“Visionary Fiction” Now Officially on Wikipedia
Exciting news for all Visionary Fiction authors, readers and lurkers:
As of August 2014 a entry entitled “Visionary fiction” has been published on Wikipedia at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visionary_fiction
This feat of sweat and scholarship was engineered by VFA member and author Victor E. Smith and reviewed, edited and critiqued by VFA steering committee members Jodine Turner, Margaret Duarte, Eleni Papanou and Sandy Nathan. The fundamental concepts are drawn from the writing of VF pioneers Carl Jung, Flo Keyes, Edward J. Ahearn, Monty Joynes and Hal Zina Bennett, among others, as then discussed, massaged, and rephrased on this site since its inception and on sister sites like Fiction for a New Age, many of which are cited and linked within the article. Our intense cogitation over the past couple of years, right down to the shortest comment, led happily to a reasonable consensus on the definition and characteristics of Visionary Fiction. With the results of this arduous process now condensed on Wikipedia, the VF community finally has a worldwide portal through which to communicate who we are, what and why we write, and how to find us and our work. And since Wikipedia allows anyone to add to or comment on its published material, we can be sure that the description of our genre will evolve and remain up-to-date as we expand into our future, certain to be dynamic. Visionary Fiction author Monty Joynes, recently featured in a post on this site, wrote this to the author after reading the Wiki entry: “Great and important job… Even the literary academics will appreciate what you have done. I feel that your work provides a kind of ‘breakthrough’ for the understanding of our collective literature… the recognition has been a long time coming. Thanks to you, my books and others will find new readers.”
For further enticement to visit the page, here are the major headings for material covered in the article:
- Definitions
- Characteristics of Visionary Fiction
- Distinguishing Visionary Fiction from other Genres
- VF Publishing and Marketing
- Scholarship
- Awards and Community
Reaching this milestone has truly been a cooperative effort, and using this entry now to full effect remains a group activity. Tweet, Tumblr, Facebook, reblog this post the link to the article at every opportunity. When someone asks, “What is Visionary fiction?” give them the quickie, then tell them to look it up on Wikipedia. Explaining our genre has just gotten a lot simpler. Get the word out to readers, writers, publishers, agents–oh, heck, to anyone on this planet who wants a shot of growth in consciousness.
PS as a Wikipedia author/editor: I found the mechanics and protocols of Wikipedia’s editing system daunting at first, even though I consider myself quite tech-savvy. My first submission was turned down quite peremptorily, largely because of a novice mistake in citing references. If you want to add or edit the article–and all are encouraged to do so–take the time to look up Wikipedia’s guidelines for contributing and formatting before jumping in too deep. Had I followed this advice, the announcement might have come a couple months ago–sigh!
Reblogged this on Sol Ascendans – The Website of Alex Sumner and commented:
See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visionary_fiction
Congratulation Victor. All Hail VisFic.
Esme
Excellent! I like the idea of the Visionary Fiction Awards.
Such a thorough, professional, well researched and well rounded article on Wikipedia. Well done, Vic. We've arrived! Well, when we have those VF awards, we'll have arrived!
~Jodine Turner
Reblogged this on Victor E. Smith.
It's such a relief to finally be able to send people to Wikipedia for a complete answer when they ask, "What is Visionary Fiction?"
A very well done article, Vic. Thanks so much for your hard work. Hooray for VF!
Wow, this is brilliant! Well done Vic, Jodine, Margaret, Eleni and Sandy – you've done an amazing job.
Reblogged this at the Libredux blog
And Vic did an impressive job putting it all together. Can't imagine the hours he spent doing it. Well, maybe I can after all the academic writing I've been doing for school!
Doesn't look like my previous post went through but bravos about Wikipedia. That's a big step. Thanks also for my mention there. I'm flattered. And the architectural rendering for the next VFA conference looks great, too.
Visionary Fiction writers have so much to thank you for, Mr. Hal Z. Bennett! You are a VF pioneer. So, of course, the mention. I hope to attend a VF awards conference in my lifetime.
Thank you, Hal. Without the pioneering efforts of people like you there would have been no VF to write about. We appreciate your contributions here as well.
You just may, Margaret.
For writers locked into the scientific method of rationalism, Vic’s work removes the fear of visionary flight and encourages a new generation of artists to write free of stereotypes.
I like that phrase, Monty: "fear of visionary flight," a very real phobia that I too had to get over. It also rings like a novel title. Move over, Erica Jong.
I agree. "Fear of visionary flight" is a real phenomenon.
I just read your article, Vic, having jumped right to the Wiki article at first. A wonderful framing of this important moment for the VF genre concept. I will link this and the Wiki article on my website.
Thank much, DR, and for your support of VF. We are getting the word out and that's good for VF writers, and, we have to hope, for the future of humanity.
Congratulations Margaret Duarte and all visionary fiction authors. Great listing on Wikipedia!! Simply fabulous.
Thanks Jo! We owe the success of the visionary fiction listing to Victor E. Smith. He's quite an asset to the cause.