There's nothing better for a DIY fan thing than holding high goals to improve, that said, it's a lot of words for a tiny niche award that's not hooked in to an industry (like the Nebulas, Hugos, etc)... a zine can't compare to the NY Times, and that's just fine. When it's volunteer and personal fan love, keeping it that way has benefits.
Letting promotion have big results is a GOOD thing for every nominee. It tells even the smallest that they too have a chance. In times when one wins that way, you'll probably find that it's mostly because others didn't try to promote. Then it's not so much a prize, as an opportunity to raise discovery.
Now I'm grateful to anyone who felt like tossing any vote to my magazine... on the occasions people picked it I always send a photo with the award back as thanks (which many don't when it's wanted)... and I DON'T PANDER, you'll rarely find messages from me saying "vote for Dogpatch Press", it just links the awards themselves and says to go vote for someone.
This all is why I loved helping in 2014 to spread the Furry Force animation, one of the few (only?) occasions for outside recognition to the award. Secret: it's not as outside as people thought, considering my good old friend directed it... he didn't know I was a furry when it was written and approved and he got the job though, he found out after. Another open secret: a lot of furries are professionals too, and could raise the same notice, there isn't a clean line apart from "the media."
The attention from that is the kind that would sustain the award and encourage other people to promote. Furry Force harnessed a lot of watchers, but now there are furry Youtubers who can compete on a high level. And... it is needed. Promotion may affect the nominees, but also the volunteers who lack support. So perhaps it is not a good idea to think of alternate ways.
There's nothing better for a DIY fan thing than holding high goals to improve, that said, it's a lot of words for a tiny niche award that's not hooked in to an industry (like the Nebulas, Hugos, etc)... a zine can't compare to the NY Times, and that's just fine. When it's volunteer and personal fan love, keeping it that way has benefits.
Letting promotion have big results is a GOOD thing for every nominee. It tells even the smallest that they too have a chance. In times when one wins that way, you'll probably find that it's mostly because others didn't try to promote. Then it's not so much a prize, as an opportunity to raise discovery.
Now I'm grateful to anyone who felt like tossing any vote to my magazine... on the occasions people picked it I always send a photo with the award back as thanks (which many don't when it's wanted)... and I DON'T PANDER, you'll rarely find messages from me saying "vote for Dogpatch Press", it just links the awards themselves and says to go vote for someone.
This all is why I loved helping in 2014 to spread the Furry Force animation, one of the few (only?) occasions for outside recognition to the award. Secret: it's not as outside as people thought, considering my good old friend directed it... he didn't know I was a furry when it was written and approved and he got the job though, he found out after. Another open secret: a lot of furries are professionals too, and could raise the same notice, there isn't a clean line apart from "the media."
The attention from that is the kind that would sustain the award and encourage other people to promote. Furry Force harnessed a lot of watchers, but now there are furry Youtubers who can compete on a high level. And... it is needed. Promotion may affect the nominees, but also the volunteers who lack support. So perhaps it is not a good idea to think of alternate ways.
About the Ursas needing funding and volunteering... they always have a lack:
https://dogpatch.press/2018/03/16/ursa-major-awards-donations/
https://dogpatch.press/2018/02/23/ursa-major-awards-funding/