If you could choose an award?

Sorry, chaps - I was feeling rather custy earlier on. Must be an age thing ;)

I look at it this way. In the horse world you have showing, and to a lesser extent dressage, both competitions ostensibly based on a set of guidelines but ultimately at the mercy an individual's opinion (the judge) on the day. As opposed to showjumping, say, governed by an easily understood set of scores which everyone (including spectators) understands.

While you still have to enter the competition in order to be judged, I know which type I prefer. Even though one day you can jump a double-clear and the next be eliminated at the first fence :(

The one thing guarenteed to get me to turn off the television and go back to writing is an award ceremony. I think they are useful inside their industries as they create competition and offer recognition in industries where criticism is far more likely. Artists of all sorts often need that recognition, especially in the case of literary fiction where books sales are generally low in comparison to other genres. They also generate further sales for the nominees which is a useful boost in the case of book sales. And it's not as if I don't take notice of a book which has been nomiated for something, but the politics of winning has so little to do with talent. And there are so many prizes they devalue each other to the point you end up with people like Jonathan saying it 'simply luvvies back-slapping one another'.

I just think there are enough prizes and further catagories should only be added for new genres. If someone wants to create a prize for New Adult in time for the publication of my book, I wouldn't mind! And now I think about it, the perfect figurehead for New Adult is probably JK Rowling.