For whose consideration?

On one of the (many) mailing lists I’m either subscribed to or lurk on, someone pointed out that the Anthony Award ballots are about to be mailed out to the BCon membership and would listmembers be so kind as to consider her story for possible nomination. Then, before I knew it, other members chimed in with similar requests.

This on the heels of a recent conversation with a friend about how to get more attention to short stories — and why don’t writers do like in Hollywood, take out ads or send flyers with “For Your Consideration” emblazoned upon them, imploring people to vote for said story. Wouldn’t that get them some necessary ink?

The truth is, I really don’t know how I feel about this. Since the Anthony’s a fan award, and fans should have as much awareness of as many possible nominee choices, then people can do what they like to increase such awareness, right? And short stories in particular are so unjustly neglected that whatever exposure they get — even if all it amounts to is semi-shameless lobbying — is all for the good, isn’t it?

And yet, my instinct is to be uncomfortable, at least about myself. I’m happy to plug the hell out of my friends and out of good books and stories (after all, what is this blog for if not to disseminate news and recommend good reading?) but I also like to think that any awards list is representative of what the best of the year really is, not the efforts of single-minded campaigning by anyone.

But I will say this: I will ignore my reticence as expressed above  if any effort I put out results in a story published in an online magazine cracking the Anthony list, just like this one did last year. And maybe it will even go on to win. That would be cool.