Paying to vote in the Hugos: why it has to happen, and why we should acknowledge that.

[seanan_mcguire]

All right: we're getting some semi-heated discussion about the idea of a "Voting Membership" for the Hugo Awards. This proposal assumes the following

Comments

[thedragonweaver]

Personally, I find the current value of a Supporting Membership to be quite awesome-and I say that as someone who was too darned broke to purchase one this year. If the stars align I shall purchase one next year.

FWIW, I am far more pleased at the short fiction being included than the novels, because once the ephemera (magazines and suchlike) are out of their publication month, they are extremely difficult to find. In years prior to the packet being offered, the chance I would have even seen one of the short fiction pieces was minimal, let alone reading enough to make me feel as though I were competent to vote in the whole category. And I feel that the voter's packet is an introduction to new authors. The 2011 packet introduced me to Mira Grant (and Seanan McGuire by the backdoor), as well as N.K. Jemisin. I can anecdotally state that the "free" works in the packet gave me the opportunity to support the authors therein, and when I have more free cash, I'll buy the novels that were in the packet, instead of just the sequels. (It's a lot harder now that we don't have a bookstore in town anymore. Over 100,000 people and we don't have a bookstore. That is truly an issue.)

[seanan_mcguire]

As do I. I love the diversity of the packet, and I like the price point.