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04/18/2003 Archived Entry: "Sci-Fi vs. SF (or, Just Say Science Fiction!)"
Promoted from the comments about Paul Allen's SFX, I found this 1996 GEnie discussion among science fiction writers about the problems associated with the term "Sci-Fi." It's not regarded favorably by most fans, but some don't have a problem.
"Angie Penrose: In my experience, you can (usually) tell how active or connected to other fans a person is by whether or not they use 'sci-fi' with a straight face. [...] Media celebs who are trying to identify themselves as SF fans, usually for purposes of getting us to buy something from them, use 'sci-fi' in an attempt to pretend to be one of us. Well, the fact is that 1) using a word doesn't make you a fan, and 2) most real fans don't use the word any more, although it was common twenty years ago.""Kevin O'Donnell, Jr.: Most of my reading audience calls it 'sci-fi,' and they don't intend the term as a denigration. It's simply the term they use."
Replies: 3 comments
"Sci-fi" used to be a good Outsider Indicator, but it's well enough known that many outsiders know better than to use it, and many insiders use it out of perversity.
Posted by Arthur D. Hlavaty @ 04/19/2003 12:33 PM PST
I don't like SF as a designation (not that it matters what I think). it's confusing. one day a writer mentioned her SF novel to me, and I thought she was talking about her novel about san francisco.
Posted by rebecca blood @ 04/18/2003 12:56 PM PST
All I can say is that Kevin O'Donnell, Jr's comment is very appropo considering the skiffy drek he writes, but it still doesn't apply to the mainstream of the genre. Or to sercon fen like myself. I wonder what Greg Bear would have to say on this subject?
Posted by Jack William Bell @ 04/18/2003 12:08 PM PST