SFWA now stands for The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. The Board announced to members yesterday a decision taken last November to file and “do business as” the new name. However, the corporate name will remain the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc. for reasons explained below.
We know this is a big change, especially for some of our long-term members and we’d like to assure you that the decision was contemplated for quite some time.
In addition to finding ways for SFWA to be more inclusive, many of our international members lobbied the Board to point out that having “of America” in our name needlessly excluded them. Over a quarter of the 2100+ members we serve both live and work in non-US countries and territories. Changing our name is not only a part of the natural progression of our organization, but one that recognizes that SFWA has grown beyond a once US-centric focus.
The Board says that once the filing is complete, which they expect to be in late spring, the nonprofit organization will adopt that name for most purposes.
The reason for filing to “do business as” The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association instead of changing the name of the corporation is —
taking this path does not require the monumental effort to change our incorporation status and bylaws with California or within the IRS. Doing business as the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association will still allow us to comply with fundraising laws across all United States, and territories.
Until the filing process is complete, SFWA will continue to operate as the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, Inc.
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For a very long time I actually thought the A stood for Association. So this makes perfect sense to me. Glad to see it happening.
It’s a good change.
Hurrah for the change! This reminds me of the time, I think well over twenty years ago, when the “Confederate Air Force” changed its name to the “Commemorative Air Force.”
Erin Underwood: Now it will parallel the name of the Horror Writers Association. (I needed a lot of practice in days gone by to keep straight what its “A” stands for.)
Why am I hearing the sound of Puppies gnashing their teeth? Yet another bit of their precious American Empire gone. Globalism triumphs again! Not that most of them like this group anyways.
And yes I like the change a lot.
A fine name.
That’s a good change, since the organisation membership has long since extended beyond the North America. And besides, HWA has shown that you can replace “America” with “Association” and still keep the acronym.
Science Fiction is as quintessentially American as Mary Shelley and Jules Verne, and always will be.
Tom Becker: Heck, it wasn’t even sf til Hugo Gernsback got hold of it!
@Mike, you’re right, but it wasn’t even sf, it was stf.
@Tom I hope you were being funny, as that was very funny, but would be terribly sad if you weren’t being funny.
Me, I never worried about what the letters stood for. It was and remains “sifwa” for me.
Writers who live in places other than the the Americas have been winning Hugos so obviously the fans already embraced them.
Hurrah for the change! I look forward to the new logo.
@Steve Davidson: I feel quite certain that Tom knows where Shelley and Verne were born.
The SFWA webmaster appears to have not yet gotten the word. No mention on the main page, either.
Gary Farber: Geeze, I never expected anyone to fact check my post!!112!!!
David Goldfarb: Didn’t you get the memo about mandatory humorlessness for internet users?
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Very glad to see this finally done. I think Steven H Silver was the first person who mentioned the possibility to me, but it’s something that people have asked for over and over again, and the “of America” part was actively discouraging international members. Hurray!
I’m not. I’m saying that SFWA is doing a lousy job of keeping their web page up to date.