2007 ENnie Awards Submissions Questions thread

[Denise]

If you have a question about the entry process, I certainly welcome it.  But now is not the time for discussion on how to run the ENnies.  I've asked for contributions and opinions before and took them into consideration.  The next time I ask for input (which will most likely be just after Gen Con), I will gladly entertain public discussion.  Of course, you are always welcome to email me with your concerns, complaints, and compliments.  I may even respond to them.  They will be read and discussed, and filed in our Suggestion Box (OK, it's actually just a folder in ENnies directory, but I track them all).

Trust me guys, having run my own business, I know what it's like to eat mustard sandwiches.  I know it's tough.  But I can also say that an ENnie nomination can mean a lot.  I don't like to promote the marketing aspect of the Awards, because that's not what they're about. They're not an advertising tool. But many publishers (especially e-publishers) credit their success - or at least a spike in sales - to their ENnie nomination.  Thousands of people had never heard of Burning Wheel, Capes or Dread until their nomination and the buzz created thereby. 

I've explained my reasons for why things are and why they shall remain thus.  Those reasons are not changing anytime soon.  If Indie publishers are to be judged by the same standards as all other publishers, big and small, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect them to have to make the same sacrifices as everyone else.  I've tried to be inclusive and sensitive, and seriously, if you can come up with a way in which we can make it easier for y'all to enter while still respecting the limitations/reasons I already expressed (basically, free product is the lubricant that keeps the ENnies machinery in motion, and also the need to distance the publishers from the judges), I welcome email and PMs. 

Do a cost/benefit analysis.  And if you can't afford to make the investment, maybe your fans can.  I definitely heartily encourage all to look into options on shipping- perhaps combining your efforts with someone else who might be local to you, or asking if IPR can do a bulk mailing (though I'd stay away from media mail- we need the stuff by June 1st!).  If your product is available as a PDF, then submit it on CD, that'll save you lots of money! 

If you're not planning on entering because you cannot afford to spare six copies, then I'm sorry to hear it.  I get it.  Life's rough (and not just for small or indie publishers). 

But my final word on the subject is, if you want to play in this particular game, the process (I almost wrote "social contract", but thought it'd be too cliché) for all players -big or small, indie or not - starts with your investment in the production cost of six books (or whatever else you're sending in) and their postage.  If that's not acceptable to you, I respect your choice not to participate, and heartily encourage you to find another game in which to play, or to generate one of your own- and to let those of us still playing to get on with it.

If you have anything else to say on this particular subject (apart from an apology, perhaps), PM me.

[Valamir]

While it should be obvious, it perhaps is a good time to make explicit that every indie publisher is their own individual with their own opinions and own set of values that they bring to their endeavor.  Its good to remember that the opinions expressed here are those of their author (who are completely entitled to hold them) but are not necessarily representative of anyone else...or even of a majority of indie-publishers.

For me, I've got zero problem with the expense of the Ennies being a barrier to entry for some.  Its a filter, no worse than any other filter.  In some ways its better because it allows publishers to self select based on what's important to them.

There's not a single person on this forum who can afford a broad band connection but can't afford $100* in shipping charges.  Its a simple question of which is more important, entering the Ennies or whatever else you can buy with that $100.  So what if that $100 represents a tiny fraction of your profits or 1/2 of everything you've ever made.  $100 is $100...its 5 movies with a date, its 18 McDonald's Value Meals, its 10 months of Net Flix, its 3 best seller hard cover books at Barnes & Noble...or its the price of entering the Ennies.  Do the math, make the choice.

I fully understand that there is a time and a place for encouraging and accepting and considering suggestions, and there is a time and a place for laying out how it is -- take it or leave it.  With any endeavor there comes a point where the organizer has to cut off debate and move on or else the project goes no where.  That the Ennies is at that point is entirely reasonable.

I hesitate to speak for others, but I think its pretty safe to say that we are all impressed, grateful, and (for me at least) frankly surprised by the lengths you've gone to to accomodate indie publishers already.

Thanks, it is appreciated.


*effectively less than $100 once tax deductions are accounted for.

[Jonathan Walton]

Denise, I apologize for misreading your post.

Like, Ralph, I do really appreciate the degree to which you've reached out to indie publishers and I wasn't trying to argue for additional exceptions or anything of that sort.  I realize that things are the way they are, at least for this year.

Competing in the ENies may not be the best use of my resources this year and that's fine.  Hopefully in the future.

[Denise]

Just in case anyone was wondering:

-If you don't want to fill in the entry form and fax it or scan it, you're welcome to simply email me the information in a text file.  Just make sure that I know the product name and in which categories it's entered, and that I have complete and accurate contact information for you.  That way, if it's nominated, I can get more info for the web site, invitations, and promotional materials.

-If you do fill in the form, you don't need to send me the first page (the one with all the category descriptions).  Just send me your company profile section and your choice of either the short or long product info form.  The long form was there so that if publishers wanted to list all their contributors, or detail revisions, or include a haiku or self-portrait (not that the two latter would make any difference other than making me smile), but for most people, the short form should suffice.

-The 25 character title name is so that if you win, we can fit your name on the trophy or medal (but I'm not even certain if I'm going to individually engrave the medals this year or not- it's an added expense and PITA)

-All products will automatically be entered into the big umbrella (Best Game, Best d20 Product, Best Electronci Product, Product of the Year) as appropriate.  That's why there's no check boxes on the entry form for those categories.

[Justin D. Jacobson]

For the record, I think "The comp copies are essentially part of the judges' compensation" is a perfectly valid explanation for sending them to all judges even if they already own them. That reason hadn't occurred to me.

[Denise]

I just have to say how excited I am to see the list of incoming Indie product!  What's driving me crazy is I won't see most of the 6th pile stuff until I drive to my friend Chris' place in July for Origins!

Please keep it coming, it does my heart good to see such a favourable response from names I've seen on The Forge!