I suppose I wanted to be convinced. While at a convention last summer, I attended a panel of SFWA members there to discuss and answer questions about the organization. When the panelists mentioned it would be nice to hear from a writer who qualified for membership but had chosen not to apply, I put […]
Before I talk of the tribulations that accompany a writer’s life overseas, I want to emphasize that the experience is profoundly rewarding. One of the greatest benefits is the ability to step outside the cultural milieu of the United States and look back on everything you took for granted.
Back in college, when I first set out to be a professional author, the biggest question I wanted answered upfront was: “What does being a pro author mean?” What were the qualifications? How did I set goals to become a professional so I could know if I’d attained that level? Lo and behold, as I […]
When I first qualified for SFWA, it had been going through yet another kerfuffle—which one almost certainly doesn’t matter; they tend to come up again and again. People were quitting, and there were questions about whether SFWA is still relevant. That’s why I knew I had to join. I believe in a big tent philosophy—that […]
Tanith Lee (b.1947) died on May 24. She was nominated for the Nebula twice, once for her debut non-juvenile novel, Birthgrave, and later for the short story “Red As Blood.”
It happens that I’m writing this blog in an airport, on my way home from a con where I moderated a panel about what SFWA offers to members. It’s something I’ve talked about a lot over the last few years, either at events like that or just in conversation with other writers: laying out all […]
When I heard that the SFWA blog editors were asking members to write about their experiences with SFWA, my first thought was that I wasn’t the right person to do such a post. After all, I’m not a big-name author, so nobody is going to seek out what I have to say just because I’m […]
I joined SFWA for the same reason I have joined other professional organizations over the course of my career—it’s important to be part of the industry at a group level to be in the know, get to meet other professionals, and make use of the resources provided by the organization. Writing is a business, a […]
Ballots have been tallied and certified. The current board serves until June 30th. On July 1, 2015 current Vice President Cat Rambo will start a two year term as president, and current Secretary Susan Forest continues for two years in that post.
Right about now, many of you are wishing that you never had to deal with about half of SFWA ever again, but let’s step back momentarily from the fury and heartaching, and look at the discussion for what it really is: a family argument. No, it won’t ever be settled to everyone’s satisfaction. Many families […]
In this vibrant and approachable book, award-winning writers of black speculative fiction bring together excerpts from their work and creative reflections on futurisms with original essays.
Renan Bernardo is a Nebula finalist author of science fiction and fantasy from Brazil. His fiction appeared in Reactor/Tor.com, Apex Magazine, Podcastle, Escape Pod, and other places. His collection Different Kinds of Defiance was published in 2024.
