Okay, it’s not horror. Still, if you love the written word and great storytelling, then you’ll probably be interested in the 2011 Hugo Awards. The awards will be presented in Reno, NV during Renovation, the 69th World Science Fiction Convention (August 17-21). The deadline for nominating online is March 26, 2011.
Voting for the Hugos takes place in two stages. The first stage, nomination, is open to anyone who has a supporting or full (adult or young adult) membership of Renovation as of January 31, 2011 and to all supporting and attending members of Aussiecon 4, the prior year’s Worldcon. Nomination is a write-in process where members can put forward any eligible work or person.
The second stage of voting is the final ballot. This stage is only open to Renovation members. In the final ballot, members choose between the five finalists in each category.
The Awards themselves are presented in a public ceremony which is always one of the highlights of the Worldcon, and we expect Renovation to be no different. The Renovation ceremony will take place on Saturday, August 20, 2011 in the Tuscany Ballroom at the Peppermill Hotel.
The official web site can be found at: the Hugo Awards. This site includes a full history of the Hugo Awards, nominees and winners, information on the voting process, a photo gallery of past trophy designs, and much more.
Hugo Categories
A full list of the current award categories with definitions is available here. In summary, however, the ongoing categories, for which Hugos are presented every year, are:
- Best Novel
- Best Novella
- Best Novelette
- Best Short Story
- Best Related Work
- Best Graphic Story
- Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form
- Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form
- Best Editor (Long Form)
- Best Editor (Short Form)
- Best Professional Artist
- Best SemiProzine
- Best Fanzine
- Best Fan Writer
- Best Fan Artist
The Best Graphic Story Hugo is currently undergoing a trial period. This award was ratified at Anticipation, the 2009 Worldcon, and will be awarded until 2012. However, it must be re-ratified at the Business Meeting of the 2012 Worldcon or it will automatically “sunset” and be removed as a category.
By tradition, the Hugo voting process also includes the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. The Campbell Award is not a Hugo, and the rules governing it are determined by the award sponsor, Dell Magazines, but by long agreement the award is selected alongside the Hugos and presented with them at the Worldcon Hugo Award Ceremony.
