Letter Column

Prozines used to have long ones in the pulp era, 30 pages or more published in minuscule 6 or 8 pt. type –– by one theory, Fourth Fandom (during WWII, because of paper and other shortages faced by fans kept the number and frequency of fanzines to a minimum) took place mostly in the lettercolumns of the pulp prozines, mainly Planet Stories, Startling Stories and Thrilling Wonder Stories (the two latter referred to in shorthand form as SS and TWS). There have been fanzines in which this letterhacking kind of activity can be found, including a few letterzines, albeit Not Too Many all that recently.

Most of the prozines had a letter-column, and it was by means of those letters that fans first found each other in the early 1930s out of which SF fandom grew.

Contributors: Dr. Gafia