Amazing Stories is suggesting that potential award nominees go on record with a statement that rejects their participation and/or inclusion in voting slates, voting blocs and voting campaigns for genre awards.
While this will not prevent others from gaming someone onto a slate, it will put participants on the record as being opposed to such actions and will serve to inform voters of the participant’s desires.
The wording below may not be entirely appropriate for each individual and serves only as example.
If you agree with the sentiment, please place your name and a link to your website/blog in the comments. If you agree in principal but wish to state your position in different words, please feel free to place those in the comments as well.
Please feel free to pass this along to other potential nominees.
If you wish to go on record here, you may do so in the comments on this post. (You can see others who have made similar statements and links to those statements, on that post.)
I reject the use of voting slates, bloc voting and campaigning for any award I may be considered for now or in the future. Organized campaigning for awards devalues the award, the participation of those voting and the entire process. Any award I might win that results from campaigning would also be devalued.
I will not participate in voting slates, bloc voting or campaigning on behalf of others or myself.
I do not give anyone permission to include my works on a voting slate, either because they genuinely believe it should win, or because they are attempting to game a voting system.
Further, should I become aware that I or one of my works has been included on a slate, a voting bloc or in a campaign, I will request that it be removed and will make my request public in the belief that potential voters will respect my intent and will vote accordingly.
Alastair Reynolds
Slow Bullets and Sad Puppies
Lois McMaster Bujold
As a point of information, “Penric’s Demon” was conscripted onto the “Rabid Puppies” slate without my notification or permission, and my request that it be removed was refused.
Adam-Troy Castro:
http://www.adamtroycastro.com/2015/08/these-are-not-reasons-to-vote-for-me-for-a-hugo/
Ann Leckie:
http://www.annleckie.com/2015/08/29/on-slates/
Charlie Stross:
http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/08/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying.html
Elizabeth Bear:
http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/2015/08/how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying.html
At my request, Adam-Troy Castro has republished his statement on this subject. You can find it here – http://www.adamtroycastro.com/2015/08/these-are-not-reasons-to-vote-for-me-for-a-hugo/
Steve Davidson for Amazing Stories. I support this concept.