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Ad Astra, v. 1, issue 5, January 1940
Page 3
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AD ASTRA Page 2 [[box text]] GUEST EDITORIAL No. 2 by: JOHN W. CAMPBELL, JR. Editor: ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION [[end box text]] Science fiction and its fans are a queer pattern of paradoxes,a lovely stumbling ground for authors and editors[?] alike. Because science fiction is a unique sort of material, it necessarily reaches a unique sort of mind,and as[?] consequence,a comparatively small group, widely scattered. Because of the differentness of the material and the unusual trend of mind needed for its appreciation, it has a strong tendency to build up walls about itself, to bring forth groups and organizations seeking meeting of similar active minds. It makes personalities important in its field. The authors of science fiction are personalities to the fans to a greater extent than, perhaps, in any other field of fiction. There is an intent and personal interest in leading[?] writers; new authors recognized as new ones almost instantly by nearly all fans, and their work carefully studied. There are the old favorites who are well and favorably known. Surely, in such a field, author success will tend to be stable and lasting. And, surely, it is not. In no field does the turnover of authors proceed as rapidly and as finally. In no field is leadership so apt to shift rapidly and with such completeness. Yet science fiction fans feel they are peculiarly faithful to the leading workers in the field! They aren't and can't be, because they're far more faithful-- and rightly so---to a philosophy that inevitably leads to rapid shifting. The very basis of science fiction is a changing future, a constantly bettering,different, tomorrow, and an equally complete dedication to the idea of progress. Three things, then, lead inevitably to a rapid change of leadership: the fact that the field is specialised and that, in consequence,comparatively few men can write in the field, and write well.The leading authors must be able to write, have a strong and logical imagination,and a sense of drama----a series of qualifications that vastly reduced the possible number of authors. Second, that demand for progress and change. New ideas and new methods of presentation and development must be worked out. And third,the increasing demand that arises when author A turns out a story not only presenting a good idea, but presenting it in well-handled form with a good sense of drama and a keen choice of words, for all stories to match it in quality.Then naturally, when the quality of Author A's work becomes a standard[?], inevitably author B, a new man,turns up with yet better handling and science. The early days of science fiction were the stable days. Then, a powerful new idea served to make a story, and only the exceptional yarn presented characters and an idea. New ideas were easy to present then----not a tenth of the possibles had been used. It's very different now----and the authors who could think up ideas by the ream, and characters not at all, have gone. He was succeeded by the author who thought up the plot--action in a strange locale, by the ream, and outlined a character in solid blacks and whites, without shading, or made characters by mechanical tricks. He was succeeded in turn. The higher quality of the material became, the tougher competition--and the more care went into making a story. From this end---the Editor's Desk---the reaction to the "old-favorites" is frequently interesting. The typical expression of that reaction runs: "I was very
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AD ASTRA Page 2 [[box text]] GUEST EDITORIAL No. 2 by: JOHN W. CAMPBELL, JR. Editor: ASTOUNDING SCIENCE-FICTION [[end box text]] Science fiction and its fans are a queer pattern of paradoxes,a lovely stumbling ground for authors and editors[?] alike. Because science fiction is a unique sort of material, it necessarily reaches a unique sort of mind,and as[?] consequence,a comparatively small group, widely scattered. Because of the differentness of the material and the unusual trend of mind needed for its appreciation, it has a strong tendency to build up walls about itself, to bring forth groups and organizations seeking meeting of similar active minds. It makes personalities important in its field. The authors of science fiction are personalities to the fans to a greater extent than, perhaps, in any other field of fiction. There is an intent and personal interest in leading[?] writers; new authors recognized as new ones almost instantly by nearly all fans, and their work carefully studied. There are the old favorites who are well and favorably known. Surely, in such a field, author success will tend to be stable and lasting. And, surely, it is not. In no field does the turnover of authors proceed as rapidly and as finally. In no field is leadership so apt to shift rapidly and with such completeness. Yet science fiction fans feel they are peculiarly faithful to the leading workers in the field! They aren't and can't be, because they're far more faithful-- and rightly so---to a philosophy that inevitably leads to rapid shifting. The very basis of science fiction is a changing future, a constantly bettering,different, tomorrow, and an equally complete dedication to the idea of progress. Three things, then, lead inevitably to a rapid change of leadership: the fact that the field is specialised and that, in consequence,comparatively few men can write in the field, and write well.The leading authors must be able to write, have a strong and logical imagination,and a sense of drama----a series of qualifications that vastly reduced the possible number of authors. Second, that demand for progress and change. New ideas and new methods of presentation and development must be worked out. And third,the increasing demand that arises when author A turns out a story not only presenting a good idea, but presenting it in well-handled form with a good sense of drama and a keen choice of words, for all stories to match it in quality.Then naturally, when the quality of Author A's work becomes a standard[?], inevitably author B, a new man,turns up with yet better handling and science. The early days of science fiction were the stable days. Then, a powerful new idea served to make a story, and only the exceptional yarn presented characters and an idea. New ideas were easy to present then----not a tenth of the possibles had been used. It's very different now----and the authors who could think up ideas by the ream, and characters not at all, have gone. He was succeeded by the author who thought up the plot--action in a strange locale, by the ream, and outlined a character in solid blacks and whites, without shading, or made characters by mechanical tricks. He was succeeded in turn. The higher quality of the material became, the tougher competition--and the more care went into making a story. From this end---the Editor's Desk---the reaction to the "old-favorites" is frequently interesting. The typical expression of that reaction runs: "I was very
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