It’s been a while since I put up a formal awards eligibility post, but it’s a new year and, if not a new me then at least a mildly updated me, so let’s do it.
In 2024, I published two works: the final Galactic Cold War novel, The Armageddon Protocol, and a Galactic Cold War short story, “Sleeping Wolves”. Both of these are eligible for a number of awards, generally in Best Novel and Best Short Story categories. That includes the Hugos (open to any members of WSFS—see below on how you can become one!), the Nebulas (open to members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association only), the Locus Awards (open to all), the Dragon Awards (open to all), as well as more that I may not be aware of. In short, if it’s an award for best novel or short story in 2024, these works are probably eligible.1
However, there’s one particular place that I think I might have a shot at picking up a nomination, and this may be the last time it’s an option: the Hugo Award for Best Series.
Here’s the description of the award:
Best Series: Awarded for multi-installment works appearing in an least three installments with a total of at least 240,000 words. Installments of a series can be of any length; that is, installments of a series do not have to be novel-length works. A qualifying installment must be published in the qualifying year. Once a Series wins the Award, it is no longer eligible even if further installments appear in the series. If a Series is a finalist and does not win, it is no longer eligible until at least two more installments consisting of at lest 240,000 words total appear in subsequent years.
Given that The Armageddon Protocol drew the Galactic Cold War series to a close, this could be its last year of eligibility.2
So, how do you nominate something for the Hugos? All you have to do is become a member of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS) before January 31, 2025. This membership is included if you have a virtual or attending membership in this year’s Worldcon in Seattle or were a member of last year’s Worldcon in Glasgow. But you can also just buy a WSFS membership alone for $50, which gives you full ability to contribute when nominations open (probably soon!), as well as letting you vote on the location for the next open Worldcon bid (in this case, 2027). If you’re an avid reader/gamer/watcher of media, this is a way to actually have some ability to get your favorites some recognition!
I do think it would be an honor to be nominated and to get to throw “award-nominated author” into my bio. Who doesn’t like a little recognition? I’m not above it, is what I’m saying.
The actual number of nominations to get a work on the ballot is lower than you’d think: for Best Short Story in 2024, the story with the least number of nominations that appeared on the ballot had just 27 votes. For Best Series, that was 79. For Best Novel, it was 91. (Here’s the full data from last year’s nominations and votes, if you’re that kind of nerd, which I am.) None of those are terribly high numbers; in fact, nominations in general tend to have even lower threshold than the actual award ballot itself.
So if you enjoyed either of my works for last year or are a fan of the Galactic Cold War series as a whole, I’d greatly appreciate your nomination. Even if it’s as simple as having a Goodreads account and helping get The Armageddon Protocol onto a list of eligible books. Thank you!
Honestly, I would love to get A Complicated Profession nominated for a Hugo, but its rules around podcasts and generating income off them are particularly arcane and annoying.↩
Though looking closely here, I guess I could publish a future Galactic Cold War short story and it would still be eligible? What even is a series, I guess?↩