Authors' Choice Awards?

[dr_mabeuse]

What if we got a bunch of authors who've been active in the authors' hangout and story feedback boards together and issue our own awards for stories? Every aunthor could contribute one story and we could discuss them maybe and then vote.

Of course, with this award and a dollar you could get a cup of coffee as they say, but we'd finally get away from the ratings bombers who sink our best efforts.

Is this a bad idea?

---dr.M.

 

[KillerMuffin]

That looks like a great idea to me!

What do the logistics look like?

 

[medjay]

Count me in.

 

[wildsweetone]

Interesting idea dr.

Do you mean every author registered with Lit to submit a story, or only those authors who frequent the Hangout, Feedback and Discussion Forums?

 

[PaulX35]

Yes

Dr.

An excellent idea. If we allow the people to have their vote, I think we should also have a way of appreciating more literary aspects of work published here.
I see an "E" added to some work posted here; whose choice would that be?

Problem is maybe that those participating in this will have a lot to read. Maybe this little problem an be solved by opening an option when submitting (like Allow Voting: Yes/No) that will submit a story to the Author's Choice Voting or whatever we'd want to call it.
Any other ideas maybe?

If the amount of reading would not be too overwhelming - I wouldn't want to give up my reading for Story Feedback Forum and the previewing I do for some people from there - I would volunteer, of course provided this respected bunch thinks I'd qualify.

Paul

 

[TheEarl]

Maybe if we asked Laurel really nicely she could add 'A' onto our choice of stories to add to her 'E' (editor's choice for thsoe who don't know).

The Earl

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Uh-oh. It sounds like I really might have to do something about this.

Good ideas all. What I had in mind was restricting eligibilkity to those authors who maintain a presence in the Story Feedback and maybe Author's Hangout boards. I suppose we should call it the "Critics' Choice Award" because we're the ones who can usually be counted on to provide feedback and criticism when it's requested. This is similar to what Muffin already does in the Story circle board, so it's not all that radical.

Given that eligibility requirment, I think we would probably have maybe 20-24 stories, which is not overwhelming, and we'd all vote on them.

We could even have different categories, maybe outstanding concept, dialogue, prose. Youknow, be like the olympics where they make sure every country gets to win at least one event. (kidding)

The obvious problem with this is that we'll come off as elitist snobs, to which I say: so what? Either elitist snob or populist slob, right?

Seriously, since I've been hanging on the boards I haven't seen anyone post a critique here who I wouldn't be proud to have judge my work, and no one who's work isn't less than very good. (Does that sentence make any sense? Did I just disqualify myself?)

First thing is: who's interested? Sign up on this post so we can get an idea.

---dr.M

 

[kristydoll]

Sounds interesting - though still unclear on how this would be brought about.

But if we need to sign up/in - am all for it.

kristy

 

[English Lady]

well sounds like an interesting idea to me, i'd be up for it

 

[Natural Born Eros]

I'd certainly be up for it, if you're allowing newbies...

Eros

 

[Wicked-N-Erotic]

Wonderful idea Dr. Sounds like a winner.
Wicked

 

[Master_Vassago]

I only post from time to time on the boards but I think this is a terrific idea and am more than willing to participate.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I think that if you restricted it to the board you'll find site participation pretty dim.

I think that having thousands of stories to read isn't the problem. Everyone has read stories here that they've liked. Try something like this:

Every month an author can nominate a story he or she likes the best from the lists. Author's have one week to nominate. Over the course of the next two weeks all participating authors read the stories nominated, discuss the stories, and then at the end of the month, vote on the best in the list. That way we get the whole site to choose from, there's no elitism (beyond the fact that you have to have a posted story to participate), and we don't have pick one story from every single one on the site, just the ones that have been read. And if the site owners work with us on this, the author who nominated the winning story can write up a review for the newletter or the "announcement" thread.

It's an awful lot like nominations for the end of the year awards.

 

[deliciously_naughty]

sounds good...but it will require a lot of preparation.

 

[Madame Manga]

This sounds like fun! The logistics may be a little daunting, as some people have said, but still, I'd love to have a selected list of stories to read. Some days, I come here, look at a list of 500 new titles, and feel paralyzed from the sheer volume of choices, like an Eastern Bloc refugee in her first supermarket. ;-)

Years ago (it may still be running in this form) a Usenet writing group I frequented had an unusual voting format. People would nominate stories by commenting on them. The group moderator would tally the amount of discussion each story generated, and that would be its voting score. In other words, complex and provocative work that made people wax eloquent got higher scores than simple or commonplace work describable in few words.

I am not sure that was an ideal way to run a *competition*, mind you--but it was interesting, and it sure made for a lot of story discussion! That was the ultimate goal, in any case.

MM

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Muffin,
I don't know if we could do a monthly contest. Personally, there's no way I could keep up with something like that and maintain my current level of masturbatory idleness, and already I am casting about desperately for someone with more expertise or desire than I have to take this entire thing off my hands. Please?

There's no reason why we would have to nominate only our own stories for awards. I would say we could nominate any story on the site. However, if we limit the selection exclusively to others' stories, then we are doing nothing but making more work for ourselves, which amounts to punishing those who act as critics here, and there's no sense in that.
So you could nominate your own or another's story that you find particularly worthwhile. This would also help out those who do not write a masterpiece every couple of weeks.
However, I'm afraid that this would result in the critics' being bombarded with promotional spam from people who want to win. This might not be a bad thing: there might be some sort of sexual or monetary extortion we can bring to bear on those who will stop at nothing to win this prestigious award, finally earning the kind of power we porn critics deserve.

The biggest problem would be decided just who qualifies as a critic and who gets to vote. This is where the elitism comes into play. My thought was that we would take the top dozen or so posters in feedback and they would form the nucleus, and maybe let them each nominate one more. Those who felt excluded would be free to form their own critics' circles, so we could have all sorts of groups endorsing stories and let survival of the fittest sort out which circles develop a reputation for picking quality stories and which are just blatantly self-promotional.
But who picks the first 12?

And now I'm thinking that maybe this whole thing is a great idea if only someone else would do it.

Also: would this award be so different than simply seeing a story recommendation from one of the critics here appearing in the feedback board with a brief explanation of why the story is so good? Then there'd be no elitism, no award, no extortion (damn!) and nothing but a series of recommendations.

---dr.M.

 

[wildsweetone]

Oh dr.! But you are such a whizz with your wit and experience!!! I do declare that you should be the PERSON IN CHARGE, the ONE TO RUN THE SHOW!

It's a fantastic idea (even though i think i just watched you come almost full circle in three posts).

It is important though, as Natural Born Eros indicated, don't forget about the 'newbies'.

Don't back out now! Get the show on the road, give yourself something else to do... Your tennis elbow might thank you for it.

 

[TheEarl]

Dr M: I'm in if you'll take me, but I don't keep a prescence in the Feedback board. I comment often in the SDC and in here, but I rarely go in there.

Maybe it would be best to have a panel of judges nominated by the people in the SDC, Feedback and here. Then they select the stories.

The Earl

 

[Master_Vassago]

The only thing you have to be careful about as I see it is not to completely disallow anyone. If that were to happen everyone involved could have their stories One bombed.

Wait, I just read that over and that sounds like a threat. LOL. I am the last person that would one bomb anyone. I cannot stand that.

I think this is a great idea and would be willing to assist in any way shape or form possible.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I want to be a snob!!! *jumping up and down*

Seriously, Dr, if you want to share, I'd love to be one of the Heads of this thing.

As for the practical stuff... I have a few thoughts:

Either, we could pick out 12 Nominators, who each pick their favourite story, the other 11 read it, and then we vote, and then, Laurel willingly, we give the best one an A in the list.

OR, we could do it Oscar Style, with 12 Nominators, yada-yada-yada, and instead of just voting for The Best Novel, we have 3 different categories you can win; Best Plot, Most Believable Characters, and Most Jerk-Off-Friendly, or something like that. And if we ask Laurel on our bare knees, maybe she will agree to us putting a tiny Oscar icon for the novel in the List.

I also think that in order for things to be fair, the 12 Nominators should be exchanged every once in a while, and you would NOT be allowed to vote on your own story. I mean, honestly, could you REALLY be 100% objective???

 

[Master_Vassago]

LOL hell no I couldn't Everything I write is a Masterpiece. Ok except My first few stories. Actually I would want to disclude Myself from My own stories and then just sit back and see how well it stands among My peers.

I actually hate asking for feedback from peers, it tends to seem needy, but I would be willing to submit a story among them for a round of perusing and grilling.

I think it could, GASP, make us all better author's even for the spank pieces. lol.

 

[Just_John1]

Time!

Although my time is spotty at best I'd love to be involved... Providing, of course, that I meet the minimum standards? If not I'll be interested in observing from afar. I'll cheer wildly of course!

JJ1

 

[Svenskaflicka]

But, since all stories are so different from each other - I mean , can you really compare a Romantic story to a BDSM story? Wouldn't it be a good idea if we like gave an Oscar to best Anal Story, best BDSM Story, best Celebrity Story, etc.?

 

[Master_Vassago]

Svenskaflicka , this has nothing to do with the thread but I love your av. I like how you never fail to make it festive and cute.

Now I also like your idea as well. One for each category. HEHE, I would of course select My spiderman stories for the celebrity side. As for the rest of the areas there are so many great authors here I think we all deserve a Oscar.

Yes, I did include Myself in that just because I can. LOL. I really have taken time lately to read a little bit of every other author on the top lists that I have had time for and I think you are all gifted.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Thanks, Master!

Kind words make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!