rich brown's definitions

apa

Acronym for amateur press association. In sf fandom, it is a bulletin board-like system conducted through snail mail that produces actual artifacts in the form of apazines. For each edition (called a "mailing" or "distribution"), members contribute preprinted personal informal fanzines (apazines), many of which include or consist mostly or entirely of comments on the contributions published in the previous mailing or distribution. The contributions go to an Official Collator (OC) or Official Editor (OE), who makes up mailings/distributions consisting of one copy of each zine and gives or mails them out to each of the members. To remain a member, generally one must meet minimum activity minac requirements, usually defined as a certain number of pages of original material within a given timeframe, plus (in most instances) pay dues to defray the costs of bulk postage for the mailings/distributions that are not handed out and the publication of an Official Organ (OO) which accompanies them.

"He started a new apa to discuss politics."

by rich brown August 11, 2004

disty

In science fiction fandom, an issue or mailing of an amateur press association (apa); short for "distribution". Also: disty-wisty-pooums, umpkin, chicken salad sandwich. Started out being used by local apas associated with local clubs, where more copies were handed out to people in attendance than were actually mailed.

After it was collated, Ben was given a copy of the disty.

by rich brown August 12, 2004

colophon

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, a colophon is "An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts pertinent to its publication." As is often the case, sf fans got it backward and so generally put the colophon in the front of their fanzines. Wherever it's placed, it contains the editor/publishers' names, address(es) (sometimes telephone and/or fax numbers and/or email address(es)), the name of the fanzine, the issue number, copyright notice (if any) and anything else the zine editor may want to put in it.

"The idiot forgot to put a colophon in his fanzine!"

by rich brown August 11, 2004

gafiate

Verb form of the acronym GAFIA, which in sf fan use stands for "Getting Away From It All."

The shorter term "gafia" was coined by sf fan Dick Wilson and used as early as 1940 when there was a Loyal and Benevolent Order of Gafia. Originally intended to mean fans "getting away" from mundane activities to participate in fandom, it quickly flip-flopped and became the reverse -- fans who gave up fandom for more real world pursuits.

He had to gafiate when he entered college.

Alt.:

He hit the road to gafia when college began taking up all his time.

by rich brown August 8, 2004

minac

In science fiction fandom, short for MINimum ACtivity. Members of any given apa usually have a specific number of pages they must publish and contribute in a given period of time.

"He had to publish eight pages by the end of the year to meet his minac requirements."

by rich brown August 12, 2004

ajay

Short for amateur journalism (or "A.J."); term used by hobby printers to describe their turn-of-the-last-century hobby. Formed the first amateur press associations (or "apas" for short) -- the National, United and American, or NAPA, UAPA and AAPA for which they published "papers."

As a publishing member of NAPA, he was involved in ajay.

by rich brown August 8, 2004

bydcomz

An sf fan apa term, the letter "M" being underlined, being an acronym for "But You Didn't Comment On My Zine! (so I'm not going to comment on yours)". The parenthetical comment is implied.

"You published some interesting comments -- BYDCOMZ!"

by rich brown August 11, 2004