Hugo Nomination Season is Coming
Dec. 10th, 2015 08:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
forestofgloryIt is the time of year when I remind you that can nominate and vote for the Hugo Awards if you buy a supporting membership for MidAmeriCon II the 2016 WorldCon. This year supporting memberships are a bit more expensive at $50 each. (Last year it was $40). You will need to have supporting membership by January 31 to nominate. If you had a voting membership last year you can nominate this year. Also if you buy a supporting membership to Worldcon 75, the 2017 WorldCon in Helsinki you can nominate this year, and nominate and vote on the finalists in 2017.
Last year I wrote about why you might like to nominate and vote for these awards. Most of what I wrote then is still true especially the last point about representing diverse groups and tastes. However last year I found the online conversations about the Hugos to be not at all fun. Two interrelated groups of socially conservative fans know as the Sad and Rabid Puppies used bloc voting tactics to control the nominations process. This lead to an explosion of acrimonious online debate, with a lot of name calling, and personal attacks. There are currently rules changes in the works that make bloc voting nominations much harder, but these will not go into effect this year. So I expect that the online conversation about the Hugos will remain unpleasant.
All this means that I can’t whole heartedly ask you to buy membership. On one hand I would really like you to, because it something I’ve enjoyed doing that I think you might enjoy too. Also it would be good for the awards and make bloc voting harder if more people participated. On the other hand I can see how buying a supporting membership might feel like spending $50 to join a flame war. So I hope that you’ll consider voting but I understand why you might not.
My plan for the Hugos this year is to focus on the parts I find fun and avoid the arguments as much as I can. Nominating has always been my favorite part of the Hugo process. Some people worry that they shouldn’t nominate if they haven’t read or watched all the things (which is imposable these days.) Instead I see nominating as a way of sharing great stuff. So if you’ve read or watch only one thing in category but you think that thing is award worthy you should totally nominate it.
I love reading lots of new work, and sharing the good things with my friends. I’m not going to let the Puppies ruin this joy. So I plan to tell you about all my favorite SFF things. I’m going to write about my favorite short fiction published in 2015, and post recs for several other Hugo categories. I hope that whether or not you take part in the Hugos you’ll check some of my recommendations out, and find something you like. And whatever you decide about the Hugos I hope you’ll share some works you liked with me and other people. Hopefully we can all find new to us wonderful things, and focus on the squee.
Last year I wrote about why you might like to nominate and vote for these awards. Most of what I wrote then is still true especially the last point about representing diverse groups and tastes. However last year I found the online conversations about the Hugos to be not at all fun. Two interrelated groups of socially conservative fans know as the Sad and Rabid Puppies used bloc voting tactics to control the nominations process. This lead to an explosion of acrimonious online debate, with a lot of name calling, and personal attacks. There are currently rules changes in the works that make bloc voting nominations much harder, but these will not go into effect this year. So I expect that the online conversation about the Hugos will remain unpleasant.
All this means that I can’t whole heartedly ask you to buy membership. On one hand I would really like you to, because it something I’ve enjoyed doing that I think you might enjoy too. Also it would be good for the awards and make bloc voting harder if more people participated. On the other hand I can see how buying a supporting membership might feel like spending $50 to join a flame war. So I hope that you’ll consider voting but I understand why you might not.
My plan for the Hugos this year is to focus on the parts I find fun and avoid the arguments as much as I can. Nominating has always been my favorite part of the Hugo process. Some people worry that they shouldn’t nominate if they haven’t read or watched all the things (which is imposable these days.) Instead I see nominating as a way of sharing great stuff. So if you’ve read or watch only one thing in category but you think that thing is award worthy you should totally nominate it.
I love reading lots of new work, and sharing the good things with my friends. I’m not going to let the Puppies ruin this joy. So I plan to tell you about all my favorite SFF things. I’m going to write about my favorite short fiction published in 2015, and post recs for several other Hugo categories. I hope that whether or not you take part in the Hugos you’ll check some of my recommendations out, and find something you like. And whatever you decide about the Hugos I hope you’ll share some works you liked with me and other people. Hopefully we can all find new to us wonderful things, and focus on the squee.
