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Sun Spots, v. 5, issue 1, whole no. 17, April 1941
Page 4
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April, 1941. SUN SPOTS Page 4. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEW THOUGHTS FOR SCIENCE FICTION By F. Orlin Tremaine Editor: COMET Science fiction is fascinating only as long as those who write it continue to inject new thoughts into its bloodstream of stories. A few years ago we went seeking new thoughts, creating and building new intrest as they appeared. In 1940 we faced a field which had expanded tremendously in the number of magazines offering each its own interpretation of what science fiction should be. But the great stories, those which brought new thoughts and startling presentations, were strangely few. Quantity production had stretched the few ideas so thin and spread them so far that we were fortunate if we were able to hit upon a particular magazine which carried the outstanding stories of the month. I believe the first five issues of COMET will illustrate exactly what I mean. There were good stories in the first issue, and there were also good stories in a number of other magazines. The correspondence that I have had with many of the writers had not yet had time to bear fruit. The second issue was better in that it began to show the stirrings of imaginative effort. These new efforts made their appearance in force in the March issue. As this third issue went to press we were able to announce the first complete novelet in a series by Dr. E.E. Smith, a series which we had discussed and planned so that the material was NEW and STARTLING. By the time the fourth issue goes to press I have one of the greatest stories by NAT SCHACHNER, author of "He, from Procyon" and "Ancestral Voices", the first of the thought variant stories which set our pace a few years ago. It takes time to reshape the thoughts, the style, and the efforts of the myriad of capable writers who have had a tendency to slip into conventional patterns with their stories. One thing is vitally important, and which you can depend on as COMET progresses, is the fact that each issue will present new thoughts, new styles, surprises, and growing excellence. This, to my mind, is the essence of what has made science fiction a living type of literature. It has produced support such as no other type of magazine can boast. I have on my desk nearly 45 fan papers and the magazines produced through painstaking effort by those who will, in the next few years, become the core of the new crop of writers. It is our job to encourage their efforts in every direction, whether it be devoted to fan journalism, support of the World Convention At Denver, or the development of new writing styles. In order to give this encouragement definate force we are announcing in the May issue a medal and cash award for the best "first story" by a new writer, and another for the fan who honorably overcomes the greatest obsticles to attend the Denvention. Now because this is our first mention of fan journalism, we intend to establish an annual award for the outstanding effort by a paper or magazine, or by a member of the staff of a fan magazine. I have outlined for you something of the editorial policy which will make for continued interest in COMET, because of its interest in every single reader and supporter of S-F. We have no doubt but that this policy will move into leadership, as the central integrating hub of the wheel of S-F during the twelve months that lie ahead of us- -END
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April, 1941. SUN SPOTS Page 4. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEW THOUGHTS FOR SCIENCE FICTION By F. Orlin Tremaine Editor: COMET Science fiction is fascinating only as long as those who write it continue to inject new thoughts into its bloodstream of stories. A few years ago we went seeking new thoughts, creating and building new intrest as they appeared. In 1940 we faced a field which had expanded tremendously in the number of magazines offering each its own interpretation of what science fiction should be. But the great stories, those which brought new thoughts and startling presentations, were strangely few. Quantity production had stretched the few ideas so thin and spread them so far that we were fortunate if we were able to hit upon a particular magazine which carried the outstanding stories of the month. I believe the first five issues of COMET will illustrate exactly what I mean. There were good stories in the first issue, and there were also good stories in a number of other magazines. The correspondence that I have had with many of the writers had not yet had time to bear fruit. The second issue was better in that it began to show the stirrings of imaginative effort. These new efforts made their appearance in force in the March issue. As this third issue went to press we were able to announce the first complete novelet in a series by Dr. E.E. Smith, a series which we had discussed and planned so that the material was NEW and STARTLING. By the time the fourth issue goes to press I have one of the greatest stories by NAT SCHACHNER, author of "He, from Procyon" and "Ancestral Voices", the first of the thought variant stories which set our pace a few years ago. It takes time to reshape the thoughts, the style, and the efforts of the myriad of capable writers who have had a tendency to slip into conventional patterns with their stories. One thing is vitally important, and which you can depend on as COMET progresses, is the fact that each issue will present new thoughts, new styles, surprises, and growing excellence. This, to my mind, is the essence of what has made science fiction a living type of literature. It has produced support such as no other type of magazine can boast. I have on my desk nearly 45 fan papers and the magazines produced through painstaking effort by those who will, in the next few years, become the core of the new crop of writers. It is our job to encourage their efforts in every direction, whether it be devoted to fan journalism, support of the World Convention At Denver, or the development of new writing styles. In order to give this encouragement definate force we are announcing in the May issue a medal and cash award for the best "first story" by a new writer, and another for the fan who honorably overcomes the greatest obsticles to attend the Denvention. Now because this is our first mention of fan journalism, we intend to establish an annual award for the outstanding effort by a paper or magazine, or by a member of the staff of a fan magazine. I have outlined for you something of the editorial policy which will make for continued interest in COMET, because of its interest in every single reader and supporter of S-F. We have no doubt but that this policy will move into leadership, as the central integrating hub of the wheel of S-F during the twelve months that lie ahead of us- -END
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