New Editor-in-Chief Chosen to Steer SFWA’s Publications

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) is pleased to announce that Michi Trota will be the new SFWA Editor-in-Chief. The position was previously held by Neil Clarke, who stepped down earlier this year. SFWA thanks Clarke for his efforts guiding The SFWA Bulletin since joining SFWA’s staff in 2016.

Trota is a four-time Hugo Award winner, British Fantasy Award winner, and the first Filipina to win a Hugo Award. She is co-editor of the upcoming WisCon Chronicles Vol. 12 with Isabel Schechter (May 2020) and served as Uncanny: A Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy’s Managing Editor (2014-2019) and Nonfiction Editor (2019). Her nonfiction has been published in The Book Smugglers, Invisible: An Anthology of Representation in SF/F, and Chicago Magazine, and she was the exhibit text writer of Worlds Beyond Here: Expanding the Universe of APA Science Fiction (2018-2019) at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, WA. She’s spoken at C2E2, the Chicago Humanities Festival, and on NPR. Trota is a firespinner with the Raks Geek Fire+Bellydance troupe, past president of the Chicago Nerd Social Club Board of Organizers, and lives with her spouse and their two cats.

SFWA PRESIDENT, MARY ROBINETTE KOWAL:

“After a candidate search, the board selected Michi Trota to head our publications. We were all impressed with her vision and understanding of how the magazine could serve, not just the SFWA members, but the larger science-fiction and fantasy community. I am very much looking forward to working with her as we revitalize the Bulletin.”

The Editor-in-Chief is the official publisher of one of SFWA’s key communications vehicles, The SFWA Bulletin, and provides oversight and direction regarding SFWA publications and communications that help shape and maintain the organization’s reputation. This critical position is responsible to help facilitate SFWA’s goals and mission statement of informing, supporting, promoting, defending and advocating for its members.

“I’m thrilled by this incredible opportunity to take the helm of SFWA’s publications,” Trota said. “It’s an honor to step into the role of SFWA Editor-in-Chief and I look forward to working with Mary Robinette Kowal and the rest of the SFWA Board and staff.”

Trota will be the 20th Editor-in-Chief in SFWA’s 54-year history, and is the first Person of Color to serve as the organization’s Editor-in-Chief. Aside from her considerable work within SF/F, Trota also brings over 25 years of editorial and production experience in publishing and communications, particularly working with associations, educational institutions, and the arts community.

Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. was founded in 1965 by the American science fiction author Damon Knight and was originally named Science Fiction Writers of America. In 1991, the name of the organization was changed to Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, although the acronym SFWA was not changed. In 2013, the members of the organization voted to reincorporate in California, effectively beginning a new 501(c)3 public charity. Activities of the old Massachusetts corporation officially merged into the new California corporation as of July 1st, 2014. Today, SFWA is home to nearly 1900 authors, artists, and allied professionals, and is widely recognized as one of the most effective non-profit writers’ organizations in existence.