This isn’t exactly breaking news.  I’ve known about it for a couple of days but had other things I wanted to discuss; I have no idea how long the announcement was been out there.  What am I talking about?  John Joseph Adams’ announcement that Lightspeed and Fantasy were going to merge into a single magazine.  I think the way he’s going about it is smart.  It also falls right in line with what I suggested recently about what should happen if anyone decides to resurrect Realms of Fantasy again.

Specifically, my suggestion to cut back on the nonfiction in the magazine and focus more on the fiction.  If you read his announcement, that’s what Adams is doing with the two magazines.  He’s cut the nonfiction back considerably, while leaving the amount of fiction the same.   Actually that’s only true if you read the magazine online.  If you subscribe, there’s an exclusive novella with each issue.

In other words, here’s a publisher who realizes people read his magazine primarily for the fiction, and furthermore he’s taking steps to ensure they get what they want.  I said this was the smart way to run a fiction magazine when I reviewed the last issue of RoF.  Now that someone with the credentials of John Joseph Adams thinks the same thing and is willing to act on that idea, I’m going to say “I told you so.”

I wish Mr. Adams and his magazine the greatest success.  Oh, and I told you so.