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I'm still quite against an overall. (I think you'll find as you get to know
me, I'm democratic sometimes but sometimes dictatorial.)

Here are some of the suggestions and my thoughts:

Overall but with more than 3 winners: This is still elitist and comes down
to a popularlity contest, as many have called it. Popular authors will get
votes. Lesser-knowns are less likely. The more categoreis there are, the
better chances for a better spread of awards.

Just a few categories, such as drabble, vignette, and poetry: I can't write
a humor story to save my life. I was surprised to find that I could write a
decent horror fic. I know I can write drama. And you can't convince me
that just because I'm a good writer in one, I'm a good writer in all of
them. And in the same way, somey way, I'm not sure I'd be a very good
Hobbit writer. I love Elves though,a nd men, well, they're human, and I've
been writing about humans (and occasionally Vulcans, Klingons, bajorans,
Founders, etc.) for a long time now. Someone may be an excellent Hobbit
writer and then find that they're not so good at writing Elves. Being good
at one does not automatically make you good at the other.

Likewise, I might say that the bets Numenor stories I've ever read were from
Zimraphel. I may love all her stories, but maybe I don't think she wrote
the best Elves story I ever read. Or the best humor. But I wouldn't want
her to miss being recognized for Numenor.

I'm presently sticking with my compromise of allowing copied comments for
authors.

Do continue to discuss. I'm not-unpersuadable. Just stubborn.


--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

<http://home.earthlink.net/~ainae/mefa> http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The
Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
Blog: <http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com/>
http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

P.S. I had wanted to mention, but forgot, that ASC did try this overal
author thing and it was a horrid flop. It was hated, to put it bluntly. I
very much don't want to see it happen here.

--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com



-----Original Message-----
From: Ainaechoiriel [mailto:mefaadmin@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 4:16 PM
To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MEFAwards] Post-Mortem: Author Comments


I'm still quite against an overall. (I think you'll find as you get to know
me, I'm democratic sometimes but sometimes dictatorial.)

Here are some of the suggestions and my thoughts:

Overall but with more than 3 winners: This is still elitist and comes down
to a popularlity contest, as many have called it. Popular authors will get
votes. Lesser-knowns are less likely. The more categoreis there are, the
better chances for a better spread of awards.

Just a few categories, such as drabble, vignette, and poetry: I can't write
a humor story to save my life. I was surprised to find that I could write a
decent horror fic. I know I can write drama. And you can't convince me
that just because I'm a good writer in one, I'm a good writer in all of
them. And in the same way, somey way, I'm not sure I'd be a very good
Hobbit writer. I love Elves though,a nd men, well, they're human, and I've
been writing about humans (and occasionally Vulcans, Klingons, bajorans,
Founders, etc.) for a long time now. Someone may be an excellent Hobbit
writer and then find that they're not so good at writing Elves. Being good
at one does not automatically make you good at the other.

Likewise, I might say that the bets Numenor stories I've ever read were from
Zimraphel. I may love all her stories, but maybe I don't think she wrote
the best Elves story I ever read. Or the best humor. But I wouldn't want
her to miss being recognized for Numenor.

I'm presently sticking with my compromise of allowing copied comments for
authors.

Do continue to discuss. I'm not-unpersuadable. Just stubborn.


--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

<http://home.earthlink.net/~ainae/mefa> http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The
Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
Blog: <http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com/>
http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





Yahoo! Groups Links

We are not suggesting an overall author thing but an
author category with sub-categories. That way we
wouldn't have an overall best author and there would
be less risk of a popularity contest.

I never participate in contests becaus emost of them
are that precisely, a popularity thing. This awards
are different so I would never suggest to turn it into
what most other awards are.

Having the authors in one category would be simpler. I
know I would not vote authors if I had to copy and
paste... I'm not even certain if I would vote authors.
It is a complicated matter for me because as many are
my friends it would be difficult to be objective. So
my suggestion, and I am aware it is your decision what
tgo do in the end, doesn't have to do with my voting
intentions for next year (smile)

CC


--- Ainaechoiriel <mefaadmin@earthlink.net> wrote:

>
> P.S. I had wanted to mention, but forgot, that ASC
> did try this overal
> author thing and it was a horrid flop. It was
> hated, to put it bluntly. I
> very much don't want to see it happen here.
>
> --Ainaechoiriel
> MEFA Admin and Founder
>
> "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the
> Elves," Elrond said, "for
> it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that."
> --H.F.
>
> http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth
> Fanfiction Awards
> Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ainaechoiriel [mailto:mefaadmin@earthlink.net]
>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 4:16 PM
> To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [MEFAwards] Post-Mortem: Author Comments
>
>
> I'm still quite against an overall. (I think you'll
> find as you get to know
> me, I'm democratic sometimes but sometimes
> dictatorial.)
>
> Here are some of the suggestions and my thoughts:
>
> Overall but with more than 3 winners: This is still
> elitist and comes down
> to a popularlity contest, as many have called it.
> Popular authors will get
> votes. Lesser-knowns are less likely. The more
> categoreis there are, the
> better chances for a better spread of awards.
>
> Just a few categories, such as drabble, vignette,
> and poetry: I can't write
> a humor story to save my life. I was surprised to
> find that I could write a
> decent horror fic. I know I can write drama. And
> you can't convince me
> that just because I'm a good writer in one, I'm a
> good writer in all of
> them. And in the same way, somey way, I'm not sure
> I'd be a very good
> Hobbit writer. I love Elves though,a nd men, well,
> they're human, and I've
> been writing about humans (and occasionally Vulcans,
> Klingons, bajorans,
> Founders, etc.) for a long time now. Someone may be
> an excellent Hobbit
> writer and then find that they're not so good at
> writing Elves. Being good
> at one does not automatically make you good at the
> other.
>
> Likewise, I might say that the bets Numenor stories
> I've ever read were from
> Zimraphel. I may love all her stories, but maybe I
> don't think she wrote
> the best Elves story I ever read. Or the best
> humor. But I wouldn't want
> her to miss being recognized for Numenor.
>
> I'm presently sticking with my compromise of
> allowing copied comments for
> authors.
>
> Do continue to discuss. I'm not-unpersuadable.
> Just stubborn.
>
>
> --Ainaechoiriel
> MEFA Admin and Founder
>
> "This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the
> Elves," Elrond said, "for
> it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that."
> --H.F.
>
> <http://home.earthlink.net/~ainae/mefa>
> http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The
> Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
> Blog: <http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com/>
> http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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-----Original Message-----
From: CC [mailto:zafiro_v@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 4:34 PM
To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [MEFAwards] Post-Mortem: Author Comments

>We are not suggesting an overall author thing but an author category with

sub-categories. That way we wouldn't have an overall best author and there
would be less risk of a popularity contest.

Some were. Just reiterating my nay-saying of it. So subcategories....

Could be a simply rewording. Instead of LOTR/Author, we have Author/LOTR.
Same number of nominations.

>I never participate in contests becaus emost of them are that precisely, a

popularity thing. This awards are different so I would never suggest to turn
it into what most other awards are.

That's the way I feel, too. Thanks CC.

>Having the authors in one category would be simpler. I know I would not

vote authors if I had to copy and paste... I'm not even certain if I would
vote authors.
It is a complicated matter for me because as many are my friends it would be
difficult to be objective. So my suggestion, and I am aware it is your
decision what tgo do in the end, doesn't have to do with my voting
intentions for next year (smile)

Ah, but the trouble still remains. Am I not worthy of being considered for
a drama award for writing Immortal? But then do eschew my chance at a
Horror award with Lure of the Darkness? And next year, my drabbles and filk
will be elligible. Who limits me there?

I generally don't like limits. Limits on WIPs I understand. On their
updated status anyway, not on the number of them. By the way, I'm going to
add the WIP suggestion to the dtabase, about just posting the first few
chapters.... (I kind of like it, BTW).
--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

> Could be a simply rewording. Instead of
> LOTR/Author, we have Author/LOTR.
> Same number of nominations.
>

Yes. The only value of the suggestion would be
simplicity, but maybe it's just me who sees it that
way...

> >I never participate in contests becaus emost of
> them are that precisely, a
> popularity thing. This awards are different so I
> would never suggest to turn
> it into what most other awards are.
>
> That's the way I feel, too. Thanks CC.
>

Welcome.

> Ah, but the trouble still remains. Am I not worthy
> of being considered for
> a drama award for writing Immortal? But then do
> eschew my chance at a
> Horror award with Lure of the Darkness? And next
> year, my drabbles and filk
> will be elligible. Who limits me there?
>

You know... Maybe it's just that I don't take these
things at heart. I don't even think I'm good so
winning an award means that people liked my stories.
Only that.

> I generally don't like limits. Limits on WIPs I
> understand. On their
> updated status anyway, not on the number of them.
> By the way, I'm going to
> add the WIP suggestion to the dtabase, about just
> posting the first few
> chapters.... (I kind of like it, BTW).

Yeah, I guess some people would feel limited and we
don't want anyone to feel like that (smile).

CC

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My issue with author comments stemmed from the fact that it was rather
confusing, until I saw some other author votes. We're just not used to voting
for authors separate from the stories, I think. We might have to do a bit of
education, but it was easy once I got the hang of it. (Though I still didn't
write many)

It probably doesn't make much difference if we keep the authors with each main
category, or make one main author category with humor/drama/poetry/etc
sub-categories. But really, (and I can't remember who mentioned this before) I
agree that it takes the same tools to write humor as it does to write drama,
when you get down to basics. Maybe a case could be made for splitting out
poetry or drabbles, but it might be less confusing for the voters if the
authors had their own category. If it's less confusing, more might vote.

I would agree though, that there shouldn't be an 'overall' author award.


=====
Larian
larian_elensar@yahoo.com
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/larian
Keeper of the OEAM archive http://www.ofelvesandmen.com
Archive addy archive@ofelvesandmen.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Larian Elensar [mailto:larian_elensar@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 7:31 PM
To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [MEFAwards] Post-Mortem: Author Comments

>My issue with author comments stemmed from the fact that it was rather

confusing, until I saw some other author votes. We're just not used to
voting for authors separate from the stories, I think. We might have to do
a bit of education, but it was easy once I got the hang of it. (Though I
still didn't write many)

I've done it for years with ASC, and it was still hard for me. Of course, I
also have the hindrance of occassional aphasia now.

>It probably doesn't make much difference if we keep the authors with each

main category, or make one main author category with humor/drama/poetry/etc
sub-categories. But really, (and I can't remember who mentioned this
before) I agree that it takes the same tools to write humor as it does to
write drama, when you get down to basics.

I couldn't disagree more! I've written dramatic stories for over a decade.
I have necer written a humorous story and am afraid to try. Not everyone
who writes historical fiction can write science fiction. A person who
writes a romance novel cannot necessarily write mainstream drama. It's
absolutely not the same. Some really great humor writers can only write
really crappy dramatic stories.

> Maybe a case could be made for splitting out poetry or drabbles, but it

might be less confusing for the voters if the authors had their own
category. If it's less confusing, more might vote.

I still don't see how Author/LOTR and LOTR/Author are any different.
Besides, this conflicts with another suggested change that no one has
nay-sayed yet: the low bound. 50 stories per category (as ASC has it).
There were more than 50 author nominations.

--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com




=====
Larian
larian_elensar@yahoo.com
Live Journal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/larian
Keeper of the OEAM archive http://www.ofelvesandmen.com Archive addy
archive@ofelvesandmen.com


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-----Original Message-----
From: CC [mailto:zafiro_v@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 4:51 PM
To: MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [MEFAwards] Post-Mortem: Author Comments

> Ah, but the trouble still remains. Am I not worthy of being
> considered for a drama award for writing Immortal? But then do eschew
> my chance at a Horror award with Lure of the Darkness? And next year,
> my drabbles and filk will be elligible. Who limits me there?
>
>You know... Maybe it's just that I don't take these things at heart. I

don't even think I'm good so winning an award means that people liked my
stories.
Only that.

Some people do, some people don't. That's one reason I like this type of
awards. There is competition for those who want it, but it's secondary to
something everyone wants: feedback.

--Ainaechoiriel
MEFA Admin and Founder

"This evil cannot be concealed by the power of the Elves," Elrond said, "for
it is Windows-compatible, and freeware at that." --H.F.

http://gabrielle.sytes.net/mefa The Middle-Earth Fanfiction Awards
Blog: http://www.ainaechoiriel.blogspot.com

> >You know... Maybe it's just that I don't take these
> things at heart. I
> don't even think I'm good so winning an award means
> that people liked my
> stories.
> Only that.
>
> Some people do, some people don't. That's one
> reason I like this type of
> awards. There is competition for those who want it,
> but it's secondary to
> something everyone wants: feedback.
>

That's right, and for those to like competition there
are enough awards so their chances of getting one
increases. I still think too many categories is no
real competition, and quite complicated to vote but
that's my opinion.

CC

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