Hooray – I’m in the SFWA!
Happy Scifi Writer News to share – I’m an official member of the SFWA! This nine-year journey toward membership ended some time on a Tuesday morning with an official welcome message:
You have been approved to access SFWA – The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association. You should now be able to log in and purchase your Associate membership.
SFWA membership has a number of advantages for a scifi writer. I’ve got access to support, infrastructure, a peer network – things I didn’t have direct access to before. It’s going to take a while for me to fully go through everything I have access to – but let’s take a moment to reflect.
I’ve never been about mainstream scifi movies or franchises and neither have my readers. As a result, it’s taken me a very long time for people to see me as the haven of independent scifi that I want to be.
Seriously, let’s think about it.
There’s no greater answer to the boring dystopia of big-budget corposcifi than embracing the simple act of pursuing creativity because you’re a creative person. Stop arguing about what’s wrong with modern scifi by making modern scifi that inspires you. Do you value craft and author voice? Awesome, so do I. That’s why I’ve been developing mine.
I don’t want to complain about Disney and Star Wars and whatever’s happened to Star Trek. I’m not going to campaign for Sony pictures to make an authentic, heartfelt scifi movie with outsiders, misfits, and offbeat heroes.
Instead, I’ll make those stories myself. Like many other geeks with empathy and discernment, I want new universes to explore. In fact, I want those universes so bad, I’m prepared to invent them myself. I’ll make a story that people campaign to see. Make sci-fi for people who want ‘off the main shelf’ sci-fi. Tell stories for people who want obscure-but-approachable stories. That feels good.
I know I’m not the only one, judging by my book sales. As we head down the path of scary stuff happening outside in the world, it’s healthy to contemplate thoughtful and emotionally-aware futures. Authenticity and integrity demand that we take narrative risks and we avoid polished, Big Movie Money safe bets. My readers are burned out on doomscrolling – they’re ready for a different way to escape.
Two simple sentences – it took me nine years to get here – almost ten. A simple ceremony, but a huge bucket list item crossed off the list toward my ‘Self-sufficient author in 2026’ goal. You helped make this happen. You, the quirky and offbeat people who feel just a little out of step with the mainstream. Readers who are ‘tired, but thoughtful.’ You did this.
I’m very happy, grateful, and also aware of how much support I’ve been given over the years from readers like you. Thank you.
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