Neil Clarke

Neil Clarke (born 1966) is an American editor and publisher, best known as the founder and editor-in-chief of Clarkesworld Magazine.

In 2006, Clarke launched Clarkesworld Magazine as a companion to his online bookstore Clarkesworld Books (2000-2007). He serves as the editor-in-chief of the digital publication. Fiction published in Clarkesworld has been nominated for or won the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Sturgeon, Locus, Ditmar, Aurealis, Shirley Jackson, WSFA Small Press and Stoker Awards. Clarkesworld has been a finalist for the Hugo Award in the Best Semiprozine category four times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2013) winning in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Clarke has been a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Editor: Short Form in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He received the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award from Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in May 2019 and won the Locus Award for Best Editor in 2024.

When Clarke closed his bookstore in 2007, he launched Wyrm Publishing, which has since published books by Gene Wolfe, Charles Stross, Catherynne M. Valente and others. Clarkesworld Magazine is currently published by Wyrm in online, digital, audio and print editions. He launched Forever Magazine in 2015 and became the editor of The SFWA Bulletin in early 2016. He edits The Best Science Fiction of the Year series for Night Shade Books. He is also the ebook designer for Cheeky Frawg Books, Prime Books, Wyrm Publishing and several magazines.

As of 2022, Clarke and his family reside in New Jersey.

Health In 2012, Clarke suffered a severe heart attack while attending Readercon, and had a defibrillator implanted. He has credited this event with having led him to become a full-time editor.