The Ethics of Spurious Awards

Being a writer is hard, and finding success can be harder. We all look toward getting published, whether we write novels or short stories, as we want to share our stories with the world (and hope people read them and enjoy them.) There’s also the financial side that cannot be overlooked, even if it is difficult to find success.

Though writing well and showing excellent craft and storytelling is the surest way toward success and publication, it may still take building a set of bona fides to help authors establish themselves.

But there are an unethical few who look to bypass the work and go straight to "success."

How Getting Published Usually Works

In the world of writing short stories, there are definite levels of publishing success. From simply getting published in non-paying markets, to receiving token payments ($5-20 per story), to finding mid-level markets ($.03-.05 per word), to achieving publication in professional-level periodicals ($.08-.12 per word), there are publishing stepping stones that provide a path to success. As markets improve, so does exposure to readers and resulting success.

In some cases, particularly at the lower end of the ladder, showing continued success in various periodicals can help an author bump up to the next level.

The Con

Unfortunately, there are many more non-paying periodicals than professional-level markets, and they are not all known by everyone in the industry. Some have low levels of funding while others are run by volunteers who love speculative fiction but don’t have a lot of time (as many work other, real-life jobs.) But the intent is there—they want to find and publish stories for others to read and enjoy.

But why not just create your own? Find a title, slap it on a web page, and then—voilà—there is another non-paying periodical to be added to the author’s biography showing their success.

Is it real? No. It is not.

It is fictional. Made up. A con meant to convince others that the author is more successful than they truly are. It’s obfuscating bullshit.

And worse, it lessens the accomplishment of other authors who have legitimately been accepted by a real publication.

Contest Variant

A similar con is to create a contest that really isn’t a contest—it’s not open to the public and the eligibility requirements are restricted or non-existent. Yet there’s a slick award name and icon to share and include in biographies, on websites, or even email signatures though it is bogus.

The Cost

Though the creators of these cons may think them harmless, they are not. They directly lower the value of real, openly-contested markets and contests that legitimately want to help authors. And though no informed member of the speculative fiction industry will ever mistake these bogus accolades for high-end achievements, publications, or awards, they do muddy the waters for authors just starting out.

Because who wants to wade through all the lesser known awards to see if they really exist and are legitimate? Nobody. So, all are discounted - the real awards right alongside the bogus ones.

Good News

Unrelatedly, I wanted to share that I’ve been awarded the Midnight Vortex award for Outstanding Speculative Fiction. I’m honored to have been selected!

My winning story will soon be published in the award-winning online quarterly speculative magazine Mindless Void. So, keep an eye out for more of my accomplishments!

Just Kidding

See how bogus that all sounds? And, by the way, I renamed my quarterly newsletter the Mindless Void—at least for now.

Summary

The proliferation of meaningless, made-up awards and publications does nothing to advance the career of authors, and in fact, devalues real, legitimate awards and publications that authors work and sweat for.

Is it so hard to be ethical in today's society? Like most, I don't think so. But there are a few who push the boundaries, make a mess (and fools of themselves), and make it harder for the rest of us.