September 2009

On BU Becoming an Educational Non-Profit
By Lettie Prell

Broad Universe recently achieved non-profit status as an educational organization. This means that donations to BU (but not paid memberships) are now tax deductible.

When I contemplate the news, however, it's not the tax break that gives me the most thrills, but that word Education with a capital E. We already are an educational resource of course, and the Broadsheet is one of our main ways of delivering educational material. We publish articles on creating and marketing fiction. We highlight women's fiction in book reviews and interviews. However, when I see that capital E, I want to do more.

Broad Universe, I'm thinking, should be the leading resource on the web for information on women publishing science fiction, fantasy, and horror — past, present, and emerging talents to watch. We should be the place teachers go for information on the history of women writing genre fiction, to incorporate into their curricula. I see a historical timeline, with milestones and key highlights. I see the Think section and archives brimming with essays on how women's writing and progress in the field have developed over time, where it is currently, and where it might be heading. I see more interviews — many more — with the early writers, the contemporary writers, and others whose contributions toward promoting women's writing are noteworthy.

For this vision to be actualized, it needs many contributions by many people. It needs enthusiastic people contacting like-minded friends, writing essays and articles, discussing what events and milestones should be included in a history of this nature. It needs people who are already members of Broad Universe seeing the benefits of self-promotion through contributing articles. In order to encourage this activity, this grand collection of the history of women in the genres as well as the contemporary scene, we've increased Broadsheet payment rates for articles, book reviews, and interviews.

Oh and by the way, you can now make a tax deductible donation to help the cause as well.