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New Fandom, v. 2, issue 1, April 1940

Page 10

Page Ten   NEW FANDOM

the author is writing on order, and not on inspiration--therefore, he will seldom turn out a classic when ho is commissioned to write.
    So you see that the editor cannot demand masterpieces from his writers. Therefore, the best thing that he can do is to select what he believes to be the best stories that he receives. This is a mighty
big job, and the most responsible of all--because no two out of 60,000 readers were to be presumed to be in complete agreement on which are the best stories. If each of the 60,000 readers were given the selection of a year's supply of material, I doubt very much that any two of them would make the exact same selection. I am also sure that some selections would differ from others about one hundred per cent.
    The most that the fans can demand is an editor that is familiar with science-fiction.   Fortunately, practically all of our professional science fiction editors today are fans or authors of long standing,
Therefore, they know science fiction!  That's as far as you can go. Each editor has his own idea about which stories are best, and you have just got to leave it up to him to decide.   If he is wrong, his circulation will go down. If he is right, it will go up.
    Suppose you were editing a science fiction magazine.   After a few issues, you noticed that your circulation was climbing steadily. That would be very satisfying wouldn't it?   Now, with all this prosperity, you receive a letter from a prominent fan-—maybe a dozen letters from as many fans-—panning your book to the skids. Could you honestly take them seriously? Could they convince you that you were a failure in the face of success? I don't think so, because you would know that you were satisfying the readers of your magazine—and, we hope, the majority of the fans.
    This brings to the fore another point that seems to be misinterpreted by Harry. He mentions the fans and readers as though they were the same people. But they aren't, Harry! They are two different classes. Their only similarity is that they like to read science fiction. The fans have something in addition—they like to argue it.
   The readers, who make up at least eighty per cent of the lifeblood circulation of any science fiction magazine (and I know Harry, because I have been investigating from the inside for more than six
years) are satisfied to read the magazines and then give them away or throw them out. If one of the stories in the magazine meets their disapproval, they don't write letters about it,   However, they will overlook one poor story, or maybe two—but if the magazine is filled with poor stories, they will simply stop buying it. And that's the only way an editor can know that his readers disapprove of his efforts.
    So you see that the only way an editor can judge his choice, in the long run, is through the observance of -circulation figures. 
    This shows that the readers must, from the standpoint of financial success, get first consideration. Aside from that, the editors really try to satisfy the fans—those active thousands who are alwavs
ready to advise the editors.   And the editors truly appreciate that advice.   Without it, editing would certainly be a monotonous 
business--and lonely, The editors need fans advice—many suggestions are worthwhile.
     In conclusion, fans—remember that every editor wants to satisfy the fans, and only refuses when their suggestions, in his estimation
(which, because of his experience, should be respected) would make the
magazine less saleable!  And the editors must first consider sales. Publishers hire them to make money--and not to merely satisfy a hobby.

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Page Ten NEW FANDOM the author is writing on order, and not on inspiration--therefore, he will seldom turn out a classic when ho is commissioned to write. So you see that the editor cannot demand masterpieces from his writers. Therefore, the best thing that he can do is to select what he believes to be the best stories that he receives. This is a mighty big job, and the most responsible of all--because no two out of 60,000 readers were to be presumed to be in complete agreement on which are the best stories. If each of the 60,000 readers were given the selection of a year's supply of material, I doubt very much that any two of them would make the exact same selection. I am also sure that some selections would differ from others about one hundred per cent. The most that the fans can demand is an editor that is familiar with science-fiction. Fortunately, practically all of our professional science fiction editors today are fans or authors of long standing, Therefore, they know science fiction! That's as far as you can go. Each editor has his own idea about which stories are best, and you have just got to leave it up to him to decide. If he is wrong, his circulation will go down. If he is right, it will go up. Suppose you were editing a science fiction magazine. After a few issues, you noticed that your circulation was climbing steadily. That would be very satisfying wouldn't it? Now, with all this prosperity, you receive a letter from a prominent fan-—maybe a dozen letters from as many fans-—panning your book to the skids. Could you honestly take them seriously? Could they convince you that you were a failure in the face of success? I don't think so, because you would know that you were satisfying the readers of your magazine—and, we hope, the majority of the fans. This brings to the fore another point that seems to be misinterpreted by Harry. He mentions the fans and readers as though they were the same people. But they aren't, Harry! They are two different classes. Their only similarity is that they like to read science fiction. The fans have something in addition—they like to argue it. The readers, who make up at least eighty per cent of the lifeblood circulation of any science fiction magazine (and I know Harry, because I have been investigating from the inside for more than six years) are satisfied to read the magazines and then give them away or throw them out. If one of the stories in the magazine meets their disapproval, they don't write letters about it, However, they will overlook one poor story, or maybe two—but if the magazine is filled with poor stories, they will simply stop buying it. And that's the only way an editor can know that his readers disapprove of his efforts. So you see that the only way an editor can judge his choice, in the long run, is through the observance of -circulation figures. This shows that the readers must, from the standpoint of financial success, get first consideration. Aside from that, the editors really try to satisfy the fans—those active thousands who are alwavs ready to advise the editors. And the editors truly appreciate that advice. Without it, editing would certainly be a monotonous business--and lonely, The editors need fans advice—many suggestions are worthwhile. In conclusion, fans—remember that every editor wants to satisfy the fans, and only refuses when their suggestions, in his estimation (which, because of his experience, should be respected) would make the magazine less saleable! And the editors must first consider sales. Publishers hire them to make money--and not to merely satisfy a hobby.