Subtext is Everything

[leahbobet]

It seems there is a new FAQ at the very top of the SFWA home page, titled "Why Should I Join SFWA?" and featuring responses from the current president to "real letters" asking this very question.

I browsed through and found one of the questions/answers notable.

Q: I've heard there's some tension in SFWA between the old crowd of established writers and the "newbies" like me. Will I feel uncomfortable?

A: A good rule to follow is: Never give too much weight to a few strident voices. For as long as the organization has existed, a few loud voices have always declared that the Old Farts should dry up and blow away and make room for the Young Writers Who Really Have Something To Say. Most new members' experience is of how open to questions and how generous in giving advice the more established members are.

I find the subtext to this answer -- and the very existence of this FAQ -- interesting in the extreme.

Discuss?

Comments

[sallytuppence.livejournal.com]

Veeerrrry interesting indeed! My experience of the horrible SFWA lounge is that the reactionary "old farts" (not all of whom are old) are always, always putting down anyone who dares suggest changing anything. Sometimes maliciously, sometimes passively aggressive.

So yeah, interesting subtext.

Data point. I've been a SFWA member since 2003 and I will not be renewing my membership this year. I don't expect SFWA do DO anything for me, beyond providing community, and a resource where I can go with questions. When I joined, I was excited to nominate things for the Nebula, and looked forward to interesting articles in the Bulletin.

But the SFWA culture, as reflected in the Lounge, is poisonous. People always say, "SFWA is not the Lounge" but I don't see any proof, anywhere, that this is true. The Nebula awards, the bulletin, the whole culture of the organization is sick.

My conclusion about SFWA: it wants to pretend it is a professional organization, but it is not.

[leahbobet.livejournal.com]

If they have seen a need to put up a membership FAQ as the very first item on the front page, I suspect they are walking a road where they will not be a professional organization in any way very soon. I'm just wondering which of the major causes of membership non-renewal it was this year that spurred it.

If they're putting up that FAQ, clearly the road does not have a speed limit.