Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
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Science Fiction Writers of America, or SFWA (pronounced /ˈsɪfwə/ or /ˈsɛfwə/)[1], was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight. The organization has since changed its name to Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc., but continues with the acronym SFWA after a very brief use of the acronym SFFWA.
SFWA is a nonprofit association of science fiction and fantasy writers. Most members live in the United States. Active membership is limited to professionally published authors in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, or horror; the minimum qualification is the sale of one novel or dramatic script, or three short stories to venues with certain minimum circulations or pay rates. Associate membership is for professionally published authors who have not yet qualified for active membership. The "America" in the organization's title refers to the fact that the primary focus of SFWA's author advocacy concerns publishing in the United States. Authors, regardless of nationality or residence, must be professionally published in the English language in order to qualify as SFWA members. SFWA has approximately 1,500 members as of 2007.
SFWA presents the Nebula Award each year for the best short story, novelette, novella, novel, and script. It also gives the Andre Norton Award each year for best young adult novel, the occasional Bradbury award for best dramatic presentation, the Author Emeritus recognition to a senior writer whose major impact was long ago or overlooked, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement in science fiction or fantasy.
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[edit] Presidents
- Damon Knight (1965-1967)
- Robert Silverberg (1967-1968)
- Alan E. Nourse (1968-1969)
- Gordon R. Dickson (1969-1971)
- James E. Gunn (1971-1972)
- Poul Anderson (1972-1973)
- Jerry Pournelle (1973-1974)
- Frederik Pohl (1974-1976)
- Andrew J. Offutt (1976-1978)
- Jack Williamson (1978-1980)
- Norman Spinrad (1980-1982)
- Marta Randall (1982-1984)
- Charles Sheffield (1984-1986)
- Jane Yolen (1986-1988)
- Greg Bear (1988-1990)
- Ben Bova (1990-1992)
- Joe Haldeman (1992-1994)
- Barbara Hambly (1994-1996)
- Michael Capobianco (1996-1998)
- Robert J. Sawyer (1998)
- Paul Levinson (1998-2001)
- Norman Spinrad (2001-2002)
- Sharon Lee (2002-2003)
- Catherine Asaro (2003-2005)
- Robin Wayne Bailey (2005-2007)
- Michael Capobianco (2007-2008)
- Russell Davis (2008- )[2]
[edit] Controversies
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Polish writer Stanislaw Lem was given an honorary membership that was later rescinded. [1], [2]
The SFWA "epiracy" group sent out a number of over-broad and inappropriate DMCA takedown notices to online hosting sites such as scribd in 2007. Later they issued apologies, rescinded the notices and eventually abolished the epiracy group. [3]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "About those acronyms / Is it SFWA or SFFWA?". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.. http://sfwa.org/org/sfwa-sffwa.htm. Retrieved on 2007-12-28.
- ^ "SFWA Election Results". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Inc.. 2008-04-26. http://www.sfwa.org/news/2008/eresults.htm.
[edit] External links
- SFWA's official website
- Interview with Writer Beware's Victoria Strauss with Writer Unboxed.
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