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Sun Spots, v. 5, issue 1, whole no. 17, April 1941
Page 17
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April, 1941. SUN SPOTS Page 17 EDITOR MEETS FANDOM, By Mary Gnaedinger, Editor: FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYS. When I found myself magic-carpeted into an Editorial chair in the Fantasy Fiction Field, I realized fully that the world I had entered was one almost apart- a more romantic friendly and inspirational world of literature- where an editor comes into personal touch with its inhabitants in a way which no other kindof editor does with his readers. Our readers seem to make friends with us "right off the bat". As soon as an issue hits the stands the letters come flowing in to tell you how to go on with the magazine from scratch-- and these readers know how, too! They don't write measly little bits about "I think that your magazine is great, yours sincerely." No siree-- three or four page typewriter letters analyzing your method minutely- letters that one reads over a second or third time, and it isn't all orchids, either. But they all wish you personal good luck, and guarantee that you'll hear from them again as soon as they get hold of the next issue. One can easily realize how very satisfactory and much more interesting this all is than just getting out a magazine by yourself; there is no chance of becoming lonesome. You just have a friendly good time while working. However, that is only one phase of the social aura of the fantastic field. The fan magazines come to our desk regularly, and it is just like reading the home town paper. You know everyone mentioned, and all the news you could have missed in the mail is in the fan magazines. Another activity that gives much of the "kick" in being an editor in this field is the club meetings which enable you to meet many of the local readers and some visiting ones. Where is there an editor who is in such actual direct touch with his or her constituents as in the weird, science fiction, and fantasy fields? And if you happen to miss the meetings, the fans call on you. The authors are no exception to fandom; nor the artists. Mr. Paul tells me that he attends the Queens Science Fiction League meetings pretty regularly; Mr. Finley goes to fan and writer parties; Mr. Merritt keeps careful track of the Readers Viewpoint in FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES, even as you and I; Mr. Farley was at the Chicago Convention with the rest of the boys- and so on. The first time I went to a fan meeting was out in Astoria, at Bohemian Hall. Frank R. Paul took me out on the complicated subway-catacomb, "el" route, and I was somewhat nervous because I knew they took you magazine apart right before your eyes. The target at this particular meeting, however, belonged to a contemporary and the comments were for the most part complimentary. I saw some familiar faces in the large meeting room, but most of the boys and girls were readers whom I'd never met. Some of the time was taken up with reports on all the stories, in detail, in the issue of the magazine under discussion. Fantastic original magazine drawings were raffled off; that's when I began to really meet my readers! We put in about three hours of close and careful discussion of why I had used certain Munsey classics first, and whether certain others were worthy of seeing light once more. The fans
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April, 1941. SUN SPOTS Page 17 EDITOR MEETS FANDOM, By Mary Gnaedinger, Editor: FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYS. When I found myself magic-carpeted into an Editorial chair in the Fantasy Fiction Field, I realized fully that the world I had entered was one almost apart- a more romantic friendly and inspirational world of literature- where an editor comes into personal touch with its inhabitants in a way which no other kindof editor does with his readers. Our readers seem to make friends with us "right off the bat". As soon as an issue hits the stands the letters come flowing in to tell you how to go on with the magazine from scratch-- and these readers know how, too! They don't write measly little bits about "I think that your magazine is great, yours sincerely." No siree-- three or four page typewriter letters analyzing your method minutely- letters that one reads over a second or third time, and it isn't all orchids, either. But they all wish you personal good luck, and guarantee that you'll hear from them again as soon as they get hold of the next issue. One can easily realize how very satisfactory and much more interesting this all is than just getting out a magazine by yourself; there is no chance of becoming lonesome. You just have a friendly good time while working. However, that is only one phase of the social aura of the fantastic field. The fan magazines come to our desk regularly, and it is just like reading the home town paper. You know everyone mentioned, and all the news you could have missed in the mail is in the fan magazines. Another activity that gives much of the "kick" in being an editor in this field is the club meetings which enable you to meet many of the local readers and some visiting ones. Where is there an editor who is in such actual direct touch with his or her constituents as in the weird, science fiction, and fantasy fields? And if you happen to miss the meetings, the fans call on you. The authors are no exception to fandom; nor the artists. Mr. Paul tells me that he attends the Queens Science Fiction League meetings pretty regularly; Mr. Finley goes to fan and writer parties; Mr. Merritt keeps careful track of the Readers Viewpoint in FAMOUS FANTASTIC MYSTERIES, even as you and I; Mr. Farley was at the Chicago Convention with the rest of the boys- and so on. The first time I went to a fan meeting was out in Astoria, at Bohemian Hall. Frank R. Paul took me out on the complicated subway-catacomb, "el" route, and I was somewhat nervous because I knew they took you magazine apart right before your eyes. The target at this particular meeting, however, belonged to a contemporary and the comments were for the most part complimentary. I saw some familiar faces in the large meeting room, but most of the boys and girls were readers whom I'd never met. Some of the time was taken up with reports on all the stories, in detail, in the issue of the magazine under discussion. Fantastic original magazine drawings were raffled off; that's when I began to really meet my readers! We put in about three hours of close and careful discussion of why I had used certain Munsey classics first, and whether certain others were worthy of seeing light once more. The fans
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