Writing
Fanwriting is writing by fans for fans.
It appears in fanzines, apazines, semiprozines and online. The writers receive egoboo and copies of the zines, but not filthy lucre.
Everything from bad fan fiction to book reviews to high-quality essays by accomplished writers, including both pro and fan writers, might be called fanwriting, but the term is most often used for nonfiction, the personal essay being considered the best and highest form of fanwriting by fanzine fans.
Fanwriting is about fandom, SF, and things fans are interested in -- namely, everything.
Great fan writers have included people like Bob Tucker, Harry Warner, Jr., Richard E. Geis, Terry Carr, Bob Shaw, Susan Wood, Arnie Katz, Dave Langford, Frederik Pohl, Claire Brialey, and Walt Willis.
The Best Fan Writer Hugo recognizes excellence in fan writing. The author of the best fanwriting of the year may also win a FAAn Award; in Ireland and the U.K., a Nova Award; in Australia, a Ditmar Award; or a Canadian Fanzine Fanac Award.
See fanwriter for more. Also see: Fanarkle, Article.
| From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959 |
| Often used in connection with fanzines to denote art work as well as fiction & nonfiction. Characteristics of the usual colloquial style, as distinguished from the puristic handling of grammar of which fans are capable when necessary, are various practices of the Ackermanese type (varying from fan to fan); considerable use of words and phrases in and from foreign languages (and, anciently, Esperanto) whenever the writer feels like it; and a tone as if the writer were talking to himself, or at least determining how he should say things primarily to suit himself.
Some people in the fan world, it must be added, do not share the competence of the typical fan in the matter of writing ability, and may produce gibberish like this: "Now there's understanding. A solid object you can understand. Prior to understanding something, there is the understanding... (My IQ has gone up fifty points while I've been here a year.) Hand in hand with the symbol-substituter effect-people prace toward the world's end. Or did, till a few seconds ago. There's a BUT in here..." Or they are addicted to guff of this sort: "I'll just drool till you get back; it's third door to the left... # Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, came a knocking at my dome, 'Ain't nobody home!' # With all this (and he --, too), mixed well, sprinkle with salt and poppa; take one whiff and I'll send you a few Daisies, pickled fresh from my harem. # Well, you have withstood my desultory comments. I have tried to be candid and affable. I can make one promise: you will find no cursory columns, but they will not be impeccable. I hope I have succeeded. Au 'voir, I'll be dropping in later -- # -- I hope!" And nothing can be done about it. Not, at least, since the Post Office passed that chicken-hearted regulation banning bombs from the mail. |
| From Fancyclopedia 1, ca. 1944 |
| Often used in connection with fanzines to include art work as well as fiction and non-fiction. Characteristic of the colloquial style, as distinguished from the puristic handling of grammar, of which fans are also capable, are various modified Ackermanese practices, which vary from fan to fan, considerable use of words and phrases from foreign languages (and Esperanto) whenever the writer feels like it, and a tone as tho the writer were talking to himself or at least determining how he shall say things primarily to suit himself.
Some people in the fan world, it must be added, do not share the excellence of the typical fan in the matter of writing ability, and if they aren't incoherent like this: "As per ammendment to entrance of my proposed ammendment, I shall get the necessary No. of signed members named to petition", are addicted to guff of this sort: "I'll just drool until you get back;
And nothing can be done about it. |
| Publishing |
