4. As a result of the above we have become somewhat more cautious in recent years in our social contacts and in the letters we write, especially as the pressure from strangers has become much greater. I have to live behind a locked gate and with an unlisted phone to get any work done at all-and this is a hell of a note as my wife and I are by nature quite gregarious and social. Mrs. Heinlein usually answers and signs all of the mail, which tends to discourage the incipient “pen pals” who would, if allowed, take up all my time and leave none for writing. A rare exception, such as your letter, I answer myself. We necessarily find our social life among people who don’t read science fiction.
5. All of the above adds up to this: There are very, very few people in organized fandom who know anything at all about me in the sense of knowing me personally or in being privy to my private opinions, tastes, or habits. My published works are widespread and anyone can read them. The public facts about my life are in several reference books in most public libraries. But a member of science fiction fandom is most unlikely to know any more about me than you do, and if he claims otherwise, he is almost certainly talking through his hat.
6. But I am repeatedly amazed at the number of people who claim to be “experts” on me. (One of them even wrote an entire book about me. I have never met him in my life.)
7. I have never expressed “antagonism” or hostility to “nests” or “water-brotherhoods.” This is sheer fabrication. I would like to throw such a lie into the teeth of anyone saying so, if I knew who he was.
8. On the contrary, a number of “nests” have indeed gotten into contact with me. I have treated them with politeness. I have standing invitations to visit them. I think I am on good terms with every such organization which has taken the trouble to get into touch with me. If you have any specific data to the contrary, I would like lo hear it, in detail. (But I have no way to deal with malicious allegations from faceless, nameless strangers.)
Stranger. It is a work of fiction in parable form. It is not a “put-on” unless you choose to classify every work of fiction as such. Who are these persons who allege this?
I would like an opportunity to face up to one or more of ihcm…as this allegation has come back to me often enough to cause me to think that someone has been prcading it systematically and possibly with malice. But lie allegation always reaches me at least secondhand and
‘•ever with the name of the person. Will you tell me where nu got this allegation? I would like to track down this
‘Scarlet Pimpernel” and get him to hold still long nbugh to ask him what he is up to and why.
Now, for some background on Stranger and my stories in general: I write for the following reasons —
1. To support myself and my family;
2. To entertain my readers;
3. And, if possible, to cause my readers to think. The first two of these reasons are indispensable, and dilute, together, a commonplace market transaction.
I have always had to work for a living, for myself and now for my dependents, and I come from a poor, country family-root, hog, or die. I have worked at many things, but I discovered, somewhat by accident, that I could produce a salable commodity-entertainment in the form of fiction. I don’t know why I have this talent; no other membef of my family or relatives seems to have it. But I got into it for a reason that many writers have-it was what I could do at the time, i.e., I have been ill for long periods throughout my life, and writing is something a person can do when he is not physically able to take a 9-to-5 job. (Someday I would like to find time to do an essay on this. The cases range from blind Homer to consumptive R. L. Stevenson and are much more numerous than English professors seem to be aware of.)