smof n.

a fan who is very active in fandom and in particular with organizing conventions

Said to have been in use at the 1963 Worldcon.

[< Secret Master of Fandom]

Fancyclopedia


SF Fandom

  • 1963 W. Breen Sapterranean (#9) Oct. 2 page image Walter Breen

    I am not only a member of SAGWAL, I am a card-carrying member of SMOF and of the Antique and Internat’l Order of Fully Certified Sex Fiends. [Ibid. 9] Midwestcon v63—I spent more time with MZB, BT, Leman & Cogswell than with anyone else. Discon—well, besides Chris & Bonnie Sue, Harry Warner, Leman, Blish, Cutrell, FANASS & SMOF groups, Baltimore club, and a few others, not many; but there were few localites of NY or Berkeley among those.

  • 1970 Focal Point (vol. 2 no. 1) (unpaged) page image

    The whole fan world, for all we know, may simultaneously reach orgasm every time ‘SMOF #1’ goes into his ego-tripping song and dance.

  • 1973 ‘B. Tucker’ Neo-Fan’s Guide to Science Fiction Fandom (ed. 3) 10 page image Wilson Tucker bibliography

    Secret Masters of Fandom (SMOFs): People who consider themselves to be the real ‘rulers’ of fandom, making decisions by running fan politics. Actually, these poor fellows are suffering from delusions of grandeur.

  • 1976 Prehensile (#15) 27 page image

    A list of possible smofs will allow us to properly define the situation. From the top, Worldcon chairpersons and their committee hold sway.

  • 1996 S. Edelman Editorial in Science Fiction Age May 8/1 page image Scott Edelman bibliography

    SMOFs are the unelected congress that make things happen in SF. SMOFs help organize conventions, run fan clubs, lobby networks to avoid the cancellation of favored TV shows, and make up large voting blocks of those who decide who wins awards. [...] Pay close attention to 1996, so that when we next ask you for your rankings, you too can become a SMOF.

  • 2000 J. Mayhew My Own Personal First Fandom in Mimosa (#25) Apr. 32/1 page image Joe Mayhew

    At 16, Jack Chalker already could talk like a major SMOF. [Ibid. 32/2] He has had several series of popular novels, yet he is still essentially a fan (a three-propeller grand SMOF).

Research requirements

antedating 1963
Earliest cite

Walter Breen, in the "Sapterranean" zine
Research History
Leah Zeldes submitted a 1978 cite from "The Neo-Fan's Guide to Science Fiction Fandom"; Jesse Sheidlower verified that it was in the 1973 third edition, but not in the 1955 original edition.
James Birdsall submitted a cite from a 1979 reprint of a Phil Foglio cartoon in "Startoons"; we would like to check the 1976 original. Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 1996 cite from Scott Edelman.
Jack Chalker has indicated that he coined the term in correspondence with Ted Johnstone/Dave McDaniel in late 1962, and that it began to spread into general use during 1963. We would like cites from any material related to that year's Worldcon that contain the term, as well as any other antedatings.
Clive Shergold submitted a 1963 cite from Walter Breen's "Sapterranean" zine.

Last modified 2026-02-12 14:07:34
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.