Looking at the awards I was disappointed. So, in the IRC chat today I posed a challenge - make better awards. With the help of many - and a special thanks to Master Slytherin, Taure and LINKed_up - we have come up with this list here.

The point is to remove pointless awards, or awards that are so concerete, they're meaningless. By concrete, I mean stories that are fads - IE, Azkaban, Timetravel and Dark but Light Sided. Fads come and go, wax and wane and to be caught with a category that has nothing but shit in it isn't productive. These awards are more abstract but abstract means more territory and more territory means more bragging rights - they're awards that allow the author to take pride in winning the award.

I also added Character Awards to praise authors for their characters - and technically, you're not awarding the Dark But Light Sided Harry Story author an award for his story but for the Dark But Light Sided Harry. That's a character.

Comments, criticisms and new ideas are welcome.

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Story Awards
Best Fanfiction Story

The grand-daddy of them all and the most prestigious award that is given to the author with the best Fanfiction Story in the Harry Potter Fanfiction Universe.

Best Noir Fanfiction Story

Noir stories incorporate cynical attitudes and bleak outlooks, may be sick and perverse or evil in nature and generally have a dark atmosphere. This award is given to the author who does Noir best.

Categories this Award removes: Sick and Perverse, Evil and Azkaban

Best Fantastical Fanfiction Story

Needs a rename but fantastical stories, are, quite simply - out there. They may include time travel, crossovers with another fandom or just straight alternate universe activity where canon facts are changed to progress the story. This award is given to the author who does fantastical best.

Categories this Award removes: Time travel, Alternate Universe and Crossover

Best Newcomer Fanfiction Story

Needs a rename but only newbie authors may apply for this award that looks to congratulate new authors on joining the fandom and praising their new works. The best newcomer story will be the first work of an author and must be created in the year the award ceremony takes place (meaning Rorschach's first story could not win).

Best One-Shot Fanfiction Story

To move an audience in 15,000 words or less and in one chapter is a skill few can accomplish. This award seeks to praise those authors who undertake the task of creating a setting, time and place with characters and emotions that draw the reader and take them full-circle. Stories with one chapter and 15,000 words or less may apply.


Character Awards
Best Hero

Awarded to the author with the best protagonist character that exemplifies what is commonly found in heroes - courage, valour (aka lightsided spirit) - in a Fanfiction Story.

Best Villain

Awarded to the author with the best antagonist character that exemplifies what is commonly found in villains - hatred, deception (aka darksided spirit) - in a Fanfiction Story.

Best Anti-Hero

Awarded to the author with the best protagonist that exemplifies what is commonly found in anti-heroes - lack of foolish bravery and usage of dirty tricks that would usually be shunned (aka dark, yet lightsided).

Best Original Character

Awarded to the author with the best original character (created character) that exmplifies what is commonly found in a good character - many dimensions, emotions and a unique persona that stands out and is not all powerful ala Mary-Sue.

 

Good catagories so far, but I think a few more could be added.

Best Comedy
Best Erotica
Most Innovative

 

This sounds like a very good idea. These more abstract awards will encourage writers on DLP to enhance their stories, bring out their creative sides, and help begin the purge of shitty fics that still plague the net.


By the way, why bother with the 'Best Erotica' category? It's obvious who the winner would be.

 

Like it, but the number of awards might be just too big for the amount of new stories in the fandom.

 

Awesome, I cant wait for this get underway

 

Another thing I've been thinking about - are the awards only for stories that have been made since the last awards? Or are they open to all?

 

There were eleven awards in last year's contest; in this, there are currently nine - but good point. Plus one must take into account quality, of course.

Taure: I don't know - that'll be the decision of the administration if they even want to look into this.

I do suggest a 3, 2, 1 system as well as a 2006 requirement (stories must be made in 2006, or at the most, starting at the end of the last award ceremony).

The 3, 2, 1 system allows for more reliable voting - when one votes, they vote three times - their first place choice is worth three points toward the story total, their second two points and their third worth one point.

 

Well, I think that there doesn't need to be anymore Character Categories, and that we should add a Best Comedy category because that is an important category IMO.

 

Too early to really have any decent contentders for anything really if you're going for totally different winners.

We were holding back another serveral months, there's no need to have a yearly award's function... 6-7 months past the first

I agree with the general idea however, but think the cats need alot of tweaking.

 

I agree. I was just saying the old one needed a revamp. I think nominations should start in November and voting in mid-December with announcement around Christmas or something.

Dunno how it was done last time. Just didn't like the categories.

 

Wow, those are great pics.

 

Sounds like an epic event, I've bought front row tickets already . Anyways, those awards all look good to me. Hope it all works out. Oh, and maybe you should add a "stupidest" Harry award ...
(ah well, a guy's got to try right?)
/me makes sure to stock up on sodas and popcorn.

 

Could there not be the 'Cliche of the year award' Just to add a bit of DLP spice to it.

 

First I want to say, that I really like the idea. When (If) this is started end of the year, I volunteer to help, if the need arises.
Second: What about a "Best author" category? Can't we add this?

 

Best author? Maybe. Nonjon, or Blot would be my pick. In fact I bet that either of those two will win the award because their writing is on a whole different level then other fics. I think that we all know who will most likely win in this...

For the best new comer award is there a minimum word limit like 40 k? Or do fics with ten thousand words or so count as well?

 

How about a reward for the best lemon?

Nothing beats porn-with-a-plot!!

 

really cool graphics for the awards.

now are these completed flics only?
or at least like a min amount of chapters or something?

heh how about best ginny or ron bash

 

Thats erotica, twit.

Lovely Graphics by the way.

 

Maybe the biggest dissapointment would be a good award. It could be either for:

1) stories that start well but get abandoned before they reach their full potential
2) stories that are ruined by stupid decisions made by authors (eg including slash or H/G)
3) authors who are generally good, but publish an awful, under-achieving story
4) some combination of the above points

 

Well gee, must have missed that.