SFWA Election Blog is Now Up
Posted on March 18, 2007 Posted by John Scalzi 11 Comments
It’s here. It’s not actually a blog, it’s a newsgroup, because it was built fast and for this purpose. Anyone can read it — SFWAns, non-SFWAn spec fic writers who are interested in the process, SF/F fans and anyone else. However, to post questions and comments, you have to be a SFWA member. This makes sense to me because, after all, it is a SFWA election. But do feel free to comment about it here (in this thread) or on your own sites. Also, spread the word.
I’ll note this is something of a controversial experiment for SFWA; most of the time the election discussions and debates are internal. But I think now is a good time to let people see what SFWA’s concerns are and see where the membership wants to have the organization go. I do hope you’ll bookmark the newsgroup and check in on the questions and answers. And if you are a SFWA member — hey, asking some questions of the candidates wouldn’t be bad, eh?
My thanks to Jeffrey Dwight for building out this newsgroup on short notice, and to fellow candidate Michael Capobianco for agreeing to do this.
Update, 3:12pm: My SFWA candidacy post was the #9 blog post on the Internet yesterday, according to BlogPluse. Yay! People are interested!
So how does this compare to the BaconCat post?
BaconCat was #2.
Log rolling for Nebs has been with us since Damon Knight’s day. Clard and Effinger perfected flattering newbies for Nebs.
The idea of making the Nebs mean more insures that log rolling would be even more attractive. The smoozers and log rollers are smart enough to work their way around the new rules as they have since SFWA was founded.
Put them up for the highest bidder and do something useful with the money. If people want a friend to win a Neb, they can take up a collection. The votes are too cheap these days, a bit of flattery and free books.
Hey John – as I mentioned over on sff.net, I’m delighted that you stepped up, and you have my vote and my 100% support!
Paul Levinson, PhD
President, SFWA, 1998-2001
blog
home page
So, I’m following this because it is interesting, but it seems as though Catherine Mintz is running for president. No?
I like the John Barnes comment –
“I didn’t like the “recruit the youths” crap during the Asaro or Levinson administrations and I don’t want any more of that”
If you don’t recruit the youths, who do you recruit?
It seems like it would be easier to create “Science Fiction Writers of the World” as a new organization.
It’s an amazing explosion of commentary, so far, John. And as a novice, I welcome it. Years ago, I was exposed to a lot of … bitterness in sff.net forums re: SFWA and it really made me wonder if it was something I’d want to belong to, if I ever leapt the hurdles.
Now it’s kind of exciting again, and I can’t quite wait until I do qualify so I can help out.
Way to make it exciting.
Patrick:
“So, I’m following this because it is interesting, but it seems as though Catherine Mintz is running for president. No?”
No. She’s the sole candidate for secretary.
Re: John Barnes — naturally, he’s welcome to his own opinion on the matter; clearly I disagree with him on the matter.
“It seems like it would be easier to create ‘Science Fiction Writers of the World’ as a new organization.”
Heh. Not really. Infrastructure is a beautiful thing.
Wait, where’s this John Barnes comment? I don’t see it in the “electionblog” newsgroup.
Christopher – It’s in the public section where non-members can talk about it an comment.
http://webnews.sff.net/read?cmd=outline&group=sff.sfwa.electionblog&thread=5&page=1
Not sure if that link will make it through. It’s under SFF.SFWA not SFF.SFWA.*
Well, I guess the polls will show that Mintz has a slight lead over BATMAN, MotherF*ckin’, BATMAN for secretary.
Oops, wrong link in my buffer…
&”>Try this http://webnews.sff.net/read?cmd=read&artid=&
Blah… Need to use the preview button…