Next Year Matters Too (More Hugo Thoughts)

I was going to title this "Last Hugo Thoughts," but I'm sure I will have more. First, I want to direct people's attention to the lovely "Journal of Impropriety" who is reading the Hugo Award Nominees in the short form categories so you don't have to. This person (whose identity is a secrit) is summarizing and reviewing each of them. Reviews are always subjective, but the summaries, in some cases, stand on their own. I'm following along admittedly for the 'train wreck' effect because I plan to vote 'No Award' on principle.

Speaking of principles, there's something I feel the need to say in all this. PLEASE, please consider buying a supporting (or attending) membership to WorldCon if you're upset about this. The Hugos are important. Maybe they're not representative. Maybe they never have been. But they're a target because mundanes still go to the Hugo list for a recommended reading list (heck, even casual fans do!)

I know it may feel like some kind of nihilistic rote response to a crisis, very after the barn doors have been left open, but 1) something needs to be done, and 2) please remember that WordCon memberships are good for TWO YEARS of nominating and voting rights.

THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN.

We need to take action now so that we can return the Hugo to what it should be: a collection of science fiction readers who nominate things they liked of the large and varied pool of All The Things written in the previous year. I hope that the other side (aka "my" side) can resist making a slate next year, and I think we could feel confident enough not to have to do that IF THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF US MUDDYING THE PUPPY VOTE.

To help, you need to plunk down $40 and register. I know forty bucks is a lot for many of us, okay? I really do. I had to talk my family into this because there are plenty of other things forty bucks can go to in our household. However, the way *I* sold it to them is on this idea: it's $20 bucks a year of voting/nominating privilege. That's not so bad when you think of it that way.

Maybe you're thinking "well, I don't really read a lot of short fiction in the spec fic field." That's fine, because now you can start. This year you can just go down the "No Puppy Slate" and vote accordingly. Because, okay, it's true. Things are well and truly f*cked this year.

Next year, however, you can go to Locus Magazine regularly and see what they recommend for short fiction or... if you're feeling bold, just pick a magazine or two and start checking what's on offer regularly. I will help you. My next year's project has already been determined for me: I will read a much short fiction as I can, so you can see what's out there. When my friends write short stories and publish them, I will post news about it here and on every social media outlet I can think of.

It's far harder to solve world hunger, you know? This is something we can DO. We should do it. I don't care if you share my political bent or not. The Hugos need to belong to WorldCon fans. The Hugos should be decided by people who are reading widely and varied and who want to share that year's best and favorites on a world-recognized 'recommended reading list' like the Hugo nominee ballot.

Are you with me?

Edited for important correction:
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Lyda--a supporting membership in this year's WorldCon lets you vote in this year's Hugos (it would have let you nominate also, but only if bought before Jan 31) and nominate, *but not vote* for next year's Hugos. So yes, vote, but NOMINATE NEXT YEAR also!
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For local folks this should make no nevermind in a way, because next year's WorldCon is in Kansas City. I for one am I'm considering buying an ATTENDING membership for next year's WorldCon, anyway, because from here that's a short drive.