A system much like the internet's bulletin boards, but conducted via snail mail and actually producing dead tree artifacts in the form of apazines – or, in less convoluted terms, a means for generating and distributing fanzines. Some apas are designed for discussion on specific topics (e.g., APA 69, sex; REHUPA, the Robert E. Howard apa; CAPRA, the movie apa, etc.) but most are general interest.
As already noted under ajay, there are differences between mundane and fannish apas. Ever inventive, fans have devised a second apa template even more distinct from the mundane model. For the fannish apas that most resemble the mundane version, each edition (called a "mailing" or "distribution") contains the preprinted personal informal fanzines (apazines) produced and submitted by the apa‘s members. These apazines generally include (and sometimes consist mostly or entirely of) “mailing comments” – responses to material published in the preceding mailings or distributions – and they are sent/given to an elected official (sometimes called Official Collator [OC)] or Official Editor (OE), although further variations are possible) who assembles mailings/distributions consisting of one copy of each zine and gives/mails them out in a batch to each of the members. To remain a member, one generally must meet minimum activity (minac) requirements, usually defined as a certain number of pages of original material within a given timeframe, plus (in most instances) pay dues to defray the costs of bulk postage for the mailings/distributions that are not handed out and the publication by the apa’s OC or OE of the Official Organ (OO) which accompanies them.
The fannish variant on this is generally an apa of fewer members which publishes an edition monthly or better, in which the members submit material to a single editor who publishes them in a single fanzine; sometimes the publisher is one person elected (and dues cover the expense of publishing) and sometimes members publish in rotation in which they cover the expense of their own publication; in this kind of apa, the single combined publication is the apa mailing/distribution.
In the mundane apas like NAPA and UAPA, one simply pays dues; publishing activity is encouraged but not necessary and there is no requirement to send all "papers" (as they call their apazines) to the entire membership, either by post-mailing individually or by submitting a required number of copies to the OE when seeking distribution in a mailing.
The mundane versions are all distributed quarterly, and the fannish apas initially copied that, but – never to be pigeon-holed – presently there are fan apas whose distribution intervals are weekly, every two weeks, every three weeks, monthly, every other month, quarterly and yearly.
Contributors: Dr. Gafia
Tag Cloud: See also the Fancyclopedia 3 tag cloud for APA.
| from Fancyclopedia 2 ca. 1959 |
| Amateur Press Association. A group of people who publish fanzines and, instead of mailing them individually, send them to an official editor, who makes up a bundle periodically (altho these mailings have sometimes not been temporally regular) and distributes one to each member. Such apazines are contributed to the bundle by their publishers without charge, being considered exchanges for the other members' fanzines. The procedure saves time, work, and postage for the publishers; and since the mailing bundles are identical and all members may be assumed to know their contents, comments on them lead to lively discussions. For fan APAs see under FAPA, OMPA, and SAPS, all still active, and 7APA, Vanguard, and WAPA, now defunct. (Whether the Cult is an APA is hard to decide, but go ahead and look it up anyway.) Many mundane APAs are in existence — in fact, fandom got the idea from them. These mapas usually print their publications with hand-operated equipment, and are for the most part distinctly more interested in getting a pleasant format and appearance than in producing interesting writing. Several fans have vanished into or emerged from the mapas, and some stfnists, notably HP Lovecraft, have been active Ajays at the same time. The memberships of mundane associations are considerably larger and less active than those of fan APAs, and it does not seem to be required that publishers send in sufficient copies to cover the entire membership. |
| from Fancyclopedia 1 ca. 1944 |
| A group like the FAPA (which got its idea from them) existing for the purpose of facilitating exchange of publications between its members thru a periodic mailing (the mailings have not been temporarily regular in some cases). Of the mundane amateur press associations, the National APA dates from the 1870's; the American was established fairly recently, mainly by younger people. There are also the United APA, a British organization, some regional groups, locals, and some interassociation committees. These ajays usually print their publications with hand-operated equipment, and are for the most part distinctly more interested in getting a pleasant format and appearance than in writing anything interesting. Several former fans have disappeared into the mundane APA's, and several other well-known scientifictionists, notably H. P. Lovecraft, have been active ajays at the same time. The memberships of these associations are considerably larger and less active than the FAPA's, and it does not seem to be required that publishers send in sufficient copies to cover the entire membership. |
