The collapse of furry awards > Likes and Comments
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When I helped to start the Coyotls way back when I'd like to think the intentions were good and that it did bring new people to the front and made their work/stories visible to others instead of seeing the same furry writer or two win year after year in the Ursas. I'd like to think that that in itself was an accomplishment. At least for a short while anyway. I don't think there is ever going to be an optimal solution and I think with self publishing exploding it is only going to get more difficult because of the sheer number of work out there. It was why I liked the Coyotls format to an extent. It wasn't perfect but I worked very hard talking to and pulling in as many published writers in those early days of the FWG as I could. Some were acquaintances, publishers and writers I was aware of or had met at conventions but wasn't friends with. Some I had never met and knew nothing about them outside of talking to them through emails and messages I sent online. Some where people I had established bonds and friendships with. And others were bigger names, in friendships and cliques with other popular names that I wasn't apart of. But I thought that if you brought enough people together, the cliques and friendships would be... thinned out, I guess. And for the most part I think it kinda worked. At least, it allowed different names and works to get noticed and I am proud of that. Cause honestly, those first three years or so I worked to build the FWG and helped get the Coyotls off the ground were very difficult. And the fact that they are still standing today, I'd like to think that means something. Even if most people now probably have no idea I was even involved. But that's a different conversation for an entirely different subject.
I guess I should also mention that I understand excellence and "best" are always going to be highly subjective. But if you got enough people together who were passionate and generally striving to get better at their craft, the good stuff at least, might come to the surface in terms of nominees and winners.
Sean wrote: "I guess I should also mention that I understand excellence and "best" are always going to be highly subjective. But if you got enough people together who were passionate and generally striving to g..."
I mean, it sounds like you were trying to achieve some (much more well-formulated and actionable) version of my second proposal at the end there. Honestly, it sounds like a fantastic use of the position at the head of the awards---not just running things, but actually going out and getting people together and spreading awareness of everything going on within the fandom's writing community.
I won't say your successors didn't do any of that. I didn't keep tabs. But I hope such efforts continue in the future, at least. I wonder if it even should be a competition, to rank things. Maybe it should pivot away from that and simply be a program for spreading awareness.
Anyway, I still remember you founded all this, and I still am extremely grateful to you for that. I'm grateful to the people who are still running these organizations, and for all the hard work they put into them. You've known me long enough to know I can be very cynical. But I get the most cynical about the things I care about and want to succeed, in some form or another.
Frank wrote: "Maybe it should pivot away from that and simply be a program for spreading awareness."
I agree but I think without the "award/winner" aspect, I don't know how many people would buy in. From my experience, I don't believe many would get involved. Some would, but not enough to make it impactful.
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Sean
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Mar 07, 2024 06:06AM
When I helped to start the Coyotls way back when I'd like to think the intentions were good and that it did bring new people to the front and made their work/stories visible to others instead of seeing the same furry writer or two win year after year in the Ursas. I'd like to think that that in itself was an accomplishment. At least for a short while anyway. I don't think there is ever going to be an optimal solution and I think with self publishing exploding it is only going to get more difficult because of the sheer number of work out there. It was why I liked the Coyotls format to an extent. It wasn't perfect but I worked very hard talking to and pulling in as many published writers in those early days of the FWG as I could. Some were acquaintances, publishers and writers I was aware of or had met at conventions but wasn't friends with. Some I had never met and knew nothing about them outside of talking to them through emails and messages I sent online. Some where people I had established bonds and friendships with. And others were bigger names, in friendships and cliques with other popular names that I wasn't apart of. But I thought that if you brought enough people together, the cliques and friendships would be... thinned out, I guess. And for the most part I think it kinda worked. At least, it allowed different names and works to get noticed and I am proud of that. Cause honestly, those first three years or so I worked to build the FWG and helped get the Coyotls off the ground were very difficult. And the fact that they are still standing today, I'd like to think that means something. Even if most people now probably have no idea I was even involved. But that's a different conversation for an entirely different subject.
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I guess I should also mention that I understand excellence and "best" are always going to be highly subjective. But if you got enough people together who were passionate and generally striving to get better at their craft, the good stuff at least, might come to the surface in terms of nominees and winners.
Sean wrote: "I guess I should also mention that I understand excellence and "best" are always going to be highly subjective. But if you got enough people together who were passionate and generally striving to g..."I mean, it sounds like you were trying to achieve some (much more well-formulated and actionable) version of my second proposal at the end there. Honestly, it sounds like a fantastic use of the position at the head of the awards---not just running things, but actually going out and getting people together and spreading awareness of everything going on within the fandom's writing community.
I won't say your successors didn't do any of that. I didn't keep tabs. But I hope such efforts continue in the future, at least. I wonder if it even should be a competition, to rank things. Maybe it should pivot away from that and simply be a program for spreading awareness.
Anyway, I still remember you founded all this, and I still am extremely grateful to you for that. I'm grateful to the people who are still running these organizations, and for all the hard work they put into them. You've known me long enough to know I can be very cynical. But I get the most cynical about the things I care about and want to succeed, in some form or another.
Frank wrote: "Maybe it should pivot away from that and simply be a program for spreading awareness."I agree but I think without the "award/winner" aspect, I don't know how many people would buy in. From my experience, I don't believe many would get involved. Some would, but not enough to make it impactful.
