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A few months ago I wrote a post about things that don’t excite me in submissions. None of the things in that post were absolute killers, but if a story ticks the boxes in that post, it’s less likely to make the grade with me and see publication. This post is about things I look …

For your viewing pleasure a look at some in progress work from Alison McGlone, whose work will be featured on my Patreon in the future. If you like what you see and would like to help Alison out consider donating to her Go Fund Me to help cover some unexpected vet bills.

by Curtis Ellett I first encountered Old Knucklebone when PJ Atwater queried me about whether I would be interested in it for Swords & Sorcery Magazine as I had published several of his stories previously. My answer was no, the story is too long, but I would be happy to read it. I am very glad …

If you have read the submission guidelines for Swords & Sorcery Magazine, you know that I am looking for what I might call “pre-industrial fantasy”, stories set in worlds where technology has not yet progressed to steam engines, electric telegraphs, or repeating firearms. Anything that fits that description is fair game and will get a …

One thing that many rejected submissions to Swords & Sorcery Magazine have in common is that they contain more than a few errors. Spelling mistakes, grammar goofs, and (probably) accidental malapropisms are scattered through the text like landmines, ready to blow the reader right out of the story. Typos happen, of course, and it’s not …

I must begin with a confession. I do not read every submission to the end. Some few I eliminate without reading them at all—they obviously do not fit the guidelines because they are too short, too long, or the author describes them as some sort of modern fantasy or science fiction that I don’t publish …

This post is about something trivial, but intensely irritating: the use of slayed as the past tense of  to slay, meaning to kill. This is a stumbling block for me. When I come across it in a story I trip and fall flat, or rather the story does. In my mind, the proper past tense …

After more than twelve years publishing Swords & Sorcery I have decided that it’s time for it to bring in some income. My loving, supportive, and patient wife Jennifer has been hinting for years that it would be great if S&SM could pay for its own expenses. If things work out I also hope to …

by Curtis Ellett Welcome to the first installment of the Swords & Sorcery Magazine blog. If you are reading this you have no doubt noticed a change in the website design. It is still quite basic, but now it can be expanded and updated more easily. Going forward I have plans to continue making it more …