Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor


The Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor is one of the Hugo Awards given each year for science fiction or fantasy stories published or translated into English during the previous calendar year. The award is available for editors of magazines, novels, anthologies, or other works related to science fiction or fantasy. The award supplanted a previous award for professional magazine. The Hugo Awards have been described as "a fine showcase for speculative fiction" and "the best known literary award for science fiction writing".
The award was first presented in 1973, and was given annually through 2006. Beginning in 2007, the award was split into two categories, that of Best Editor and Best Editor. The Short Form award is for editors of anthologies, collections or magazines, while the Long Form award is for editors of novels. In addition to the regular Hugo awards, beginning in 1996 Retrospective Hugo Awards, or "Retro Hugos", have been available to be awarded for years 50, 75, or 100 years prior in which no awards were given. To date, Retro Hugo awards have been awarded for 1939, 1941, 1943—1946, 1951, and 1954, and in each case an award for professional editor was given.
During the 56 nomination years, 73 editors have been nominated for the original Best Professional Editor, the Short Form, or the Long Form award, including Retro Hugos. Of these, Gardner Dozois has received the most awards, with 15 original awards out of 19 nominations for the original category and 1 out of 2 for the Short Form. The only other editors to win more than three awards are Ben Bova, who won 6 of 8 nominations for the original award, Ellen Datlow, who won 7 of 17 nominations, split between the original and short form awards, and John W. Campbell, Jr. with 7 out of 7 nominations for the Retro Hugo awards. The two editors who have won three times are Edward L. Ferman with 3 out of 20 original nominations and Patrick Nielsen Hayden with 3 out of 3 Long Form nominations. Stanley Schmidt has received the most nominations, at 27 original and 7 Short Form, winning one Short Form.

Selection

Hugo Award nominees and winners are chosen by supporting or attending members of the annual World Science Fiction Convention, or Worldcon, and the presentation evening constitutes its central event. The selection process is defined in the World Science Fiction Society Constitution as instant-runoff voting with six nominees, except in the case of a tie. The works on the ballot are the six most-nominated by members that year, with no limit on the number of works that can be nominated. Initial nominations are made by members in January through March, while voting on the ballot of six nominations is performed roughly in April through July, subject to change depending on when that year's Worldcon is held. Prior to 2017, the final ballot was five works; it was changed that year to six, with each initial nominator limited to five nominations. Worldcons are generally held near Labor Day, and are held in a different city around the world each year. Members are permitted to vote "no award", if they feel that none of the nominees is deserving of the award that year, and in the case that "no award" takes the majority the Hugo is not given in that category. This happened in both the Short Form and Long Form categories in 2015.

Winners and nominees

In the following tables, the years correspond to the date of the ceremony. Editors are eligible based on their work of the previous calendar year, and each date links to the "year in literature" article corresponding with when those works were eligible. Although the Best Professional Editor award is not given explicitly for any particular editing effort and such works are not recorded by the World Science Fiction Society, works that the editor in question was involved with in the eligibility period are listed. This list includes magazines or anthologies that the editor worked on and publishing houses that he or she was employed at, and is not intended to be comprehensive. Entries with a blue background and an asterisk next to the editor's name have won the award; those with a white background are the nominees on the short-list.

Best Professional Editor

* Winners and joint winners
+ No winner selected
YearEditorWorkRef
1973*Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1973The Best Science Fiction of the Year
1973The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1973Amazing Stories, Fantastic
1973The 1972 Annual World's Best SF
1974*Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1974The Best Science Fiction of the Year #2
1974The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1974New Dimensions 3
1974Amazing Stories, Fantastic
1974The 1973 Annual World's Best SF
1975*Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1975Galaxy Science Fiction, If
1975The Best Science Fiction of the Year #3
1975The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1975New Dimensions 4
1975Amazing Stories, Fantastic
1976*Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1976Galaxy Science Fiction
1976The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1976New Dimensions 5
1976Amazing Stories, Fantastic
1977*Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1977Galaxy Science Fiction
1977The Best Science Fiction of the Year #5
1977The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1977Amazing Stories, Fantastic
1978*Asimov's Science Fiction
1978Galaxy Science Fiction
1978Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1978The Best Science Fiction of the Year #6
1978The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1979*Analog Science Fact & Fiction, Omni
1979Ace Books
1979The Best Science Fiction of the Year #7
1979The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction
1979Asimov's Science Fiction
1980*Asimov's Science Fiction
1980Ace Books
1980Omni
1980The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1980Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1981*The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1981Tor Books
1981The Best Science Fiction of the Year #9
1981Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1981Asimov's Science Fiction
1982*The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1982The Best Science Fiction of the Year #10
1982Pocket Books
1982Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1982Asimov's Science Fiction
1983*The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1983The Best Science Fiction of the Year #11
1983Pocket Books
1983Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1983Amazing Stories, Asimov's Science Fiction
1984*Asimov's Science Fiction
1984The Best Science Fiction of the Year #12
1984The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1984Pocket Books
1984Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1985*The Best Science Fiction of the Year #13
1985The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1985Asimov's Science Fiction
1985Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1985Amazing Stories
1986*
1986Del Rey Books
1986The Best Science Fiction of the Year #14
1986The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1986Asimov's Science Fiction
1986Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1987*The Best Science Fiction of the Year #15
1987Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Third Annual Collection
1987The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
1987Tor Books
1987Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1988*Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fourth Annual Collection
1988Fantasy & Science Fiction
1988Tor Books
1988Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1988Warner Books
1989*Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Fifth Annual Collection
1989Fantasy & Science Fiction
1989The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books
1989Aboriginal Science Fiction
1989Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1990*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1990Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #2
1990Fantasy & Science Fiction
1990The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books
1990Tor Books
1990Aboriginal Science Fiction
1990Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1991*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1991Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #3
1991Fantasy & Science Fiction
1991Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine
1991Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1992*Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Eighth Annual Collection
1992Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #4
1992Fantasy & Science Fiction
1992Fantasy & Science Fiction, Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine
1992Analog Science Fact & Fiction
1993*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1993Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #5
1993Tor Books
1993Fantasy & Science Fiction, Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine
1993Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1994*Fantasy & Science Fiction, Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine
1994Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #6
1994Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Tenth Annual Collection
1994Alternate Warriors, Christmas Ghosts, Future Earths: Under African Skies
1994Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1995*Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Eleventh Annual Collection
1995Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #7
1995Alternate Outlaws, By Any Other Fame, Deals With the Devil
1995Fantasy & Science Fiction
1995Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1996*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1996Omni, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #8
1996Science Fiction Age
1996Fantasy & Science Fiction
1996Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1997*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1997Science Fiction Age
1997Tor Books
1997Fantasy & Science Fiction
1997Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1998*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1998Science Fiction Age
1998The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best SF 2
1998Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1998Fantasy & Science Fiction
1999*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
1999Science Fiction Age
1999The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best SF 3
1999Tor Books
1999Analog Science Fiction and Fact
1999Fantasy & Science Fiction
2000*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
2000The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best SF 4
2000Tor Books
2000Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2000Fantasy & Science Fiction
2001*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
2001Sci Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #13
2001The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best SF 5
2001Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2001Fantasy & Science Fiction
2002*Sci Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #14
2002Asimov's Science Fiction, '
2002Tor Books
2002Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2002Fantasy & Science Fiction
2003*Asimov's Science Fiction, '
2003Sci Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #15
2003The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best Fantasy 2, Year's Best SF 7
2003Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2003Fantasy & Science Fiction
2004*Asimov's Science Fiction, The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twentieth Annual Collection
2004Sci Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #16
2004The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best Fantasy 3, Year's Best SF 8
2004Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2004Fantasy & Science Fiction
2005*Sci Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #17
2005Asimov's Science Fiction, '
2005The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best Fantasy 4, Year's Best SF 9
2005Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2005Fantasy & Science Fiction
2006*The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best Fantasy 5, Year's Best SF 10
2006Sci Fiction, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #18
2006Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2006Fantasy & Science Fiction
2006Asimov's Science Fiction

Long Form

Starting with the 2007 awards, the Professional Editor award was split into two categories: Best Editor and Best Editor. The Long Form award is for "The editor of at least four novel-length works primarily devoted to science fiction and/or fantasy published in the previous calendar year" in the official Hugo Award rules.
YearEditorWorkRef
2007*Tor Books
2007Pyr
2007Baen Books
2007Ace Books
2007Tor Books
2008*Tor Books
2008Pyr
2008Ace Books
2008Tor Books
2008Tor Books
2009*Tor Books
2009Pyr
2009Ace Books
2009Tor Books
2009Tor Books
2010*Tor Books
2010Pyr
2010Ace Books
2010Tor Books
2010Bantam Spectra
2011*Pyr
2011Ace Books
2011Tor Books
2011Tor Books
2011Haikasoru
2011Tor Books
2011Bantam Spectra
2012*DAW Books
2012Pyr
2012Tor Books
2012Bantam Spectra
2012Tor Books
2013*Tor Books
2013Pyr
2013DAW Books
2013Tor Books
2013Baen Books
2014*Ace Books
2014DAW Books
2014Tor Books
2014Angry Robot
2014Baen Books
2015+
2015Castalia House
2015DAW Books
2015Baen Books
2015Ace Books
2015Baen Books
2016*DAW Books
2016Castalia House
2016Tor Books
2016Baen Books
2016Baen Books
2017*Tor Books
2017Castalia House
2017DAW Books
2017Tor Books
2017Tor Books
2017Saga Press
2018*DAW Books
2018Saga Press
2018Tor Books
2018Tor Books
2018Tor Books
2018Saga Press
2019*Saga Press
2019DAW Books
2019Bantam Spectra
2019Tor Books
2019Tor Books
2019Victor Gollancz Ltd
2020DAW Books
2020Orbit Books
2020Tor Books
2020Tor Books
2020Tor Books
2020Saga Press

Short Form

The Best Editor Short Form award, also started in 2007, is given to "the editor of at least four anthologies, collections or magazine issues primarily devoted to science fiction and/or fantasy, at least one of which was published in the previous calendar year."
YearEditorWorkRef
2007*Fantasy & Science Fiction
2007'
2007The New York Review of Science Fiction, Tor Books, Year's Best Fantasy 6, Year's Best SF 11
2007Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2007Asimov's Science Fiction
2008*Fantasy & Science Fiction
2008Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #20
2008Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2008The New Space Opera, The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year
2008Asimov's Science Fiction
2009*Year's Best Fantasy and Horror #21
2009Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2009The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 2
2009Fantasy & Science Fiction
2009Asimov's Science Fiction
2010*Best Horror of the Year, Nebula Awards Showcase 2009
2010Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2010The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 3
2010Fantasy & Science Fiction
2010Asimov's Science Fiction
2011*Asimov's Science Fiction
2011Lightspeed Magazine
2011Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2011The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 4
2011Fantasy & Science Fiction
2012*Asimov's Science Fiction
2012Lightspeed Magazine
2012Clarkesworld Magazine
2012Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2012The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 5
2013*Analog Science Fiction and Fact
2013Lightspeed Magazine
2013Clarkesworld Magazine
2013The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 6
2013Asimov's Science Fiction
2014*Best Horror of the Year
2014Lightspeed Magazine
2014Clarkesworld Magazine
2014The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 7
2014Asimov's Science Fiction
2015+
2015Chicks Dig Gaming: A Celebration of All Thing Gaming by the Women Who Love it
2015Castalia House
2015Galaxy's Edge
2015Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show
2015Shattered Shields
2016*Best Horror of the Year
2016Lightspeed Magazine
2016Clarkesworld Magazine
2016Castalia House
2016Asimov's Science Fiction
2017*Best Horror of the Year
2017Lightspeed Magazine
2017Clarkesworld Magazine
2017The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 10
2017 and Michael Damian ThomasUncanny Magazine
2017Asimov's Science Fiction
2018 and Michael Damian Thomas*Uncanny Magazine
2018Lightspeed Magazine
2018Clarkesworld Magazine
2018Tor.com Publishing
2018The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 11
2018Asimov's Science Fiction
2019'
2019Clarkesworld Magazine
2019Tor.com Publishing
2019Fireside Magazine
2019 and Michael Damian ThomasUncanny Magazine
2019Shimmer Magazine
2020Clarkesworld Magazine
2020Best Horror of the Year
2020The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
2020The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year 13
2020 and Michael Damian ThomasUncanny Magazine
2020Asimov's Science Fiction

Retro Hugos

Beginning with the 1996 Worldcon, the World Science Fiction Society created the concept of "Retro Hugos", in which the Hugo award could be retroactively awarded for years 50, 75, or 100 years before the current year, if no awards were originally given that year. Retro Hugos have been awarded seven times, for 1939, 1941, 1943—1946, 1951, and 1954. In 1946, 1951, and 1954 the award was given for Best Professional Editor, as the category had not been split, while for the others it was given for Short Form only, as Long Form did not have enough responses to make a ballot.
YearYear awardedEditorWorkRef
19392014*Astounding Science-Fiction
19392014Tales of Wonder
19392014Amazing Stories
19392014Thrilling Wonder Stories
19392014Weird Tales
19412016*Astounding Science-Fiction
19412016Weird Tales
19412016Amazing Stories
19412016Astonishing Stories, Super Science Stories
19412016Thrilling Wonder Stories
19432018*Astounding Science-Fiction
19432018Thrilling Wonder Stories
19432018Weird Tales
19432018Amazing Stories
19432018Planet Stories
19432018The Viking Portable Novels of Science
19442019*Astounding Science-Fiction
19442019Thrilling Wonder Stories
19442019Famous Fantastic Mysteries
19442019Weird Tales
19442019Amazing Stories
19442019The Viking Portable Novels of Science
19452020Astounding Science-Fiction
19452020Thrilling Wonder Stories
19452020Famous Fantastic Mysteries
19452020Weird Tales
19452020Amazing Stories
19452020Planet Stories
19461996*Astounding Science-Fiction
19461996Startling Stories, Wonder Stories
19461996Amazing Stories
19461996The Viking Portable Novels of Science
19512001*Astounding Science-Fiction
19512001The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
19512001Big Book of Science Fiction, The Science Fiction Galaxy
19512001Galaxy Science Fiction
19512001The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
19542004*Astounding Science-Fiction
19542004The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
19542004Beyond Fantasy Fiction, Galaxy Science Fiction
19542004Star Science Fiction Stories No.1, Star Science Fiction Stories No.2
19542004Ace Books