Are SFF awards out of touch?

[Boneman]

Well, having attended the world fantasy con last year, I was entitled to vote, and the list that was presented to me, for my vote was soooo long and had hardly anyone I knew so I ignored it, and put my own nominations in. They might get more votes if they simplify the whole system, twas pretty complex...

 

[Brian G Turner]

But the addition of fantasy is, I think, relatively recent. Does fantasy as a genre need a higher profile award, I wonder...

I think this is probably the issue. Certainly until the early 1980's fantasy seems to have been the little sibling in SFF. Now it dominates the genre.

But Worldcon and SFFWA are rooted in science fiction, and I suspect their hardcore membership reflects that.

I have no idea what's happening with the WFA. And the BFS ould probably be better renamed as the British Horror Society - which is intended as an observation, not a criticism.

At least there's some hope with the Gemmell Awards...

Like others above, I've attended a couple of Worldcons, but never felt clear on how to vote. I seem to recall, on attendance, being given a list of titles to vote on, few of which were familiar - and sending a partly filled ballot seemed like bad form - so didn't vote. I guess it's up to members to be more organised in the nominations in future.

When I'm published, I'll see if I can rally some support in the nominations, at least.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

They might get more votes if they simplify the whole system, twas pretty complex...

Insanely complex, I would say, although the principle is admirable. There are less arcane methods of coming up with a consensus winner.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

It's like food awards in national newspapers. I live in the sticks. Nowhere I go to is ever going to get nominated. So I fill in the two columns I can answer and then feel like a twerp for knowing so little and tear it up. Choosing lesser known/niche stuff is very laudable, but how does the average person who can't read everything that comes out have read enough to choose. I binned mine, too. And I love filling in forms (I have no idea why), so if I bin it, I have to assume many, many more will.


So, um, who'd letting worldcon know?

 

[J-Sun]

I thought you got a "packet" with your worldcon membership which included digital copies of the nominees? Or are you both talking about just the initial nominating ballot?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I thought you got a "packet" with your worldcon membership which included digital copies of the nominees? Or are you both talking about just the initial nominating ballot?

I don't remember getting that. And, um, even if I had. When do I find time to read them all?

 

[J-Sun]

I don't remember getting that. And, um, even if I had. When do I find time to read them all?

Good point. But, yeah, you were supposed to get a packet.

And looking at that reminds me of another reason I'm annoyed at AJ winning the novel award - infuriated, in this case: Orbit should have been severely punished for providing "extracts", instead of full novels, to Worldcon members for award voting purposes and, since the only choices were Orbit/Sad Puppy, it would have actually resulted in a Sad Puppy win and unleashed an incredible amount of yet more wrath on Orbit and they'd never do that again. Instead, Worldcon members may never see another full novel in their packets.

*wanders off muttering about arrogant evil corporations*

 

[Nerds_feather]

I voted for the Hugos this year. Here's how it works:

• You nominate up to 6 items for each category--anything; all are write-in.
• In May WorldCon announces the shortlist for each category.
• In June they release the voter packet, which in some cases includes whole books but in others just "extended previews."
• In July you vote by ranking the entries on the shortlist, as well as "no award" (if you think something doesn't deserve to be there).
  
• Determining the winner is done by "instant runoff."
• More information here.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Good point. But, yeah, you were supposed to get a packet.

It's only just occurred to me - all those free books you normally get at registration - they're the nominees??

I'd just presumed they were part of a marketing promotion, to get the word out.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Mine weren't ....

 

[Zoe Mackay]

It was an electronic packet - you could download it. Most of the things were easily readable on your eReader of choice, a few needed a PC or a fondleslab.

And yes, Hachette (rather than orbit, I think) were a pain. We did get the whole WoT series, though, in addition to the Sad Puppy entries. (Which some people thought was nice, I'm not much of a fan)

 

[Zoe Mackay]

Oh, edit, yes, there wasn't really enough time to read all the novels (thanks to the WoT thing) but you could easily get through the short fiction (I did, without really trying)

 

[Brian G Turner]

Apologies if not clear - I was thinking on previous years, at conventions in general. It only just occurs to me that some of the free books were for nominees.

Presumably it's ebooks now.

 

[Bick]

... look at the Hugos from their start up to the start of the Nebulas - The Demolished Man, Double Star, The Big Time, A Case of Conscience, Starship Troopers, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Stranger in a Strange Land, The Man in the High Castle, Way Station, The Wanderer, and Dune ... all these books are still esteemed and most are still read and discussed and considered not just good books, but great. Bester, Heinlein, Leiber, Dick, Herbert, all still huge and Blish and Miller still right behind, even with Miller's small body of work (and Blish's not-huge). Simak may be fading but is now frequently mentioned as someone who should be mentioned more frequently. And compare this to a Scalzi fanstroking joke, a Willis mess, a couple of first novels, four fantasies or so, an arguably lesser Vinge, a somewhat mainstream lit book, etc. for the last ten. Not a whole lot of these are discussed even now, compared to the discussion about books from a half century or more ago.

I find myself agreeing with this completely. Those earlier winners were relatively so good, I'd have to say that either (a) quality has dropped off, or (b) the awards don't reflect the best SF out there. I imagine its the latter. But literary awards have become rather perverse things, even the Nobel Prize in Literature is often given to strange and obscure recipients these days when I feel it ought to go to authors with global impact and recognition. Its as though the Nobel award panel feel it is their remit to help the masses discover hidden gems, as opposed to simply rewarding the best work. There may be a bit of this in SFF, though given the way voting works, I'm not sure.