If I could project myself into the past...
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| Title: | If I could project myself into the past... |
| Creator: | Willis Conover |
| Date(s): | 1938 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Science Fiction |
| Topic: | The fan-to-pro pipeline of early science fiction fandom |
| External Links: | Hosted online by fanac.org; Fantascience Digest, pp. 11-12 (August 1938) |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
In 1938, science fiction fan Willis Conover imagined a time-travel scenario where he had to chance to write to current pro authors and editors back in the days when they were fans themselves.
Excerpts
If I could project myself into the past, by no matter what means, do you know what I'd do (after depositing huge sums---haw!---of money in the bank, to collect the interest when I return to the present)?I'd buy early copies of the science fiction magazines and write to letters to certain persons whose names appeared in the reader's columns.
Here, in a 1938 [sic] Amazing, is a letter from a John S. Williamson, a young fan living in a New Mexico. I'll write him like this:
Dear Jack:
This may seem too personal, addressing you as 'Jack'; but after all, you've written me as "Willis"... Jack, you read science fiction quite extensively. And a favorite science fiction theme concerns the mastery of time. As ardent a fan as you are, surely you can believe me when I tell you I come from your future, from the year 1938. .....And that, in 1938, you are considered to be an old-timer in the field of science fiction writing. Jack Williamson will have been a favorite for years.
Hard to believe? Well, certainly you believe you will someday sell a story---you've been trying to market your efforts, haven't you? Here's me telling you that you won't stop with just one story.... Someday your "Legion of Space" will pull down all kinds of applause. It will appear serially in a magazine you haven't heard of---yet. Astounding Stories. And have you been reading Weird Tales? You should, if you expect to sell them "Golden Blood"....
All I can say is, I wish someone would come from my future and tell me all these nice things!
And here's a letter from Mortimer Weisinger in an issue of Astounding dated 1931. I think I'll drop young Mr. Weisinger a line:Dear Mort: I've just sent off a letter to Jack Williamson three years ago. And you're going to think me as nuts as he did. Suppose I told you I'd read published stories of yours?---which is just what I'm saying. No, you haven't received checks for them yet; and you probably never will if you continue having your stuff accepted by Gernsback.
And, incidentally, from now on you'd better be wise not to praise Astounding Stories so highly as you did in your recent letter, because someday---hold tight, now---you'll be editor of Wonder Stories or what is practically an equivalent. And your worst competitor will be the Astounding Stories on which you're heaping all the praise!
Then I'd make out similar copies and ship 'em to Johnny Campbell and Ray Palmer.