How come there isn't a category for best new author. I think it woud allow new authors a chance to shine on their own whithout being overshadowed by more experienced ones. Any opinions?

I really don't think it's needed. If your story is good, it's good.

Not to mention the fact that the point to writing isn't for awards. It's because you want to write.

And, how would you decide who was a 'new author'? Some one who had posted for the first time in a week? A month? A year? You could miss people just by setting a time limit.

I agree with Lady Kirara. It's about wanting to write, not really the awards. Not that they're not nice.

I understand that but that is my point. You do feel nice when your work is appreciated.

There's no doubt that everyone loves to be recognized. The only problem is, as a previous post pointed out, who exactly constitutes "new authors." To be perfectly frank, the website is run by volunteers like myself who have little additional "free" time to do so. An undertaking of this sort would require determining the parameters of "new authors" and then a good deal of time being spent on the part of the Awards Admin checking to see if nominees met the criteria.

In addition, as far back as I can remember, I don't believe I've seen any Sess/Kag or InuYasha award group with such a designation. I know that the IY Fanguild didn't have it for as long as I was a member. The dokuga_contest awards, which preceded the awards on this site didn't have it. A Single Spark didn't either.

So, on the surface it sounds like an admirable idea, but when you delve into the realities, it's not what I would consider terribly easy to do. I will, of course, leave the ultimate determination to our Awards Admin, but that's my two cents' worth.

~~Wiccan~~

Then there is also the fact that even if someone is new to Inuyasha fandom or Dokuga, they could well be seasoned writers elsewhere.

I think it is a nice idea, but it sounds like a category too hard to define and too troublesome and time-consuming for the admin to actually be carried out.
Besides, there are the first place winner bans to help prevent awards hogging.

I firmly believe that a good story will be noticed and applauded. But while recognition is a great thing to have, I don't feel it should be anyone's motivation to writing.

To get more down to who would be considered new...

I joined less then a year ago. I have been writing for almost nine years. Nothing published in anything more then a magazine but I've still be writing since I was in my early teens. Even though my first fanfiction, that I posted online, was just less then a year ago.

What about people who have been members for say, two years, who haven't posted a single work online in all that time but post their first one after so long because they finally decided to write something themselves.

I agree with Wiccan, it would take personal messages to each person and a conversation about their writing history.

It's not about winning. This is suppose to be a fun site to share ideas and works of art and writing. Having others pick a specific story as their favorite among many other stories, no matter the writing level, is that individuals preference. Telling authors who have won previously that their stories don't matter anymore because they are too well written for other competition is just wrong! It sounds like jealousy to me and not a fair contest for what you suggest.

BelovedStranger wrote:
Telling authors who have won previously that their stories don't matter anymore because they are too well written for other competition is just wrong!

I'm confused... when did anyone say that?

EDIT:
Nevermind - I think I got confused -.-'

Hehe This is funny :)I didn't mean to get anyone rattled though. I just thought it would be nice. I also didn't realise that so much was involved in the process. I'm sorry.