To provide some historical perspective:
Forrest J. Ackermann ("4SJ"), one of the first and greatest media SF
fans of all time, coined the term "sci-fi" in analogy to the then
current
phrase "hi-fi" for stereo equipment.
The media loved the term; oldtime written SF fans generally loathed
it. The public at large doesn't give a damn. With the emergence of the
"Sci-Fi Channel," the phrase is clearly here to stay.
Nonetheless, traditionally sci-fi is a derogatory term used for
such lowgrade SF product as Godzilla and other rubber-suit movies. It
is *not* used, as far as I know, as a term for "soft SF." And, be
aware,
traditional SF fans may take offense if you go calling the genre they
love "sci-fi."
In the words of Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."
Dan Krashin
P.S.: ditto what Vonda McIntyre said about Clarion. It's grueling and
humbling but also pretty wonderful... and it packed more punch in 6
weeks than two years of weekly "creative writing classes" with friendly,
but mundane, professors.
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