Having freshly deciphered the latest cryptic message from Chengdu organizing committee, I gather that the machines of WorldCon 2023 are fully in motion. Of course, this means that the Hugo Award nominations are open, and will remain so until April 30th according to the award website. It will be interesting to see what happens with the awards given that they will be presented in-person, halfway around the world from North America, and possibly in another language. Given the debacle that the Hugos have become in recent years (or even in the recent decade) maybe change is good.
Going to ChiCon (the 2022 WorldCon) in August last year was one of the best experiences of my author career. I saw some old friends, met many new ones, and in general enjoyed a few days immersed in the SF/F community. The timing was perfect, too, because I managed to have three books published by three different publishers in 2022. I don’t recommend that — it was taking in numerous ways and I’m still recovering — but it was a significant year for me.
SF/F Related Work
Now comes the awkward moment where I mention that my books published last year are eligible for certain awards. I will not presume to ask for votes for Silver Queendom or Deploying Dragons down for Best Novel. That category always sees the highest number of nominations, and there were many incredible books published in 2022.
However, there is another often-overlooked category of the Hugo Awards called Best Related Work, which is “awarded to a work related to the field of science fiction, fantasy, or fandom.” Nonfiction collections, for example, are eligible for this award. This means that Putting the Fact In Fantasy (edited by Dan Koboldt, published by Writer’s Digest Books / Penguin Random House) is eligible. If you’re nominating for the Hugos, I hope you’ll consider it. In fact, I’d be happy to send you a digital copy of the book. Just leave a comment below or send me an e-mail with your preferred format.
Chengdu 2023: What to Expect
None of my friends from ChiCon are planning to attend WorldCon in 2023 as far as I know. It’s a long, expensive, and intimidating journey, especially for people who live in the Americas (as I’m sure Asian/European SF/F fans felt about Chicago last year). However, the SF/F fandom in Asia is massive. One would assume that’s especially true of the world’s second-most-populous nation. This is their turn to host WorldCon. Even under the Chinese government’s harsh policies, even with the Chengdu committee’s ongoing struggles, we might see a record turnout for WorldCon in 2023.
It would also not surprise me if Asian SF/F works dominated the Hugo Award nominee lists. Attending members for 2023 get to nominate/vote, and China will enjoy a home field advantage. If that proves true, I will not join the public outcry that will probably follow. As I said, it’s Asia’s turn and I wish them the best.
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