Let’s Get Literate! What's an Award Worth?

[renay]

I've been thinking about awards, their value, and what they add, both to the literary landscape and the experience of reading. When I was new to SFF, I used awards to guide my reading and as a discovery engine. As I became more embedded in fandom, instead they became a type of historical record. I didn't engage with awards from a "tell me who the winner is!" position. Instead, I wanted to know the winner, the short list, the long list (if available), and also the history of what the award honorees. It's the historian in me. We can learn a lot—but not everything—from what's come before. ( Read more... )