The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume 3 will be published by Skyhorse/Start under their Night Shade Books imprint in early 2018. I am presently considering all science fiction stories (short stories, novelettes, and novellas) originally published in English in 2017. (Translations are allowed as long as their first English language appearance is in 2017.) To keep things simple, I will be using the publisher’s copyright, magazine’s cover date, or posting date (primarily for online fiction) to determine eligibility. Serialized works will be considered published at the time of the final installment.

Deadlines
Print materials must be received by November 1st. Digital materials must be received by November 15th. If your project is scheduled for publication after that date, please send galleys by the above deadlines so that I will have sufficient time to consider your work.

Rights
I will require non-exclusive World anthology rights in English in print, ebook, and audio formats for stories I select for this volume.

Delivery
I will accept science fiction stories, novelettes, and novellas for consideration in the following formats:

Print – mail to:
Neil Clarke
PO Box 172
Stirling, NJ 07980 

EPUB, MOBI, and .DOC – email to:
bestsciencefiction@clarkesworldmagazine.com

I dislike reading PDFs, so please do not send me work in this format unless you don’t have any other options and have cleared it with me in advance.

Publishers: If sending a magazine/anthology/collection that also contains other fantasy/horror/other stories, please list the titles of the science fiction stories in a cover letter or email.

Authors: I will not be able to let you know whether or not your work has been submitted by your publisher. To avoid duplication, please check with your publisher before sending a story. If your work is self-published, please include the date and location (blog, website, Amazon, etc.) your work was originally published.

Stories published in the following magazines and anthologies do not need to be submitted. I already have them.

Magazines: Analog, Apex, Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, Diabolical Plots, F&SF,  Fiction River, Galaxy’s Edge, Gamut, IGMS, Interzone, Lightspeed, Mithila Review, Mothership Zeta, Mythic Delirium, Strange Horizons, and Uncanny.

Anthologies: (updates pending) Cosmic Powers, Equus, Extrasolar, Five To The Future, Global Dystopias, Infinite Stars, Never Stop, The Self-Inflicted Relative, The Sum of Us,  Sunvault, Visions VII: Universe, and Where the Stars Rise

Sending a book/file/story is a one-way transaction. I will not be confirming receipt or returning materials.