Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer
Encyclopedia
The Hugo Award
s are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction
or fantasy
works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback
, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories
, and was once officially known as the Science Fiction Achievement Award. The award has been described as "a fine showcase for speculative fiction" and "the best known literary award for science fiction writing". The Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer is given each year for writers of works related to science fiction or fantasy which appeared in low- or non-paying publications such as semiprozines or fanzine
s. There is no restriction that the writer is not also a professional author, and several such authors have won the award for their non-paying works. The award was first presented in 1967 and has been awarded annually. In addition to the regular Hugo awards, beginning in 1996 Retrospective Hugo Awards, or "Retro Hugos", have been available to be awarded for years 50, 75, or 100 years prior in which no awards were given. To date, Retro Hugo awards have been awarded for 1946, 1951, and 1954, and the fan writer award has been given each time.
Hugo Award nominees and winners are chosen by supporting or attending members of the annual World Science Fiction Convention
, or Worldcon, and the presentation evening constitutes its central event. The selection process is defined in the World Science Fiction Society Constitution as instant-runoff voting
with five nominees, except in the case of a tie. These five works on the ballot are those most-nominated by members that year, with no limit on the number of works that can be nominated. Initial nominations are made by members in January through March, while voting on the ballot of five nominations is performed roughly in April through July, subject to change depending on when that year's Worldcon is held. Worldcons are generally held near Labor Day
, and in a different city around the world each year.
During the 48 regular and retro nomination years, 70 writers have been nominated; 14 of these have won, including ties. David Langford
has received the most number of awards, with 21 wins out of 31 nominations. He was nominated every year from 1979 through 2009, and won 19 times in a row from 1989 through 2007. The other writers to win more than once are Richard E. Geis
, with seven wins out of sixteen nominations; Mike Glyer
, with three wins out of twenty-three nominations; Susan Wood Glicksohn
, with three of eight; Harry Warner, Jr.
, with two out of six; Wilson Tucker
, with two out of four; and Bob Shaw
, who won both times he was nominated. The writer with the most nominations without winning is Evelyn C. Leeper
, who was nominated twelve times in a row from 1990 through 2001.
* Winners and joint winners
, the World Science Fiction Society created the concept of "Retro Hugos", in which the Hugo award could be retroactively awarded for 50, 75, or 100 years prior. Retro Hugos may only be awarded for years in which a Worldcon was hosted, but no awards were originally given. Retro Hugos have been awarded three times, for 1946, 1951, and 1954. All three of these awards were given 50 years later. The next year that Retro Hugos can be awarded is 2014, for 1939.
Hugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
s are presented every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
or fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback
Hugo Gernsback
Hugo Gernsback , born Hugo Gernsbacher, was a Luxembourgian American inventor, writer, editor, and magazine publisher, best remembered for publications that included the first science fiction magazine. His contributions to the genre as publisher were so significant that, along with H. G...
, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories
Amazing Stories was an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction...
, and was once officially known as the Science Fiction Achievement Award. The award has been described as "a fine showcase for speculative fiction" and "the best known literary award for science fiction writing". The Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer is given each year for writers of works related to science fiction or fantasy which appeared in low- or non-paying publications such as semiprozines or fanzine
Fanzine
A fanzine is a nonprofessional and nonofficial publication produced by fans of a particular cultural phenomenon for the pleasure of others who share their interest...
s. There is no restriction that the writer is not also a professional author, and several such authors have won the award for their non-paying works. The award was first presented in 1967 and has been awarded annually. In addition to the regular Hugo awards, beginning in 1996 Retrospective Hugo Awards, or "Retro Hugos", have been available to be awarded for years 50, 75, or 100 years prior in which no awards were given. To date, Retro Hugo awards have been awarded for 1946, 1951, and 1954, and the fan writer award has been given each time.
Hugo Award nominees and winners are chosen by supporting or attending members of the annual World Science Fiction Convention
Worldcon
Worldcon, or more formally The World Science Fiction Convention, is a science fiction convention held each year since 1939 . It is the annual convention of the World Science Fiction Society...
, or Worldcon, and the presentation evening constitutes its central event. The selection process is defined in the World Science Fiction Society Constitution as instant-runoff voting
Instant-runoff voting
Instant-runoff voting , also known as preferential voting, the alternative vote and ranked choice voting, is a voting system used to elect one winner. Voters rank candidates in order of preference, and their ballots are counted as one vote for their first choice candidate. If a candidate secures a...
with five nominees, except in the case of a tie. These five works on the ballot are those most-nominated by members that year, with no limit on the number of works that can be nominated. Initial nominations are made by members in January through March, while voting on the ballot of five nominations is performed roughly in April through July, subject to change depending on when that year's Worldcon is held. Worldcons are generally held near Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
, and in a different city around the world each year.
During the 48 regular and retro nomination years, 70 writers have been nominated; 14 of these have won, including ties. David Langford
David Langford
David Rowland Langford is a British author, editor and critic, largely active within the science fiction field. He publishes the science fiction fanzine and newsletter Ansible.-Personal background:...
has received the most number of awards, with 21 wins out of 31 nominations. He was nominated every year from 1979 through 2009, and won 19 times in a row from 1989 through 2007. The other writers to win more than once are Richard E. Geis
Richard E. Geis
Richard E. Geis is an American erotica writer and science fiction fan and writer from Portland, Oregon who won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1982 and 1983; and whose science fiction fanzine Science Fiction Review won the 1969, 1970, 1977 and 1979 Hugo Awards for Best Fanzine...
, with seven wins out of sixteen nominations; Mike Glyer
Mike Glyer
Mike Glyer is both the editor and publisher of the long-running science fiction fan newszine File 770. He holds the record for being nominated the most times for the Hugo Award; he has won 9 times in two categories: File 770 won the Best Fanzine Hugo in 1984, 1985, 1989, 2000, 2001 and 2008, and...
, with three wins out of twenty-three nominations; Susan Wood Glicksohn
Susan Wood (science fiction)
Susan Joan Wood Susan Joan Wood Susan Joan Wood (August 22, 1948-November 12, 1980 was a Canadian author, critic, and science fiction fan, born in Ottawa, Ontario.Wood discovered science fiction fandom while she was studying at Carleton University in the 1960s. Wood met fellow fan Mike Glicksohn of...
, with three of eight; Harry Warner, Jr.
Harry Warner, Jr.
Harry Warner, Jr. was an American journalist. He spent 40 years working for the Hagerstown, Maryland, Herald-Mail....
, with two out of six; Wilson Tucker
Wilson Tucker
Arthur Wilson "Bob" Tucker was an American mystery, action adventure, and science fiction writer, who wrote professionally as Wilson Tucker....
, with two out of four; and Bob Shaw
Bob Shaw
Bob Shaw, born Robert Shaw, was a science fiction author and fan from Northern Ireland. He was noted for his originality and wit. He won the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer in 1979 and 1980...
, who won both times he was nominated. The writer with the most nominations without winning is Evelyn C. Leeper
Evelyn C. Leeper
Evelyn C. Leeper is an American writer, critic, and active member of science fiction fandom.She was a member and officer of the UMass Science Fiction Society from 1968 to 1972. In 1978 she and her husband Mark founded the Science Fiction Club at Bell Labs....
, who was nominated twelve times in a row from 1990 through 2001.
Winners and nominees
In the following tables, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony. Writers are eligible based on their work of the previous calendar year. Entries with a blue background and an asterisk (*) next to the writer's name have won the award; those with a white background are the nominees on the short-list. In some years writers who received sufficient nominations to be listed on the ballot declined; these are marked as withdrawn in the entry and are not listed on the main Hugo Award site.* Winners and joint winners
| Year | Writer(s) | Ref(s) |
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| (withdrawn) | ||
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| (withdrawn) | ||
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Retro Hugos
Beginning with the 1996 Worldcon54th World Science Fiction Convention
The 54th World Science Fiction Convention , also known as L.A.con III, was held 29 August – 2 September 1996 at the Anaheim Hilton, Anaheim Marriott, and the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, USA.The chairman was Mike Glyer....
, the World Science Fiction Society created the concept of "Retro Hugos", in which the Hugo award could be retroactively awarded for 50, 75, or 100 years prior. Retro Hugos may only be awarded for years in which a Worldcon was hosted, but no awards were originally given. Retro Hugos have been awarded three times, for 1946, 1951, and 1954. All three of these awards were given 50 years later. The next year that Retro Hugos can be awarded is 2014, for 1939.
| Year | Year awarded | Writer | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||