers by our 5th anniversary (October), we’ll add an extra story to each issue. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time now and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate our 5th. As of today, we are over 23% of the way there and I’d like to thank all our new subscribers and those who have helped out by spreading the word, "liking" the magazine on the Amazon page, or reviewing us there. We’re still a long way from our goal, so I hope we can count on your continued assistance.

Several people have asked when we will be available for subscription on the Nook. Unfortunately, we’ve been unable to get any response from the staff at B&N and I’m running out of contacts to email. At this point, I urge anyone who would like to see Clarkesworld subscriptions on the Nook to follow the directions from their website:

• If I wish to see a publication offered, who do I contact?

  Whether you are a customer or a publisher, click here or send us an email at eperiodicalpublishersinquiries@book.com with your recommendation and/or your contact information if you are a publisher.

As for the iPad, yes, I am aware that the Kindle app for iPad does not yet support subscriptions. There has been a note on Amazon’s site saying that support was forthcoming, but that has been there a long time and Amazon support isn’t willing to give any details. I have seen speculation that Apple’s in-app sales policy has something to do with this, but only Amazon knows for sure. We’d support iPad Kindle subscriptions if they were offered. It might not hurt to let them know you want that feature in the Kindle app.

In the meantime, you have another option… Weightless Books (the people behind Small Beer Press and Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet) sells EPUB and Mobi subscriptions of Clarkesworld. Sure, they don’t auto-deliver to your device, but they will email you when the new files are available and that’s the next best thing.

As always, your feedback is appreciated. If you have thoughts about how we could improve the subscriptions, ebook editions, marketing or have a contact that might be able to help us out, please get in touch with me.

Thanks!