All Topics  
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
 
 
  Topics Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Topic Home

Science Fiction Writers of America, or SFWA ( or ), was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight
Damon Knight

Damon Francis Knight was an United States science fiction author, editor, literary criticism and science fiction fandom....
. 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 non-profit association of science fiction
Science fiction

Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theatre, and other media....
 and fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
 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.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America'
Start a new discussion about 'Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Science Fiction Writers of America, or SFWA ( or ), was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight
Damon Knight

Damon Francis Knight was an United States science fiction author, editor, literary criticism and science fiction fandom....
. 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 non-profit association of science fiction
Science fiction

Science fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theatre, and other media....
 and fantasy
Fantasy

Fantasy is a genre that uses magic and other supernatural forms as a primary element of Plot , Theme , and/or Setting . Fantasy is generally distinguished from science fiction and horror by the expectation that it steers clear of technological and macabre themes, respectively, though there is a great deal of overlap between the three ....
 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 U. S. A. Authors (regardless of nationality or residence) must be professionally published in the English language in order to qualify as SFWA members. SFWA boasts approximately 1,500 members as of 2007.

SFWA presents the Nebula Award
Nebula Award

The Nebula Award is an award given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America , for the best science fiction/fantasy fiction published in the United States during the two previous years ....
 each year for the best short story, novelette, novella, novel, and script. It also gives the Andre Norton Award
Andre Norton Award

The Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, named to honor prolific science fiction and fantasy author Andre Norton , is a yearly juried award presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America to the author of an outstanding young adult science fiction or fantasy book published in the previous year....
 each year for Best Young Adult novel, the occasional Bradbury
Ray Bradbury

Ray Douglas Bradbury is an United States literature, fantasy, Horror fiction, science fiction, and mystery writer.Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles, Bradbury is widely considered one of the greatest and most popular American writers of speculative fiction of the twentieth century....
 award for best dramatic presentation, the Author Emeritus
Author Emeritus

Author Emeritus award is an honorary title bestowed by SFWA It was created "as a way to recognize and appreciate senior writers in the genres of science fiction and fantasy who have made significant contributions to our field but who are no longer active or whose excellent work may no longer be as widely known as it once was." The Author Emer...
 recognition to a senior writer whose major impact was long ago or overlooked, and the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award
Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award

The Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award is an award given by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. It is awarded to a living author for lifetime achievement in science fiction and/or fantasy....
 for a lifetime's extraordinary achievement in science fiction or fantasy.

SFWA maintains a web site that provides a lot of information for writers. A popular feature of the site is , which provides information and warnings about literary scams, schemes, and pitfalls.

Presidents

  • Damon Knight
    Damon Knight

    Damon Francis Knight was an United States science fiction author, editor, literary criticism and science fiction fandom....
     (1965-1967)
  • Robert Silverberg
    Robert Silverberg

    Robert Silverberg is a prolific United States author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple winner of both the Hugo Award and Nebula Awards....
     (1967-1968)
  • Alan E. Nourse
    Alan E. Nourse

    Alan Edward Nourse was an United States science fiction author and physician. He wrote both juvenile and adult science fiction, as well as nonfiction works about medicine and science....
     (1968-1969)
  • Gordon R. Dickson
    Gordon R. Dickson

    Gordon Rupert Dickson was an United States science fiction author. He was born in Canada, then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, Minnesota as a teenager....
     (1969-1971)
  • James E. Gunn
    James Gunn (author)

    James Edwin Gunn is an United States Science Fiction author, editor, scholar, and anthologist. His work from the 1960s and 70s is considered his most significant fiction, and his The Road to Science Fiction collections are considered his most important scholarly books....
     (1971-1972)
  • Poul Anderson
    Poul Anderson

    Poul William Anderson was an American science fiction author who wrote during a Golden Age of Science Fiction of the genre. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy....
     (1972-1973)
  • Jerry Pournelle
    Jerry Pournelle

    Jerry Eugene Pournelle is an United States science fiction writer, essayist and journalist who contributed for many years to the computer magazine Byte and has since 1998 been maintaining his own website/blog....
     (1973-1974)
  • Frederik Pohl
    Frederik Pohl

    Frederik George Pohl, Jr. is an United States science fiction science fiction writer, editor and science fiction fandom, with a career spanning over seventy years....
     (1974-1976)
  • Andrew J. Offutt
    Andrew J. Offutt

    Andrew Jefferson Offutt is an United States science fiction and fantasy author. He has written as Andrew J. Offutt, A. J. Offutt, and Andy Offutt....
     (1976-1978)
  • Jack Williamson
    Jack Williamson

    John Stewart Williamson , who wrote as Jack Williamson was a United States writer often referred to as the "Dean of Science Fiction"....
     (1978-1980)
  • Norman Spinrad
    Norman Spinrad

    Norman Richard Spinrad is an American science fiction author.Norman Spinrad, born in New York City, is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science....
     (1980-1982)
  • Marta Randall
    Marta Randall

    Marta Randall is a science fiction writer.In addition to writing numerous science fiction novels and short fiction, Marta Randall has edited for New Dimensions and Nebula Awards 19....
     (1982-1984)
  • Charles Sheffield
    Charles Sheffield

    Charles Sheffield , was an England-born mathematician, physicist and science fiction author. He had been a President of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and of the American Astronomical Society....
     (1984-1986)
  • Jane Yolen
    Jane Yolen

    Jane Hyatt Yolen is an United States author and editing of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books....
     (1986-1988)
  • Greg Bear
    Greg Bear

    Gregory Dale Bear is an American science fiction and mainstream author. His work has covered themes of galactic conflict , artificial universes , consciousness and cultural practices , and accelerated evolution ....
     (1988-1990)
  • Ben Bova
    Ben Bova

    Benjamin William Bova is an American science fiction author and editor....
     (1990-1992)
  • Joe Haldeman
    Joe Haldeman

    Joe William Haldeman is an United States science fiction author.Life and workHaldeman was born 09. June 1943 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma....
     (1992-1994)
  • Barbara Hambly
    Barbara Hambly

    Barbara Hambly is an award winning and prolific United States novelist and screenwriter within the genres of fantasy, science fiction, mystery, and historical fiction....
     (1994-1996)
  • Michael Capobianco
    Michael Capobianco

    Michael Victor Capobianco is an American science fiction writer.He is known for writing novels in collaboration with William Barton . Many of their novels deal with themes such as the Cold War, Spaceflight, and space opera....
     (1996-1998)
  • Robert J. Sawyer
    Robert J. Sawyer

    Robert James Sawyer is a Canada science fiction writer, born in Ottawa in 1960 and now resident in Mississauga. He has published 18 novels, and his short fiction has appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Amazing Stories, On Spec, Nature, and numerous anthologies....
     (1998)
  • Paul Levinson
    Paul Levinson

    Paul Levinson is an United States author and professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York City. Levinson's novels, short fiction, and non-fiction works have been translated into twelve languages....
     (1998-2001)
  • Norman Spinrad (again) (2001-2002)
  • Sharon Lee
    Sharon Lee (writer)

    Sharon Lee is an United States writer. She is the co-author of the Liaden universe novels and stories, as well as other works, and individually the author of two mystery novels....
     (2002-2003)
  • Catherine Asaro
    Catherine Asaro

    Catherine Asaro is an United States science fiction and fantasy author. She is best known for her books about the Ruby Dynasty set in the Skolian Empire, known as the Saga of the Skolian Empire....
     (2003-2005)
  • Robin Wayne Bailey
    Robin Wayne Bailey

    Robin Wayne Bailey is the author of numerous fantasy and science fiction works, including DragonKin. His other well-known works include: the Frost series, which has been optioned for film by Scriptzone Productions; Brothers of the Dragon series; and Fritz Leiber-inspired Fafhrd and Gray Mouser novel, Swords Against The Shadowland,...
     (2005-2007)
  • Michael Capobianco (again) (2007-2008)
  • Russell Davis (2008- )


See also

  • The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964
    The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume One, 1929-1964

    The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1964 is a 1970 anthology of science fiction short story, edited by Robert Silverberg. It is generally considered one of the best, if not the best, of the many science fiction anthologies....
  • Atlanta Nights
    Atlanta Nights

    Atlanta Nights is a collaborative novel created by a group of science fiction and fantasy authors, with the express purpose of producing a bad piece of work of unpublishable quality and testing whether publishing firm PublishAmerica would still accept it....


External links

  • with Writer Unboxed.