Making a case for tiaras.

[seanan_mcguire]

Okay, so here's the thing: I qualify for the Campbell Award this year (and next year). You can view the rules by clicking this link, and they basically come down to a) when you made your first professional sale, and b) how long ago that was. The John W. Campbell Award uses the same nomination and voting mechanism as the Hugo, even though the Campbell Award is not a Hugo. To be able to nominate a writer for the 2010 award, you must have either been an attending member of Anticipation (the 67th World Science Fiction Convention in Montreal) or be a supporting or attending member of Aussiecon Four (the 68th World Science Fiction Convention in Melbourne) before Jan. 31, 2010. (So it's too late to become a member of the convention this year, but again, I still qualify next year, as do many other awesome people.)

I would, I think naturally, like to win this award. I mean, who doesn't want to win an award? Especially an award that will be presented in Australia, THE LAND OF POISON AND FLAME? That's like, the delicious whipped cream on top of the sundae of venomous awesome that is an entire continent full of cuddly things forged in the very flames of hell. But Australia isn't my main inspiration here.

No.

Did you know that the Campbell Award comes with a tiara?!

I mean...



...just sayin'.

Comments

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

To vote for this award, you just have to go to a convention? So it's voted on by readers rather than professional writers? I'm confused.

Also, does the Campbell Award really come with a tiara? Even for men?

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Yes, the Campbell is a general award; it's voted by WorldCon attendees, rather than by a jury of your peers. The Nebula is the peer award.

Yes. It really comes with a tiara, even for men. There are pictures of John Scalzi wearing it. Because he's just that bad-ass.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

The Nebula is the peer award.
Then what's the Hugo? The superior award voted on by superintelligent beings from another dimension?

Yes. It really comes with a tiara, even for men. There are pictures of John Scalzi wearing it. Because he's just that bad-ass.
Nice!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

...yes. The Hugo is voted on by superintelligent beings from another dimension. Also by the attendees of the WorldCon, since it follows basically the same rules as the Campbell.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

Huh, I had no idea these big sci-fi awards worked like that. I assumed there were panels or something. (Of course, I had never heard of the Campbell until last year, but at least I understand the difference between the Hugo and the Nebula now.)

What's the difference between the Eisner and the Harvey?

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

A six-foot rabbit?

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

The Hugo Awards (http://www.thehugoawards.org/) have always been presented by a vote of the membership of the Worldcon. There are many juried awards in the field of SF/F (like the World Fantasy Awards), but the Hugos are by vote of those WSFS members who take the time to vote. The Campbell is not a Hugo Award, but it is administered in conjunction with the Hugos, is on the same ballot, and uses the same voting rules as the Hugo Awards.

You can have a look through the vast number of awards in the SF/F field over at SF Awards Watch (http://www.sfawardswatch.com/).

[jerusha.livejournal.com]

For the doubtful: the picture of Scalzi wearing the Campbell Award Tiara.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

He's so dreamy.

[beccastareyes]

To vote for this award, you just have to go to a convention? So it's voted on by readers rather than professional writers? I'm confused.

Yep -- the Hugo and Campbell are 'readers' awards, rather than 'writer' awards like the Nebula*. You can also buy 'voting rights' for the Hugo and Campbell (the supporting membership) -- which lets you nominate and vote for the Hugo/Campbell, but doesn't get you into the con.

* The Nebula Awards are given out by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

To vote for this award, you just have to go to a convention?

Not exactly. To vote for this award (and the Hugos) you have to be a paid member of the current World Science Fiction convention. To nominate, you have to either be a member of this year's Worldcon or have been a member of last year's. As an example, I was a member of Anticipation, last year's Montreal Worldcon, but I'm not a member for Australia (Aussiecon 4) this year, so I can nominate, but not vote on the final ballot.

But you don't have to go to be a member. Worldcons always offer supporting memberships, which are cheaper than attending memberships, and get you voting rights, plus all the convention publications (progress reports and program book). Currently, membership for Aussiecon 4 is $225 US for attending, $50 US for supporting. And yes, part of why they're so expensive is to prevent people gathering up friends to stuff the ballot box.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Which only makes sense, really. It's always going to be a popularity contest, but at least this keeps it closer to honest.

[kevin-standlee.livejournal.com]

As stated elsewhere in this thread, yes, the Hugo and Campbell Awards are voted on by the members of the World Science Fiction Society. To be a member of WSFS, you have to have a membership in the World Science Fiction Convention. But you don't have to attend the convention; that's what the supporting membership is for.

Look at it this way: The $50 is your actual membership in the World Science Fiction Society, which gets you the organization's publications and voting rights. The difference between the supporting and attending membership costs is the "convention supplement" which allows the member to also attend WSFS's annual convention.

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

So awesome.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

at most toy stores, they have skronking dino headed stick animals to "ride", which is a lot more fun than the pony headed ones.

[angel-vixen.livejournal.com]

I've never seen those, but now I want to go find one, so I can buy one for the little boys whose nanny I used to be.

AngelVixen :-)

[martianmooncrab.livejournal.com]

I saw them at Fred Meyer's and at Toys R Us

[angel-vixen.livejournal.com]

We don't have Fred Meyer's in my corner of the world, so a pilgrimage to Toys 'R' Us it is!

AngelVixen :-)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I have one! His name is Mr. Stick, and he makes a screaming sound.

[hasufin.livejournal.com]

Now, I'm all for you winning the Campbell and riding a velociraptor in the land of poison and flame... but you know that they sell tiaras, right?

Just sayin'

[dornbeast.livejournal.com]

Buying something is rarely as much fun as being awarded it.

[hasufin.livejournal.com]

Admittedly it's a distant second... but beats nothing at all. And I'm sure someone would be willing to give her one.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

But if you buy it yourself, as opposed to having someone else present it to you (and, preferably, place it on your head), then you're not really a princess, are you?

[hasufin.livejournal.com]

If a tiara makes me into a princess, it's a pretty darned special tiara anyway, whether I buy it or not.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I AM THE HALLOWEEN PRINCESS, DAMMIT.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Tiaras you win are better.

[aineotter.livejournal.com]

Well bird are basically modern velociraptors (http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2009/03/passerine_birds_fight_dirty.php), and a cassowary, while it'll kick anyones ass, is too small to ride on, but maybe a really big ostrich would do?

Too bad the terror birds are all gone...or then again, maybe not.

[ladyfox7oaks.livejournal.com]

She can come up to the Ostrich races in Virginia City!

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

I would like a terror bird.

[wendigomountain.livejournal.com]

Screw the tiara, your nomination got you your own webcomic! That's badass!

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

That's her own webcomic, that she writes and draws. (Huh, I guess she hasn't been posting those here...)

[wendigomountain.livejournal.com]

That's awesome! Is there a link to her comic? I'd like to read more.

[spectralbovine.livejournal.com]

She's got a few on her website.

[wendigomountain.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I was completely missing that page on her site.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Hee.

Sadly, it was the constant "our life should be a webcomic" of one of my best friends that got me a webcomic. And I am now reminded that I need to post more on my website, so thanks.

[deire.livejournal.com]

You're so adorable when you're scary and blood-stained.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Glee!

[tezmillertm.livejournal.com]

You sure it's really a tiara, and not a crown of thorns? Or a crown of [insert name of poisonous Australian plant here]? ;-)

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Pretty sure!

[mythusmage.livejournal.com]

You are silly. I like that.

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Good, 'cause I'm good at it.

We interrupt for this brief announcement

[kateyule.livejournal.com]

Strictly speaking, I believe the Campbell award comes with the use of the tiara, for one year.

Still pretty awesome. And much easier to pack than the rocketships.

Re: We interrupt for this brief announcement

[seanan-mcguire.livejournal.com]

Well, yes. But a year is plenty of time to exult in having a tiara. And I could wear it home from Australia.