Orion's Belt

Orion’s Belt is the home of bold, experimental literary science fiction and fantasy. We want stories that make us think about our place in the universe and our relationships with each other. Find us at orions-belt.net.

One great submission can do more for you than twelve mediocre submissions. It's hard to get a story published--it is, and there's no escaping that--but it's not entirely random. Keep working and refining your stories, spending real time on them, and your chances improve.

If you write because you like writing, you will never be disappointed. That sounds simple but it's important. Your stories won't always be accepted or always be good. They probably will not solve all the world's problems. But if you like the process itself, that's great.

Writing is never one big puzzle to solve--it's a thousand little puzzles to figure out, one by one. Often it's hard to sync everything together; often, you solve one problem only for another to appear. But when everything works together, it feels fantastic, like a grand symphony.

And this month's essay is "Star Trek Utopianism" by me, regarding the importance of Star Trek not just as a media franchise but as emblematic of a particular spec-fic ideal worthy of being reclaimed. patreon.com/posts/star-tre…

The June 2025 issue of Orion's Belt is now available on Patreon to our Patrons. First we have our cover, which I have called "Dreamer," providing the gateway to the enticing issue of cosmic scopes and personal stakes.patreon.com/posts/134305410

There is no end of the road as a writer. There are milestones, especially when you finish a story or book, but there's no definite end. This is a good thing if you like the road--keep traveling onward.

Writing is difficult and wonderful because there is never one right answer. There are a lot of wrong answers, as you inevitably discover, but nit's not a math problem. There's no perfect solution--just whatever works the best for the scenario you create.

Being able to revise a piece is as important a skill as writing first drafts. Getting an idea down on paper is always good, but the true work happens in the revisions. No story is going to be 100 perfect the first time: think, refine, consider. You'll be better off!

For poetry, we have Bethany Brangen's contemplative poem of belonging, home, and yearning, "Shapeshifter." orions-belt.net/archives/shape…

And for this month's essay, we have my (@TheJoshuaAFagan) "Taking Lessons from Cowboy Bebop," looking back at what we can learn from the existential, precarious beauty and unease of an anime masterpiece. orions-belt.net/archives/takin…

For fiction, we have MR Robinson's weary, heartfelt reflection "A Recipe for ther Day Alban Kills the King". orions-belt.net/archives/a-rec…