Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association explained

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association
Native Name:Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Size:250px
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:Anthony W. Eichenlaub (acting)
Membership:Approx. 2,500 members[1]
Headquarters:Enfield, CT
Founded:1965
Founder:Damon Knight
Type:Advocacy group, trade association
Status:501(c)(3)
Purpose:SFWA informs, supports, promotes, defends and advocates for its members.
Region Served:Worldwide

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, doing business as Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association, commonly known as SFWA (or) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. While SFWA is based in the United States, its membership is open to writers worldwide. The organization was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight under the name Science Fiction Writers of America. The president of SFWA as of July 1, 2021 is Jeffe Kennedy.

SFWA has about 2,500 members worldwide.[1]

Active SFWA members may vote for the Nebula Awards, one of the principal English-language science fiction awards.

Mission

SFWA informs, supports, promotes, defends and advocates for its members.[2]

SFWA activities include informing science fiction and fantasy writers on professional matters, protecting their interests,[3] and helping them deal effectively with agents, editors, anthologists, and producers in print and non-print media;[4] encouraging public interest in and appreciation for science fiction and fantasy literature; sponsoring, editing, and disseminating writings, papers, books, pamphlets, and other publications which exemplify science fiction and fantasy literature of high quality; conducting conferences, public discussion groups, forums, lectures, and seminar programs; and furnishing services connected with this stated purpose.

History

Science Fiction Writers of America, Inc. was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight in association with a group of writers connected to the Milford Conference, which he also headed. According to Todd McCaffrey, the organization immediately "acquired great status in its efforts to help J.R.R. Tolkien get fair recompense in America for pirated sales of The Lord of the Rings".[5] In 1991, the name of the organization was changed to Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, to reflect the fact that the organization had always included writers working in multiple genres.[6] After the name change, both SFWA and SFFWA were used as acronyms. The acronym SFWA was re-established officially in 1996.[7]

In 1973, SFWA awarded an honorary membership to Polish author Stanisław Lem. Some SFWA members, notably Philip José Farmer, were incensed by Lem's negative opinions of American science fiction, while others opposed Lem's membership because he lived in a Communist country.[8] As a result, in 1976 SFWA rescinded Lem's membership.[9] Several members protested that decision, notably Ursula K. Le Guin, who resigned her membership and refused the Nebula Award for Best Novelette for The Diary of the Rose.[8] [10]

In 1982, Lisa Tuttle withdrew her short story "The Bone Flute" from the final Nebula ballot, to protest what she saw as excessive campaigning for awards and that voters did not receive copies of nominated works. Her withdrawal was sent after voting had been completed. When informed she had won, she contacted SFWA and told them she refused to accept it. She was told that her reasons for doing so would be announced. Her publisher accepted the award in her place, apparently with no knowledge of her withdrawal, and there was no mention of her objection.[11]

In September 2009, SFWA joined the Open Book Alliance to oppose the Google Book Settlement.[12] As a party to the class action suit, SFWA had recently explained its reservations about the settlement and declared its intention to file an objection.[13]

In 2013, the SFWA Bulletin was the subject of a controversy about sexism (see below).[14] This led to a brief hiatus, followed by a reboot of the magazine.

In 2014, the original Massachusetts corporation was dissolved and SFWA reincorporated as a California nonprofit 501(c)3 organization with new bylaws.[15]

In 2022, the organization filed to do future business as the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association to reflect the participation of their non-US members.[16]

Activities

SFWA participates in various trade shows and publishing industry events in the United States and abroad, including BookExpo America, the American Library Association Midwinter Conference, the USA Science & Engineering Festival, and several major (and minor) science fiction, fantasy and media conventions. SFWA holds a semi-annual business meeting at the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) when it is held in North America, and at the North American Science Fiction Convention (NASFiC) otherwise.[17]

SFWA also hosts its own events, which include:

Advocacy and support

As an organization, SFWA acts as an advocate to effect important changes within the publishing industry, especially among publishers of science fiction and fantasy, by promoting author-friendly copyright legislation, equitable treatment of authors, and fair contract terms.

Writer Beware

SFWA sponsors Writer Beware, whose mission is to track, expose, and raise awareness of the prevalence of fraud and other questionable activities in and around the publishing industry. Writer Beware[20] exists as a subpage of the SFWA website, which provides the latest information on literary schemes, scams, and pitfalls; the Writer Beware blog,[21] which provides the latest information on literary schemes, scams, and pitfalls; the Writer Beware blog, which provides up-to-the-minute information on specific scams and schemes, along with advice for writers and industry news and commentary; and the Writer Beware Facebook page, which posts links to articles, news items, and warnings of interest to writers, and provides a forum for discussion. Writer Beware receives the support of the Mystery Writers of America and the Horror Writers Association.[22]

Writer Beware maintains an extensive database of complaints on questionable literary agents, publishers, independent editors, writers’ services, contests, publicity services, and others, and offers a free research and information service for writers. Writer Beware staff assist law enforcement agencies with investigations of literary fraud, and have been instrumental in the convictions of several literary scammers.[23] [24]

Griefcom

Griefcom, or the Grievance Committee, is formed of member volunteers who undertake to mediate writer disputes and grievances between member writers and their publishers.[4]

Emergency Medical Fund

SFWA's Emergency Medical Fund was established to assist eligible writers who have unexpected medical expenses.[25]

Legal Fund

SFWA's Legal Fund was established to create loans for eligible member writers who have writing-related court costs and other related legal expenses.[26]

Estate Project

Founded by longtime SFWA member Bud Webster, the Estate Project is now headed by Mishell Baker. It maintains a list of the estates of deceased SFWA member writers and coordinates with living member writers to make arrangements for their future estates. The Estate Project also accumulates information about authors' archives for member writers, living or dead.29.[27]

Awards

Publications

The SFWA Bulletin

The SFWA Bulletin is a quarterly magazine that SFWA members receive as part of their membership, but it is also available (by subscription) to non-members. The Bulletin carries nonfiction articles of general interest to writers, especially science fiction and fantasy writers. It accepts submissions, for which the pay rate is 8 cents a word.[4] The current Bulletin editor is Neil Clarke.[38]

In 2013, a controversy about sexism in the Bulletin led to the resignation of editor Jean Rabe on June 5, 2013.[39] More than 50 authors[40] wrote blog posts in objection to comments by longtime contributors Mike Resnick and Barry N. Malzberg that included references to "lady editors" and "lady writers" who were "beauty pageant beautiful" or a "knock out", an article by C. J. Henderson praising Barbie for maintaining "quiet dignity the way a woman should", and the "exploitative" cover image of no. 200 of the Bulletin depicting a woman in a chain-mail bikini. Several authors used the occasion to speak out against sexism in science fiction genre circles more broadly. The controversy continued through Bulletin no. 202, which contained another column by Resnick and Malzberg, discussing the response to their earlier column.[41] Their column framed that response as censorship, referring to their critics as "liberal fascists".[42] In February 2014 a proposal to establish an advisory board to oversee content was met by a petition circulated by editor and critic Dave Truesdale supporting freedom of speech in the Bulletin.[43]

As a result of the controversy, SFWA president John Scalzi apologized to members,[44] and the Bulletin was put on hiatus for six months.[45] It reappeared with the Winter 2014 Special Issue, #203, but has been on a reduced schedule, publishing an average of 2 issues per year.

The special issue was edited by Tansy Rayner Roberts and Jaym Gates and "was specially created to be used as an outreach tool for conventions and other events."[46] The issue's contents and cover were welcomed by some as an antidote to the perceived sexism of past issues[47] though Sue Granquist felt that something looked "suspiciously like a woman in a burka".[48]

The Forum Binary

The Forum Binary is a biannual publication that functions as SFWA's internal publication of record for members. As such, it is not available to non-members.

The SFWA Blog

SFWA also publishes short essays and other content relevant to writers on the SFWA Blog.

Membership

Most members live in the United States but membership is open to qualifying writers worldwide. Authors, regardless of nationality or residence, must be professionally published in a qualifying market as listed by SFWA in order to become SFWA members. At present, all listed qualifying markets publish only in the English language.

Dues for most member categories are $100 annually.[49]

Presidents

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Championing SFF Storytellers at 2,500 Members and Beyond! . Jeffe . Kennedy . December 27, 2022. SFWA (sfwa.org) . 2023-01-01.
  2. Web site: Who We Are . SFWA . 2014-08-08.
  3. News: Capobianco. Michael. Michael Capobianco . Copyright Battles and SFWA. The SFWA Bulletin. Winter 2014. 26 (4): 40.
  4. News: Fiscus. Jim . SFWA Standards for Pay. The SFWA Bulletin. Winter 2014. 26 (4): 43.
  5. [Todd McCaffrey|McCaffrey, Todd]
  6. News: SFWA Forum. 124. 1991.
  7. News: SFWA Forum. 152. 1996.
  8. Web site: Le Guin. Ursula. The Literary Prize for the Refusal of Literary Prizes. The Paris Review. 25 December 2018. 6 December 2017. 21 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200121094400/https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2017/12/06/literary-prize-refusal-literary-prizes/. live.
  9. Web site: Stanislaw Lem – Frequently Asked Questions. SWFA, quoted on Lem's homepage. Stanislaw Lem. 20 February 2009. 20 February 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090220073127/http://english.lem.pl/index.php/faq#SWFA. live.
  10. News: Dugdale . John . How to turn down a prestigious literary prize – a winner's guide to etiquette . 25 December 2018 . . 21 May 2016 . 25 December 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181225175448/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/may/21/how-turn-down-prestigious-literary-prize-winners-guide-etiquette . live .
  11. Web site: Nebula Awards . Ansible . 26 . June 1982 . 2009-08-07.
  12. Web site: Open Book Alliance . . September 2, 2009 . 2011-07-26.
  13. News: SFWA statement on proposed Google book settlement . SFWA . August 8, 2009 . 2015-07-16 .
  14. News: Flood. Alison. Science fiction authors attack sexism amid row over SFWA magazine. 2013-06-17 . . June 12, 2013.
  15. "Entry on the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America," The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, accessed March 30, 2017.
  16. Web site: Communications . SFWA . 2022-06-30 . Introducing the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association . 2022-11-05 . SFWA . en-US.
  17. News: Silver. Steven H. Steven H Silver . SFWA Annual Events. The SFWA Bulletin. Winter 2014. 26 (4): 59.
  18. News: Silver. Steven H . The NY Reception. The SFWA Bulletin. Winter 2014. 26 (4): 60.
  19. "SFWA Pacific Northwest Reading Series," Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, accessed March 30, 2017.
  20. Web site: Writer Beware .
  21. Web site: Writer Beware Blog .
  22. Web site: About Writer Beware . SFWA . 1998–2013 . 2014-11-02. "Except for graphics, and where specifically indicated, all Writer Beware® contents copyright © 1998-2013 Victoria Strauss."
  23. Web site: Indie Author Beware . Sargent, Betty Kelly . January 6, 2014 . . March 28, 2017 . You don’t have to be a genre writer to benefit from this excellent site and its Writer Beware blog. Its mission is to “track, expose, and raise awareness of the prevalence of fraud and other questionable activities in and around the publishing industry.” They say that they “maintain an extensive database of questionable literary agents, publishers, independent editors, writers’ services, contests, publicity services, and others.” If you have a complaint about a company you have worked with or a question you can email them at beware@sfwa.org..
  24. News: Schudel . Matt . A.C. Crispin dies at 63; author of sci-fi and tie-in novels . Washington Post . September 7, 2013 . March 28, 2017 . Ms. Crispin served 10 years as eastern regional director of the writers’ group and helped found the watchdog committee called Writer Beware in 1998. Writer Beware is a group that alerts people to online scams of would-be agents and publishers, seeking to entrap and defraud would-be writers unfamiliar with the publishing world. Ms. Crispin helped uncover hundreds of cases, testified in court, and assisted the FBI and prosecutors in sending several scam artists to prison..
  25. Web site: SFWA Emergency Medical Fund. Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. 25 December 2016.
  26. News: Capobianco. Michael . Copyright Battles and SFWA. The SFWA Bulletin. Winter 2014. 26 (4): 40.
  27. News: Clough. Brenda W.. Brenda Clough . The Estates Project. The SFWA Bulletin. Winter 2014. 26 (4): 13.
  28. "Nebula Award rules," Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, accessed March 30, 2017.
  29. Web site: About the SFWA Grand Master Award . The Locus Index to SF Awards . Locus Publications (locusmag.com) . 2011-07-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110805165759/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/GrandMaster.html . 2011-08-05 .
  30. Web site: SFWA Grand Master Award Winners By Year . The Locus Index to SF Awards . Locus . 2011-07-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110805173202/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/GrandMasterWinsByYear.html . 2011-08-05 .
  31. Web site: Locus Magazine . Ray Bradbury Award . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110605211851/http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/01/ray-bradbury-award.html . 2011-06-05 .
  32. "Introduction to Author Emeritus Neal Barrett, Jr.," The Nebula Awards Showcase 2011 edited by Kevin J. Anderson, Tom Doherty Associates, 2011, page 101.
  33. "Honoring Andre: The Andre Norton Award" by Josepha Sherman, Nebula Awards Showcase 2007 edited by Mike Resnick, Penguin, 2007.
  34. "Armstrong Wins SFWA Service Award," Locus Magazine, April 28, 2014.
  35. Web site: About the Other SFWA Awards . The Locus Index to SF Awards . Locus . 2011-07-26 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111016210647/http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/Db/Sfwa.html . 2011-10-16 .
  36. Web site: Sir Terry Pratchett to Receive the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award . Kathryn . Baker . SFWA . March 14, 2016 . May 19, 2019.
  37. Web site: 2023-04-27 . The Inaugural Infinity Award Honoree: Octavia E. Butler . 2023-05-01 . Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association . en-US.
  38. Web site: SFWA Announces New SFWA Bulletin Editor - SFWA. 25 January 2016.
  39. News: Anders. Charlie Jane. Charlie Anders . The editor of SFWA's bulletin resigns over sexist articles. 2013-06-07 . . June 6, 2013.
  40. News: Griner. David. Will the Fantasy Genre Ever Grow Up and Ditch the Chainmail Bikini? Industry bulletin's cover sets off firestorm. 2013-06-07 . . June 4, 2013.
  41. News: Romano. Aja . SFWA sexism rocks the science-fiction blogosphere . . June 7, 2013 . 2015-07-16 . Last updated February 25, 2014.
  42. News: Mike. Resnick. Mike Resnick . Barry N.. Malzberg. Barry N. Malzberg . Talk Radio Redux . The SFWA Bulletin. Summer 2013. 47 (3): 45–50. Archive copy retrieved 2015-07-16.
  43. Web site: Controversial email inflames sexism debate in sci-fi community. Romano, Aja. The Daily Dot. 10 February 2014. 21 September 2016.
  44. Web site: Scalzi. John. John Scalzi . Presidential Statement on the SFWA Bulletin . SFWA . June 2, 2013 . 2013-06-17 .
  45. Web site: Plan for Moving Ahead with the Bulletin. SFWA . 2013-06-17 . June 13, 2013.
  46. News: Gates . Jaym . February 27, 2014 . SFWA Bulletin Returns . SFWA . 2014-03-29.
  47. News: Sanford . Jason . Jason Sanford . March 26, 2014 . The new SFWA Bulletin is blowing my mind . Jason Sanford (jasonsanford.com) . dead . 2015-07-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140517132251/http://www.jasonsanford.com/jason/2014/03/the-new-sfwa-bulletin-is-blowing-my-mind.html . May 17, 2014.
  48. News: O'Neill . John . March 3, 2014 . The Return of The SFWA Bulletin . Black Gate: Adventures in Fantasy Literature (blackgate.com) . 2015-07-16. Comment by Sue Granquist (March 5, 2014): "That “fantastic piece of cover art” looks suspiciously like a woman in a burka. ‘Nuff said.."
  49. Web site: Membership Requirements . SFWA . 2023-08-23. Page was updated with new membership requirements in March 2022.