apa n.

an organization of (often science fiction) fans that publishes a periodical containing works by most or all of the members

From the initials of Amateur Press Association.

SF Encyclopedia

Fancyclopedia


SF Fandom

  • 1938 Fantasy Amateur i. No. 1 (Spring) 1 page image

    Elsewhere in the FA is published a request for fan magazines from the librarian of the National, United and American APA’s.

  • 1979 Science Fiction Review Jan. 33/3

    A fanzine for general circulation in fandom is called a genzine (general interest fanzine) as opposed to one for an amateur press association (apa) which is called an apazine.

  • 1998 T. Weisskopf in Speculations Aug. 10/1

    David Weber came to me because his brother and I are in the same APA. His brother said, ‘Look, I know this editor in New York, why don’t you try her?’

  • 2011 B. L. Bosky & A. D. Hlavaty Fandom in Women in Science Fiction & Fantasy 286 page image Bernadette Lynn Bosky Arthur D. Hlavaty bibliography

    In 1978, after some disagreement, the group decided to make the entire amateur press association (APA) all-woman, leading to the formation of three new APAs: Boy’s Own APA, for men only, and the coeducational Spinoff and Mixed Company. A Woman’s APA remains all-woman, with members setting their own rules for availability of their zines, from ‘members only’ to ‘I don’t give a shit who reads this.’

Research requirements

antedating 1938
Earliest cite

Fantasy Amateur
Research History
Leah Zeldes submitted a 1959 cite from Fancyclopedia II.
Jamie Morris submitted a 1950 cite from Robert Lowndes' "Custodian's Benediction".
Enoch Forrester submitted a 1998 cite from an interview with Toni Weisskopf in Speculations.
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a 1978 reprint of Brian Ash's 1977 "A Visual Encyclopedia of Science Fiction".
Enoch Forrester submitted a 1981 cite from an article by David Nalle in Dragon Magazine.
Malcolm Farmer submitted a 1979 cite from Darrell Schweitzer's "Occasionally Mentioning Science Fiction."
Bill Mullins submitted a 1938 cite from the first issue of "Fantasy Amateur".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2011 cite from Bernadette Lynn Bosky and Arthur D. Hlavaty.

Last modified 2021-09-24 16:23:21
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.