2008 Terry Award Nominations
Okay people. I'm a little concerned. We're half way through the nominations period and I've only received nominations from two people. Please consider sending in your nominations before the nominations end on Jan. 14th. There are a lot of excellent stories here that deserve recognition.
Access to the rules, award categories and story lists can be obtained by the Contests link in the BigCloset Topshelf header.
Remember that nominations must be done manually. There is no voting web page. To make things easier, try copying and pasting the award category list to a text file and use it as a reminder for all the categories when you browse the story lists. Okay? You can then use the same text file to add your nominated stories by copying and pasting from the story lists.
Thanks! :)
- Terry
Comments
Awards
I'm not terribly against awards. I just received a lifetime acheivement award in RL, a nice plaque awarded to me at a banquet. It means quite a bit to me.
However, I wonder if this contest really reflects the nature of our community. We are much more like a high school than a small town. In a high school, the players come and go quite rapidly. In many high schools there are only three grades, which makes the turnover very quick. People change on BC as their needs are either met or their frustration level becomes such they seek other sources of help.
My guess is the average author / reader has a fairly short, under two year, relationship with this site. I've been involved for a coon's age, which archeaologists define as the time it takes for coal to change into diamonds. I'm one of the rare ones. The age on my profile doesn't reflect reality as I've been here for going on a decade and a couple of closet renovations.
Your contest assumes a readership that not only reads the vast majority of what is posted, but is also willing to express an opinion on those stories. My guess is that most readers only read what strikes their fancy. My fancy is limited and quick fickle. It would be a very strange reader -- I'll guess less than 5% -- who have the time and desire to read everything.
Of that 5% I assume that only a third or so would be willing to express an opinion. We just had the most widely publicized presidential election ever in the US. It went on for a coon's age -- McCain was a teenager when it started. Yet - during the last few weeks the "undecideds" were still about 10%. Some of us love to sit on fences.
Then we have to negotiate the process. In my state we have recently discovered through the recount process that a large number of peole couldn't understand that "fill in the oval next to the name of the candidate you want to win" meant exactly that. After consideration we have decided to remove a clown from office and replace him with a buffoon as our junior senator -- subject to court objections. (I filled in an oval next to the independent candidate who only got 15% of the vote.)
When all is said and done your goals are admirable and I thank you, but the reality is about what has happened.
I suggest this. Pick a committee of three to ten volunteers to nominate. If possible pick a spattering of interest: (some sci-fi/magic, some CD, some sequel, some short stories). Then run an election. Don't use ovals or you will find people in the oval office who aren't equipped to run the nation. God help us if that ever happened. We would have wars and economic chaos.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
I have to agree with Angela
I would like to nominate stories for an award, but after seeing the list I realized that I would be doing a disservice if I did. I don't think I've read ten percent of the stories listed, I just don't have the time. The only time I do read is when I don't feel like writing myself. Your idea is a novel concept but very difficult to achieve fairly. I remember watching a movie last year on a DVD that hadn't been released to the theaters yet because it was to be nominated for an Acadamy award. The concept was to send the members of the acadamy all the movies being considered. I can't imagine watching that may films, but the members nominate anyway, and I';m sure they haven't watched everything they were supposed to. I could guess at a nomination because the person is one of my favorite authors, but that wouldn't be fair to the person who wrote a much better story I didn't read.I won't nomonate myself, because I would feel awkward doing so. I can say though that I looked at the list and found that I had no idea of how many stories i had missed reading. Thank you for all the time and effort you have put forward Terry, but as Angela has stated on her blog, if you can't even get people to register, how can you expect them to vote? Arecee
She`s Right
The bulk of the stories that I listen to is transgender Sweet / Sentimental m-f child to 18 years old.
I had 29 stories in the category (Serials (Unfinished Stories))and of thoese Three of them made it to the top of the list but could not say which one would be number one.
But like every other category there are good ones and bad ones. One author can write 10 stories in the same category and I might only like three of them even though they are all written well.
Also I have to go alone with Angela Rasch comment.
The best way I figure is to go along with Erin`s vote that has been set up already and vote for the story if you like it.