The Puppy Wars Resume

[grrm]

I've had most of the day to consider the new Hugo ballot and what it means, and to read some of the online commentary. The ballot, as I said in my first post, is very much a mixed bag. Some categories are much improved from what we were offered last year. Some are worse. Some much worse

Comments

Hugo for Vanity Press?

[ext_677722]

George,

There are those of us a long way from civilization, let's say, that would like our work considered for awards. An award would certainly increase exposure to an English work created by a Canadian in a non-English culture. (I can only sell so many here and online without any support whatsoever.) I am not referring to these self-published group hug awards but the long-standing industry awards, like Hugo, Nebula, et cetera.

How does one go about getting considered? Or does anyone care if a bear shits in the woods? Pardon my French.

[kevin_standlee]

The Hugo Awards are presented by the members of the World Science Fiction Convention. The members nominate works for the various categories. The works with the most nominations make the final ballot and are voted upon by the members to pick the winners. There is no jury, no Board of Directors, no Secret Cabal selecting the finalists. You also don't submit your work to a committee for consideration. You just have to get enough members of Worldcon interested enough in your work to nominate it. See this article at The Hugo Awards web site for a longer version of how it works.

Re: Hugo for Vanity Press?

[eeanm]

So what Kevin Standlee said. Basically write a popular book or story.

[ext_2561921]

Was there a post about your favourite novels last year? I read Station Eleven by your recommendation, and I absolutely loved it. Would love to see your best list for 2015.

[the_corbie]

Hear, hear.

VD's nonsense is unfortunate but to do anything other than evaluate the nominees we have on their own merits is just buying into his stupid game of bluff and double-bluff. Second-guessing and tactical voting won't see him off - we know that now.

If a nominee is worthy of winning a Hugo, vote for it. If it isn't, don't. It's the only answer.

[yagathai]

In general I'm for evaluating each work on its merits, but I categorically refuse to consider anything pubbed by Castalia for a Hugo. VD is a white supremacist and a violent (or at least violence-advocating) misogynist. He's pro-apartheid and anti-women's suffrage. Anything published by his house is tainted by association.

[the_corbie]

That's fair, and it seems to me legitimate to include being published by VD as one of the 'merits' of the work.

Agree

[ext_2587046]

I'm in agreement on this one. One of the panelists at Archipelacon asked if you sup with the devil, does it really matter how long your spoon is? This isn't a case of people having opposing political views. He really is that toxic.

Waste of time

[ext_3626800]

A decade from now, investing so much time and emotion on this puppy war will not be a point of pride.

A century from now, you'll be fondly remembered for many things, but not for your part in this inane squabble.

RE: Waste of time

[grrm]

A century from now I won't care.

Re: Waste of time

[ext_3630200]

Feel the burn

Re: Waste of time

[ext_3626388]

A century from now GRRM will be known for working hard to make SFF fandom a better community. That above celebrity, literature that has forever entered the Fantasy Canon, TV shows that changed the course of a medium, he cared about people who like the stuff he likes, and the spaces, conventions, and organizations they create.

The least we can do now is not play at being Ironic PoMo disaffected Millennials, is respond to his trying to make our own spaces better with something constructive.

[ext_3626821]

Sad also.
Fwiw, The Alfies were on my Related Work nomination, but I'm sad that they're needed again.