Clubs within Clubs

[amysisson]

Hmmmm, I'm having very mixed feelings about SFWA's announcement today about their new SFWA Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers group-within-the-group. Essentially, it's a list-serv for those who have published or who are about to publish (ie, have a contract) in the middle grade or YA markets. Back when this was first floated, I sent an e-mail

Comments

[affinity8]

My gut reaction is that SFWA is trying to -- well, I'm not sure what.

I agree that if you are in SFWA, and you have an interest in YA or MG, you should have access to a listserv on that topic as part of your dues.

By creating a restricted listserv, SFWA is just erecting more walls within itself.

I let my membership lapse two years ago, and haven't missed it at all.

[amysisson]

Thanks for the input! The responses I'm getting so far from members, former members, and non-members have at least made me feel like I'm not crazy. :-)

[amysisson]

Just in case you care to know, I just posted this comment on my earlier Facebook status on the same topic:

UPDATE again: I'm not comfortable quoting directly from the group or from the SFWA forum as they're both protected, so I will paraphrase instead. The majority of this group of YA/MG authors (by which they mean already-specifically-published-or-at-least-contracted-by-professional-publishers YA/MG authors) wants a safe and supportive discussion space where they will not have to answer questions from newcomers

[sandramcdonald]

"wants a safe and supportive discussion space where they will not have to answer questions from newcomers."

Oh my! Wouldn't want to bother them with questions from people who are in SFWA but haven't published YA/MG yet.

Walls within walls.

[birdhousefrog]

your gut reaction is my gut reaction. It feels "wrong" as if SFWA had a "fantasy only" area or a "hard science only" or "mundanes only" area.

Oz

[amysisson]

Thanks, Oz!

[amysisson]

Just in case you care to know, I just posted this comment on my earlier Facebook status on the same topic:

UPDATE again: I'm not comfortable quoting directly from the group or from the SFWA forum as they're both protected, so I will paraphrase instead. The majority of this group of YA/MG authors (by which they mean already-specifically-published-or-at-least-contracted-by-professional-publishers YA/MG authors) wants a safe and supportive discussion space where they will not have to answer questions from newcomers

[asakiyume]

Yep, echoing the other commenters here. If anything, input from people with diverse experiences can sometimes be helpful. I can't think of the advantages the restriction offers, at all. If they're worried about people derailing the listserv with irrelevant material, you can just make rules about topics and responses. (Those might not always be followed, but frankly, even if you limit the membership, people will wander off topic.) I'm having a hard time imagining the person who's saying, "Please, please, don't let this be open to non-YA authors"

[amysisson]

And really, it's "non-professionally-published-genre-YA-authors-who-are-otherwise-professionally-published-genre-authors."

[amysisson]

Just in case you care to know, I just posted this comment on my earlier Facebook status on the same topic:

UPDATE again: I'm not comfortable quoting directly from the group or from the SFWA forum as they're both protected, so I will paraphrase instead. The majority of this group of YA/MG authors (by which they mean already-specifically-published-or-at-least-contracted-by-professional-publishers YA/MG authors) wants a safe and supportive discussion space where they will not have to answer questions from newcomers

[asakiyume]

Thank you. I can see you feel chagrined, but I really don't think you need to. Your reaction, given the information you had, seems completely understandable. But now we know why it's a closed group; that's fine too.