General Fandom Resources and Links
Updated July 17, 2008


Media Resources and Links

  • SyFy Portal offers news, reviews, articles and interviews on past and present science fiction fantasy film, television and other media.

  • Fannish Video is a separate page found here at sfnorthwest that tries to link you to fan created videos that are either spoofs or homages for loved SF series.
Event Planning and Resources

  • Forming a Nonprofit Organization is a site and document with a lot of information about how to get things together to found a non profit.

  • Northwest Convention Club &Fan Table Request Center is a one stop shop for clubs and other orginizations to request Fan Tables (and anythin else) from Local Conventions

  • Worldcon Runners Guide is a comprehensive accounting of what is involved in running the quintessential science fiction convention of the year, running the gambit from the bid process to what is involved once you have run. Well worth a read.

  • Chairman 101 is Michael Citrak's ruminations on being a convention chairman. This is provided in pdf format and is easily printed. Enjoy.
  • The DOJ's Americans with Disabilities Act web site is just as it sounds, a useful resource for knowing the ins and outs of the needs and requirements that should be looked out for by conventions for those with disabilities.

  • Steering Clear of the Most Common Legal Hazards in Association-Hotel Contracts is a useful article with general interest for anyone negotiating for a meeting or convention.

  • Greening the Hotel Contract gives a run down on some of the considerations of being environmentally friendly.

  • Tips for Easier Hotel Contract Review is just as it sounds and a good resource to take a look at.

  • How to Run A Dealersroom is one take on how to run this function in a convention setting. The copyright on the document is 1996, so there may be some issues not covered, but it is potentially a good place to start if your convention runners lack experience and lack contacts with those that have experience in this regard.

  • A Guide for Filk Czars is the accumulated wisdom of Gary McGath coming from his putting together Filk programming at Boksone. The lessons learned there are likely pertinent for those putting together content for Northwest conventions. Also, of interest, in the same subject area is InterFilk: Promoting the Sharing of Filk Music which should be an additional resource for understanding this aspect of convention fandom

  • Garth Spencer's list of Convention running resources is an ongoing and growing site with links to resources that might be appropriate for those interesting in running a con, especially a Canadian con.

  • The IFEA or International Festival and Events Association has a web site that contains a wealth of information for any organization wishing to take up the responsibility of running an event. Of particular interest is a bibliography of books that might be of use that are published by the IFEA.

  • So you want to run A LARP(Live Action Role Playing) Game at your convention is an account of what is involved.

  • Treasury on a Shoestring: A Compdium of Experience With A Midsize Regional is an account of what is involved in being a treasurer at a convention.

  • Convention Planner gives a variety of links to site specific areas, including hotels, restaurants with function space and much more. Certainly worth a look.

  • AOV or Association of Operations Volunteersis a 501C3 organization with a stated goal to assist other events and organizations. Their focus stretches far beyond fannish events but they are actively involved in training throughout the northwest, providing equipment, personnel and technical support and producing specialized equipment.

  • Free Management Library for For-Profit and Non-Profit Organizations is a useful resource with a wealth of articles that may not apply specifically to your state in which you plan to run your convention, but is a place to start and consider options.

  • Non Profit Centeris a 501C3 with a goal 'to strengthen nonprofit organizations for a better community'

  • The Non-Profit Schmoozefest is a Seattle based online and real life meeting ground for those involved in non-profit groups and events. Take a look and see if this might provide useful information.They also have a yahoo groups list as well.

  • Puget Sounds Business Journal has an article about the picture for non profit organization in the Puget Sound region as of May of 2001.

  • NPower has a mission of 'helping other non-profits use technology to better serve their communities'. There seems to be useful information here, but some of their services and, especially their consultants, are for pay. Still, worth a look.

  • Philanthropy Northwest was formerly known as the Pacific Northwest Grantmakers Forum, In their own words. 'Philanthropy Northwest is a professional association of grantmakers located in or funding throughout Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington and British Columbia, Canada.' Looks like a site well worth exploring.

  • Washington Festivals & Events Association is a not for profit group which is a networking resource for those putting on events in the Washington area. COMMERCIAL EVENT RESOURCES
    Convention Industry

  • The CIC offers its members many tools and programs designed to support the industry and meet its challenges, facilitate the exchange of information and ideas, educate the public on the industry's profound economic impact, and ensure its credibility and high standards of quality.

  • Event Solutions - Through our extensive family of products, Event Solutions magazine, Event Solutions Expo and Event Solutions Online, we provide the level of content and the targeted audience you need to make your marketing dollars pay off.

  • EventWeb, founded in 1996, offers innovative ideas and practical advice on how to improve the quality and success of your business meetings, educational programs, industry conferences and global exhibitions.

  • Exhibitor Magazine brings you the best practices in trade show and corporate event marketing, from the most successful companies in the world.

  • Expo Web - The purpose of the EXPOweb is two-fold. First, it is an educational resource for show organizers. Second, it is a tool to help exhibitors and attendees locate the expositions in which they would like to participate.

  • Meetings & Conventions magazine has been helping meeting and event planners in corporations, associations, incentive houses and independent planning companies excel at their jobs and effectively manage their careers.

  • Meeting Guide - Whether you're a professional meeting planner, a company offering event services or a supplier of products for the event industry, the Meeting Guide offers information and connections you won't find anywhere else.

  • MeetingsNet is the meeting industry's portal for information and resources related to planning meetings and events. The Meetings Group of magazines provides comprehensive coverage of meeting planning issues, trends, and events in five focused areas, association, corporate, insurance/financial, religious, and medical.

  • Meeting News The complete online source for news and information for the meeting, convention, incentive and trade show professionals. MeetingNews.com features the latest industry news, searchable article archives, crucial business resources and much more.

  • Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the leading global community committed to shaping and defining the future of the meeting and event industry.

  • Seven Things to Put On A Flyer/Poster/Ad/ is a concise run down of what needs to be communicated either in print medium or as I might add on a web site.

  • Special Events - Leading magazine covering the events industry.

  • Successful Meetings - SuccessMtgs.com is dedicated to serving the needs of meeting planners online. As an extension of Successful Meetings magazine we feature their in-depth coverage and analysis of key issues affecting the meetings industry.

  • Tradeshow Week has focused on the entire tradeshow industry with a commitment to providing tradeshow professionals with the latest information they need to perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively.

  • IEG - International Events Group - IEG established sponsorship as the fourth arm of marketing, alongside advertising, promotion and public relations.

  • Sponsorwise was created to provide sophisticated tools needed in today’s sponsorship market. Based on our collective experiences in corporations, properties, agencies and the Internet, we set out to design a platform that actively supports everyone involved in the process.

  • Energize, Inc. is an international training, consulting and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism. If these words are in your vocabulary--community service, membership development, auxiliary, community organizing, service-learning, lay ministry, pro bono work, supporter, friends group, political activist, service club-- we can help!!

  • Volunteer Management Report  - Helpful newsletter for getting the most out of volunteers to your organization.

  • Washington Festivals & Events Association  WFEA describes thesemlves as being "a Washington state-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to 'support the festival and event industry of Washington State by providing educational, commercial and networking opportunities, and by addressing industry concerns and issues.' WFEA programs educate and support festivals and events, and the people who manage and supply them. WFEA works to improve the understanding, recognition, andappreciation of the vital role of festivals and events in society, as people come together to share and celebrate community."

  • Washington Lawyers for the Arts  This group describes themselve as having been " founded in 1976, Washington Lawyers for the Arts (WLA) is a nonprofit service organization dedicated to supporting the arts in Washington state by creating alliances and making legal resources accessible to artists and arts organizations of all disciplines." This may prove useful for different cons and organizations as a potential resource.

  • the Xeric Foundation describes iteself as being "a private, nonprofit corporation established by Peter A. Laird, co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Planet Racers. The Foundation offers financial assistance to fully committed, self-publishing comic book creators and qualified charitable and nonprofit organizations. The geographical consideration for comic book artists is the United States and Canada."

  • Convention-Guests.com describes itself as "We represent Artists who worked on Star Wars, Harry Potter, Dr Who, James Bond and other cult sci-fi classics who can be seen on our web page" I take no opinion on this site, but it may be useful for those beginning to create a media presence at a con.


Fannish History Sites

  • The Geocon Pages is is a site that preserves past web sites and information about this convention that seems to have passed into history.

  • Norwescon Archives is a slowly growing site of archives web sites and information about past Norwescons. Norwescon is a major regional science fiction covention taking place in the Seattle area usually over Easter weekend. This also includes general informationa bout the con as well..

  • Timebinders - Preserving Fannish History is primarily a link to the mailing list but also a community of people intent on preserving fannish history.

  • The Fanac Fan History Project is an awesome compilation of documents and photographs, information and more. Whether you want to discover an odd bit of filking or see a photograph of Harlan Ellison this is the place to find it. Check it out.

  • Don Glover has a set of pages concentrated on the history of fandom in the northwest, included in this are the Northwest Conventions History Index and Norwescon (Unofficial) History)

General Fannish Sites
with emphasis on Northwest Fandom
  • ANGLCon.com is a convention coverage website that has recently been covering sci fi cons, so there are photos, helpful costuming tips and stories. Worth a look.

  • Ansible is the Hugo Award winning fanzine that is now available via email. It is well worth subscribing to and by email the price is definitely right - free.

  • Comic Book Information web site describes itself as 'All the information, resources, help, and more that you could ever want to know about comic books' If this is an interest for you this might be a place to check out.

  • The Costume Page gives you a wealth of information about costuming.

  • The most current version of the John Lorentz's Fannish Email Directory

  • efanzines.com is an online home for a variety of fanzines in electronic format, usually pdf, as well as links to other online fanzines and where they can be found.

  • The Fan Gallery is a photo gallery that until recently has been a touring hard copy gallery of photographs of major fannish individuals. The site indicates that there are hopes to have an online version of the Gallery up soon.

  • Fantastic Fiction Bibliographies is a compilation of over a thousand bibliographies of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror authors. If you seeking information on what a writer has written this might be one place to begin a search. You search either alphabetically or by keyword.

  • Galaxiki is a virtual galaxy with over a million stars and solar systems - each star, each planet and each moon represents one wiki page and site members can name and edit them, creating an entirely fictional world. It's also possible to "purchase" a star or a solar system, so that only you (and not other community members) can name and edit it.
  • Mike Glyer's web presence for File 770 is an excellent spot to drop in and look around think about getting the paper version of this excellent fanzine.

  • The Incomplete Guide to Contemporary Canadian Fandom is another place to check.

  • Links of Interest to Fandom is currently one of the most up to date and comprehensive sites and now has a new domain name and a new updated look.

  • Locus Online is the online presence of this quintessential print resource for the science fiction genre. The magazine is where to find the list of what will be published in the coming year, what happened at conventions and much more. You can get a taste of what it is about from their website.

  • Plokta Cabal's news servicefor science fiction fandom is just as it sounds. A always interesting and always informative run down of events, conventions and other items of interest to the general fan.

  • The Science Fiction Convention Survival Kit for the Neofan is just as it sounds like, an interesting and insightful web site with lots of information for someone contemplating attending a science fiction convention.

  • the Science Fiction FanSpeak Dictionary maintained on the Stilyagi site is a good place to go for learning more about our fannish way of talking.

  • error-file:tidyout.logThe Science Fiction Resource Guide is one of the better collections of all sorts of science fiction links around and for your surfing pleasure.

  • Science Fiction Convention Survival Kit for Newbies is a very interesting site indeed. If you are a neo-fan aka con virgin or something close thereof and especially if you have not a clue about what I just said then do visit this site.

  • Scifi.com has launched a wickipedia based site known as Scifipedia . If you are not aware of how Wickipedia works think interactive encyclopedia where those who log in can create articles that will be included on the site. Over time this should become a great resource for all fandom and a ripe opportunity for some egoboo :-)

  • SF Lovers is one of the oldest and another quite detailed and comprehensive site for information.

  • The SFF Net is the new name for what was formerly known as Greyware. Of particular interest at this site is the SFF Net News Server which has many of the Science Fiction Round Tables that were formerly elsewhere. Since this is an open news server and available from the rest of the internet it is of particular interest indeed. If you would like a site specifically for aspiring and established writers, then another forum hosted off this server is Writer's Notebook. If you would like works critiqued then register and explore Writers Workbook.

  • SFRT on the Web is an ongoing online community for readers and writers of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror and now it's on the web.

  • Science Ficion & Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) was founded by Damon Knight (1922–2002) in 1965. Today, SFWA's 1500 members include most professional writers of science fiction and fantasy in North America, and many from elsewhere in the universe. An essential site to visit if your interest is writing science fiction or fantasy.

  • space.com's Science Fiction site is a good accounting of the latest on all manner of science fiction in books, movies, television and more. There are reviews and discussion about current events. And there are interviews.

  • Steven Silver's Homepage among its other pluses includes lists of baseball in science fiction, Jewish science fiction, Pluto in Science Fiction and much more. Worth a visit and an exploration.

  • SF Site has a wealth of reviews of written works and other comprehensive material. Well worth a look.

  • Stilyagi Air Corps Calendar

  • trufen.net is a free ranging forum site with stuff for funs or retinal flutter whichever comes first. Well worth checking out, exploring and otherwise trying out.

  • The UTIA Connection is described by its creators as "the exclusive site for the ongoing sci-fi/paranormal free view Real Player based series, "The UTIA Connection."