Oh, SF/F, you stay classy
Jul. 18th, 2009 09:21 pmI'm seeing some links around the old f-list about how the Hugo shortlist sucks this year, but more than that, I keep seeing this phrase about the Hugo shortlist representing SF/F or SF/F fandom.
Uh, no.
I would like to state for the record that I am an SF/F writer (however unpublished) and reader, and the Hugo Awards have very little to do with me. They certainly don't represent what I read or like, nor what most of the people I know who are SF/F fans read and like. In fact, in the circles I've been running in for quite some time, they're sort of irrelevant.
I noticed at the bottom that there were 799 nomination ballots cast. That should tell you all you need to know. I would wager that the amount of people who enjoy SF/F, either in literary or TV/movie form, numbers in the millions in the USA alone. Never mind worldwide. Judging by book sales, there are certainly more than 799 people buying and reading SF/F works.
So, say all you like about the Hugo Awards. I don't tend to pay attention to them. But please stop saying they represent SF/F. They don't. I have no bloody idea who they represent, but it's not me, and it sure ain't SF/F as a whole.
Uh, no.
I would like to state for the record that I am an SF/F writer (however unpublished) and reader, and the Hugo Awards have very little to do with me. They certainly don't represent what I read or like, nor what most of the people I know who are SF/F fans read and like. In fact, in the circles I've been running in for quite some time, they're sort of irrelevant.
I noticed at the bottom that there were 799 nomination ballots cast. That should tell you all you need to know. I would wager that the amount of people who enjoy SF/F, either in literary or TV/movie form, numbers in the millions in the USA alone. Never mind worldwide. Judging by book sales, there are certainly more than 799 people buying and reading SF/F works.
So, say all you like about the Hugo Awards. I don't tend to pay attention to them. But please stop saying they represent SF/F. They don't. I have no bloody idea who they represent, but it's not me, and it sure ain't SF/F as a whole.