On Tue, 08 Jul 1997 22:37:14 -0500, Richard Lawson <sterman@sprynet.com>
wrote:

This is a great idea.  We need a way for first-time writers to get
noticed, especially with the glut of fanfics that have been appearing
recently.  (It's tapered off now, but wait until school gets back in
session.)  I'm all for anything that gets people noticed.

The problem, as I see it, is how do you define "new"?

I'd say anyone who has not had a story eligible for these awards in a
previous quarter, and who has not had any stories that *would* have been
eligible in a previous quarter had these awards existed then.

You've said anyone who has never posted to raac.  What if Robert Jordan
were to write a Ranma 1/2 fanfic?  Would he be eligible?

I'd have to say yes in this most unlikely event -- unless he decided to
disqualify himself. I'd also agree with John Collins that those who have
posted to raac but not done Ranma fics *should* be eligible. This seems
like the only fair way to do it.

The bigger problem, as I see it, is how easy it is to forge a new
identity on the internet.  If I wanted to, I could easily assume a new
identity and start posting fanfics.  I could claim I've never written a
fanfic before, and who's going to prove otherwise?

No one. I can't imagine why people would want to cheat for fanfic
awards, but if they did I don't see how you could stop them.

For example, I could, if I wanted to, round up friends who don't read
fanfiction and who do have E-mail accounts. I could get them to send in
votes for my fics. They could claim that they all genuinely thought my
stuff was the best around, and who could prove otherwise?

Now, I wouldn't do this. (For proof, look at the number of votes my
stuff gets. :)) Neither would anyone else, as far as I know. Why not?
Because it would make getting the award meaningless. I still would not
have written a fic that people really liked.

I've been trying to find a way around these problems, and have so far

(not)

been able to come up with one.  Any ideas?

I'd like to do it.  I'm just not sure how to protect the integrity of
the process.

The integrity of the process comes entirely from the integrity of the
participants. Without the latter there is not the former -- new writer
award or no new writer award.

Gary Kleppe
kleppe@execpc.com, Home page http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe
My fanfics and the FFML map are on my comics/manga page,
       http://www.execpc.com/~kleppe/comics