Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Wilhelm, Kate, 1928-
Title:	Kate Wilhelm Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1956-1971
Quantity:	7.75 linear ft.
Abstract:	American science fiction and mystery author, playwright, novelist. Correspondence with editors, publishers, collaborators; memorabilia; drafts and galleys of novels, short stories, and plays
Language:	English
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Ave., Suite 600 Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center/university-archives

Biographical History

Kate Wilhelm (1928- 2018) was an American author and playwright, best known for her science fiction novels and short stories..

Born Katie Gertrude Meredith in Toledo, Ohio, her first published short fiction was "The Pint-Size Genie" in the October 1956 issue of Fantastic. Over the course of her career she produced novels, short stories, stage productions, non-fiction articles, and radio plays, not only science fiction but also mystery, suspense, and detective stories. Her works have been translated into more than a dozen languages. Both she and her second husband, science fiction author Damon Knight, influenced and assisted hundreds of aspiring writers through their classes, lectures, workshops, and other teaching opportunities in the United States, South America, and Asia. The two were instrumental in establishing the Clarion Writer's Workshop and the Milford Writer's Conference, both of which have launched the careers of numerous award-winning writers.

Wilhelm's novels and short stories have garnered three Nebula awards and two Hugos. In 1977 her novel Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang won the Hugo and Locus awards, was a finalist for the Nebula, and took third place for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. She was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2016, the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) renamed their Solstice Award the Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award.

Return to top

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Kate Wilhelm Papers consist of correspondence, memorabilia, and writings.

Correspondence is mostly with publishers, her agents, and her collaborator Ted Thomas.

Memorabilia contains clippings, school-related items from Wilhelm and her two sons, and a certificate from the British Interplanetary Society.

Writings contains material relating to articles, books, plays, and short stories, some of which have never been published. Types of material include outlines, notes, drafts, synopses, galley proofs, submission records, feedback, and acceptance/rejection letters.

Return to top

Arrangement of the Collection

Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by last name. Memorabilia is arranged alphabetically by type. Writings are subdivided by type and within that arranged alphabetically by title..

Return to top

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Return to top

Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has the papers of a number of other well-known women science fiction authors, including Andre Norton and Anne McCaffrey, and the papers of Wilhelm's husband Damon Knight, as well as thousands of published items including books, early pulp magazines, periodicals. and fanzines. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for more information regarding manuscript collections, and use Libraries Search .to locate cataloged material.

Return to top

Subject Headings

Persons

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

Return to top

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Kate Wilhelm Papers,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Kate Wilhelm, 1971.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: MPK
Date: 25 Oct 1978
Revision history: 31 Aug 2005 - EAD file created (MRR); 12 Feb 2026 - rehoused, inventory corrected and expanded (MRC)

Return to top

Inventory

	Correspondence
Box 1		Cottrell, Zèlème 1960
Box 1		Earle, Bill 1960
Box 1		Fierst, Al 1958
Box 1		Harper & Row 1965 - editor Janet Loranger
Box 1		Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) Aug 1969 - issue of SFWA Forum
Box 1		Shasta Publishers 1957-1958
Box 1		Simon & Schuster 1963
Box 1		Thomas, Ted 1965-1968 - collaborated with Wilhelm on Year of the Cloud
Box 1		Willick, George 1960 - about his UFO experience
Box 1		Miscellaneous 1960-1971 - mostly publishers

	Memorabilia
Box 1		British Interplanetary Society 1958 - membership certificate
Box 1		Clippings undated - on various topics, including reviews of More bitter than death
		School items
Box 1			Kate Wilhelm 1960 - includes paper on brainwashing written for a psychology class
Box 1			Douglas Wilhelm 1965-1966
Box 1			Richard Wilhelm 1965-1966

	Writings
		Articles
Box 1			I write science fiction - draft
Box 1			I've had it - about products that are "lemons"; draft
		Books
			April Fool's Day forever
Box 1				Draft [A]
Box 1				Draft [B] - title crossed out and "Or is it #7?" written above
				Miscellaneous - scattered pages with edits
			The breaking point - possibly an early/alternate version of Walking a tight rope
Box 1				Draft [A] (2 folders)
Box 1				Draft [B] (3 folders)
Box 2				Miscellaneous - notes
			Christine
Box 2				Draft [A]
Box 2				Draft [B]
			A dark night for seeing
Box 2				Draft [A] (2 folders)
Box 2				Draft [B] (2 folders)
Box 2				Miscellaneous 1957-1958 - notes, list of submissions
			The downstairs room
Box 2				Setting copy (4 folders)
Box 12				Galleys - "page proofs" set [A]
Box 12				Galleys - "page proofs" set [B]
Box 12				Galleys - "final galley proof"
			The end of summer
Box 2				Draft - pp. 1-90
Box 3				Draft - pp 91-196 (2 folders)
			Every way is up - alternate titles: Beyond good and evil; Some were savages; Any way is up
Box 3				Outlines
Box 3				Draft [A]
Box 3				Drafts, ch 7-9
Box 3				Miscellaneous - notes, sketches, scattered pages
			The haunted planets
Box 3				Outlines
Box 3				Draft [A]
Box 3				Draft [B]
			The killer thing
Box 3				Outline and notes
Box 3				Draft [A] (2 folders)
Box 3				Draft [B] - pp. 1-180 (2 folders)
Box 4				Draft [B] - pp. 181-2
Box 12				Galleys - "page proofs" set [A]
Box 12				Galleys - "page proofs" set [B]
Box 12				Galleys - "final galley proof"
			Let the fire fall - alternate title: Star born
Box 4				Draft (3 folders)
Box 4				Setting copy (4 folders)
Box 12				Galleys Nov 1969 - "final galley proof, reader's set"
Box 12				Galleys - "foundry proof" [A]
Box 13				Galleys - "foundry proof" [B]
Box 13				Galleys Dec 1969 - "master proof"
Box 13				Galleys Dec 1969 - unspecified set
Box 5				Published edition, disbound with corrections
Box 5				Miscellaneous (2 folders)
			Margaret and I
Box 5				Draft (2 folders)
Box 5				Photocopy of draft (2 folders)
Box 5				Photocopy
Box 5				Copyedited manuscript [copy 1] (3 folders)
Box 5				Copyedited manuscript [copy 2] - pp. 1-90
Box 6				Copyedited manuscript [copy 2] - pp. 91-234 (2 folders)
Box 13				Galleys - "duplicate galleys"
Box 6				Miscellaneous - notes, scattered pages with edits
			Mate in four
Box 6				Outlines, notes
Box 6				Draft, partial [A] - pp. 1-76
Box 6				Draft, partial [B] - pp. 50-157
			More bitter than death
Box 6				Draft [A] (3 folders)
Box 6				Draft [B]
Box 6				Setting copy - pp. 1-170 (2 folders)
Box 7				Setting copy - pp. 171-204
			The Nevermore Affair - alternate title: Quote me no ravens
Box 7				Synopsis, notes, clippings
Box 7				Early/rough draft (2 folders)
Box 7				Draft [A] (3 folders)
Box 7				Draft [B] (4 folders)
Box 7				Setting copy - pp. 1-75
Box 8				Setting copy - pp. 76-271 (3 folders)
Box 14				Galleys - "final galley proof"
Box 14				Galleys - "foundry proof"
Box 14				Galleys - "foundry proof, reader's set"
Box 14				Galleys 1967 - serial installment, King Features Syndicate
Box 8				Miscellaneous - scattered pages with edits (2 folders)
			Walk a tight rope
Box 8				Outlines and notes
Box 8				Early? Fragments
Box 8				Rough draft (3 folders)
Box 8				Draft [A] - pp. 1-210 (3 folders)
Box 9				Draft [A] - pp. 211-231
Box 9				Revised version [copy 1] (3 folders)
Box 9				Revised version [copy 2] (3 folders)
Box 9				Revised version, miscellaneous pages (2 folders)
			What extent fear - possibly a very early iteration of "Walk a tight rope"
Box 9				Draft 1958
Box 9				Miscellaneous 1958 - notes, submission record, letter to Gold Medal books
			Year of the cloud [with Ted Thomas] - alternate titles: Jelly world; Gel; The phlopp
Box 9				Outline, synopsis, chapter assignments
Box 9				Early draft, partial - chapters 1-15
Box 10				Chapter drafts (4 folders)
Box 10				Draft, partial - chapter 1-4
Box 10				Draft (3 folders)
Box 10				Setting copy (3 folders)
Box 14				Galleys - "final galley, reader's set"
Box 14				Galleys - "foundry proof"
Box 10			[Untitled] - Alan, alien races Saltia and Nevrah
Box 11			[Untitled] - Cara, Lorin, colonists on new planet; annotated on first page as "Original idea for what turned out short story The chosen orbit 1970"
Box 11			Miscellaneous fragments
		Plays
			Andover and the android
Box 14				Final draft (2 folders)
			Go search the shadows
Box 11				Final draft 1963
Box 11				Final draft, carbon 1963
Box 11				Final draft, partial carbon
Box 11				"Act III original version"
Box 11				Miscellaneous 1963 - character lists, set information and sketches, letter from husband Damon with his thoughts on the play
			They also serve - teleplay
Box 11				Draft [1956]
Box 11				Miscellaneous 1956 - character lists, synopsis, set descriptions, letters from various networks responding to her submission
			Tiger
Box 11				Draft [A]
Box 11				Draft [A], Act I only with edits
Box 11				Draft [B]
Box 11				Draft [C], Act I only - 3 copies
Box 11				Feedback 1963-1966 - from several different people
Box 11				Miscellaneous - notes, character lists, set sketches, scattered pages with edits (2 folders)
		Short stories
Box 15			All about Ginnie - drafts
Box 15			Andrean Way - drafts
Box 15			Apostolic travelers - draft, list of submissions
Box 15			Automatic washer - drafts
Box 15			A beau for Aunt Carrie - draft
Box 15			The bungling BEM - drafts
Box 15			The cabin in the woods - drafts
Box 15			Caesar's wife - drafts
Box 15			Custer's last stand - draft
Box 15			The decision - draft
Box 15			The [guessing?] girls - draft
Box 15			House call - drafts
Box 15			Into the valley and out - drafts
Box 15			Lady in waiting - drafts, correspondence with Ted Thomas
Box 15			Let there be music - drafts
Box 15			A long, long road a-winding 1956-1957 - drafts, list of submissions
Box 15			The long weekend - drafts
Box 15			Mr. Crillion - drafts
Box 15			Money in the bank - drafts
Box 15			No light in the window - draft
Box 15			Ordeal on Tycho's flank - drafts
Box 15			The other one percent - drafts
Box 15			Pigeon bait 1959 - draft, list of submissions
Box 15			The psychic betrayal 1959 - draft, list of submissions
Box 15			A push in the right direction 1960-1961 - drafts, list of submissions
Box 15			Rake the blue chips 1955-1959 - drafts, list of submissions
Box 15			The third side of the fence - drafts
Box 15			Tiger - drafts; see also the play with the same title
Box 15			To keep Felicia happy - drafts
Box 15			The unvanquished heart 1960 - draft, list of submissions
Box 15			The vanishing partners - drafts
Box 15			Villain of the piece - drafts
Box 16			Away for those different - drafts
Box 16			What goes up - draft
Box 16			You can't take the king 1959 - drafts, feedback, list of chess moves
		Miscellaneous
Box 16			Book proposal, "The weaker sex" - outline for non-fiction book on "the proper place for the male of the species in a civilized society"
Box 16			Notes and fragments (2 folders)

Return to top