Hugo short fiction short shrift
Congratulations to the Hugo nominees, including editors Sheila Williams, John Joseph Adams, Neil Clarke and Jonathan Strahan! I'm delighted to have worked with all of them and it's great to see their work get recognized.
I am deeply disappointed that the Hugo administrators could not figure out how to get 5 short stories into the short fiction category, however. Our field is rich with short fiction. Short fiction has been the gateway to wonder for millions of readers since the first magazines in the 1920's. It continues to be a great playground for ideas and entertainment. 662 ballots were cast. Due to the way votes are counted, however, only 3 stories are on the final category. Representing 2 publications.
So, basically, hundreds of people wasted their time voting on short fiction because of the way votes are tallied.
There should be a solution to that.
I'm also alarmed at the lack of diversity and the repetition of names, but alarmed only in the sense of sadness for our field. I'm glad hard-working editors such as Sheila, John, Neil, Stanley and Jonathan are being recognized for their excellence and wish they could all win.
Updated:
Cheryl Morgan talks about the 5% rule
Jason Sanford calls for change
Another update:
A very lively discussion on Staffers Book Reviews including the best comment I've seen on this.
And another update:
A Drabble of Ink notes "There is enough content out there - novels, films, writers (professional and fan), publications, artists and everything else - that we shouldn’t be seeing the same names recycled again and again."
I am deeply disappointed that the Hugo administrators could not figure out how to get 5 short stories into the short fiction category, however. Our field is rich with short fiction. Short fiction has been the gateway to wonder for millions of readers since the first magazines in the 1920's. It continues to be a great playground for ideas and entertainment. 662 ballots were cast. Due to the way votes are counted, however, only 3 stories are on the final category. Representing 2 publications.
So, basically, hundreds of people wasted their time voting on short fiction because of the way votes are tallied.
There should be a solution to that.
I'm also alarmed at the lack of diversity and the repetition of names, but alarmed only in the sense of sadness for our field. I'm glad hard-working editors such as Sheila, John, Neil, Stanley and Jonathan are being recognized for their excellence and wish they could all win.
Updated:
Cheryl Morgan talks about the 5% rule
Jason Sanford calls for change
Another update:
A very lively discussion on Staffers Book Reviews including the best comment I've seen on this.
And another update:
A Drabble of Ink notes "There is enough content out there - novels, films, writers (professional and fan), publications, artists and everything else - that we shouldn’t be seeing the same names recycled again and again."