Comments on: Your yearly dose of sf critic carping starts here! No BSFA award for non-fiction … again!

By: James

James — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 09:40:54 +0000

Since the longlist of Non-Fiction is only 12 or so, why isn’t the Longlist just promoted to a short list, and let people vote on it?

Isn’t it a bit arbitrary saying the shortlist has to be 5 anyway?

Seems to be some common sense lacking there.

By: James B

James B — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:09:16 +0000

ah Niall did list some of his favourites, didn’t he, but then, again none struck me, except one I didn’t like…. that’s not so good, I forgot I whined about it.

but there wasn’t a huge amount of input into that part of the nomination list though.

By: James B

James B — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:55:58 +0000

I was disappointed last year, and again this year.

I think the category is difficult, and to be honest, only blame myself. If there was something I really cared about, I should have posted it, on line, and here and elsewhere.

I think that the problem is that its hard to find consensus. As I was looking on my shelves for things to nominate, I wondered if a Nomination night type of party, would not garner more valid nominations. It also always feels that discussion only takes place immediately before the deadline – maybe I am wrong or it focuses the brain.

Maybe some sort of special Torquemada Control piece, before xmas, for people to discuss the awards, might be more timely and in order. Will suggest, if it hasn’t happened already (sorry Niall if I missed it) rather than just nominations lists, as the administrators in fairness need to be removed from such discussions.

By: Paul Raven

Paul Raven — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:08:49 +0000

Blimey, Jonathan – that’s going in my “things I never thought I’d hear them say” file!

By: Jonathan M

Jonathan M — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:06:11 +0000

I stand corrected Mark and I apologise without reservation.