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The Seven Deadly Sins of Fandom
| Meta | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Seven Deadly Sins of Fandom |
| Creator: | Susan M. Garrett |
| Date(s): | April 1989 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | multifandom, print zines |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
The Seven Deadly Sins of Fandom is a 1989 essay by Susan M. Garrett.
It was first printed as a part of The Fantastically Fundamentally Functional Guide to Fandom, an instruction manual meant to explain the basics of fandom and fanworks to new fans and to be a reminder to more seasoned fans.
This essay was also reprinted in Southern Enclave #42 (Summer 1995), which is online here.
The essay is meant to address careless and rude fans who both create and consume fanworks:
With a little bit of common courtesy and common sense, fans could make fandom a really keen place to work and play. Fans created this playground and only fans can be responsible for their actions.
From the Essay
1. SLOTH — those people who don't keep records because they can't be bothered, don't respond to inquiries for months, if ever, those people who never try anything unique and interesting because it's too much work, etc.
2. DISCOURTESY — calling directory assistance to get a number that you were not given permission to use, ignoring complaints or questions from your contributors or editors, not acknowledging the receipt of a contrib copy, doing sloppy or incomplete rush work to get something done instead of giving it the care and attention it needs, etc.
3. ARROGANCE — call this the BNF (Big Name Fan) mentality of feeling that they are well known enough to act the way they want instead of with common courtesy, people who put down other fandoms consistently in favor of their own for no particular reason other than a superiority complex, etc.
4. STUBBORN IGNORANCE — people who don't know and don't care to correct their lack of knowledge, such as using original artwork for paste up, sending submissions that don't conform to submissions guidelines, etc.
5. ENVY — people with petty minds and a minimum of talent who take others to task for being talented, creative, or generally better than they are, including those who criticize another fan's methods or talents without kindness or sensitivity, etc.
6. MALICE — people who are just plain mean, which includes such things as spite reviews, nasty edits, blacklisting, etc.
7. GREED — the worst crimes imaginable because they cause the most damage; bootleggers, simultaneous submissions, exorbitant prices for zines out of a love of profit, taking deposits and never putting out a zine, etc.
Are all problems in fandom caused by the seven deadlies?
No, but the seven deadlies are ones that we can do something about with a little patience, courtesy, and common sense. The other really big problem is REAL LIFE. It happens. People have jobs and families, as well as personal lives, which lead to some interesting permutations in car problems, illness, moving, children, etc.
Let's face it, if reality weren't such a pain, there'd be very few people in fandom.
Other Essays in This Series
- The Seven Deadly Sins of Fandom
- S.A.S.E. or You Want an Answer When?
- Telephone Courtesy OR How to Make Enemies Without Even Trying
- A Buyer's Guide to Fanzines OR How to Not Drop $200 in a Hurry
- Ordering Zines by Mail OR Waiting by the Mailbox
- The Letterzine OR The Gift of Gab
- Research, OR Ignorance is Not Bliss
- Pseudonym
- Simultaneous Submissions, Resubmittals, and Reprints, or, Where I Have I Seen This Before?
- The Fanzine Bill of Rights
- L(etter) O(f) C(omment) or How Am I Doin'?