Friday, March 23, 2007

My Last SFWA Speech!

I realize this topic is of no interest to most of you, so I shall probably make this my last post on the matter--but for those who do care, I have this little speech to make:

I was a bit discouraged reading all the commentators on Scalzi's blog who are saying: I would vote for you, but, though I qualify, I never bothered to join SFWA.

Back when I first qualified, I wasn't going to join SFWA either, but then a very wise gentleman (Paul Park) told me I should, noting that then I could nominate for the Nebulas, and would get an invitation to the SFWA Editors reception held every October. Of course, you can go to the reception without being a member of SFWA, but receptions are expensive things, and it seemed to me that rather than freeloading year after a year, I should be chipping in somehow. And having the option to nominate for the Nebulas is always nice. I don't nominate often, but when I do, it's heartfelt.

So I joined SFWA, expecting to get those advantages, but none other. Alas, SFWA didn't seem to have any other relevance to me. However, those advantages mentioned above aside, it also seemed to me that SFWA, for better or worse, is the professional Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers organization, and being a professional fantasy writer, I should support them for that reason alone.

Now I'm glad I did join SFWA, and I can't help but wish that others had done so as well, rather than remaining aloof. The only chance of change is from within.

Of course, until now, I didn't try to do much to change from within, but it's hard to muster up a solo effort. Now that a movement is under way, I'm delighted to be able to participate.

And I urge those of you who can qualify but haven't, and who want to see change, to get your paperwork in the mail ASAP and join the Revolution!

Back to regularly scheduled programming.

1 comment:

Mirtika said...

Well, I hope one day to qualify, but I don't.

And the day I do qualify, I will join. I agree with you: it's the professional assoc and one should join and participate, even nominally. One can only change existing structures from within, and one must join to be "within". Makes sense to me.

Mir

Mir