Publication Date:
Main entry under title:
The Visual Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
I. Science Fiction - Dictionaries.
I. Ash, Brian
PN3448S45V5 1977
ISBN: 0-517-531747 (hardcover)
0-517-531755 (paperback)
First published in Great Britain in 1977 by
Pan Books.
For the benefit of newcomers, certain fan expressions used in the Program must be defined:
Blitzkrieg: An activity by certain factions in the fan world to explore areas and initiate action which they feel should have been undertaken by the various organisations to which they are affiliated. In other words, an unofficial attempt to force the organisations to change either their attitudes or directions.
Combozine: An expression used to describe the composite binding into one volume of several issues of individual fanzines.
Conventions (Cons): Generally defined as fan meetings which (a) have been arranged beforehand, and (b) include a business meeting. However, little agreement exists in fandom as a whole on this definition, various commentators claiming more than one historic meeting as 'the first true convention'.
Fanzine: Denotes an amateur or semi-professional publication, usually in some kind of magazine format - either duplicated, mimeographed or occasionally printed when the organisation/clubs find themselves in sufficient funds, or when offered free facilities.
Gafiate: Means 'to get away from it all' - essentially to abandon one's involvement in fandom, but not necessarily forever.
Lettercol: An abbreviation of 'letter columns' - an area in which feedback between reader and writer has played a substantial part.
Prozine: The fan term for a professionally published sf magazine as with the amateur offerings.
