Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Third Annual Blog Award Categories

The more categories the more chances for people to feel appreciated, and the more to promote. So, I am planning on opening nominations for the following categories next Monday based on comments and recommendations. Hopefully the list did not get to overwhelmingly large. And if we don't get any nominations in a category, well I suppose we can drop it. Oh, I also tried to group the categories. So here they are.

Nominations for single entries (posts) or series of posts:
  • Best Religious Writing or Theological Commentary - Single entry
  • Best Review or Cultural Commentary - Single entry
  • Best Anecdote or Narrative - Single entry
  • Best Political Commentary - Single entry
Nominations for a blog's elements aside from posts:
  • Best Design or Use of Visuals - Blog
  • Best Links - Blog
Nominations for a blog's collective writings for the year:
  • Best Religious Writing or Theological Commentary - Best of class
  • Best Anecdote or Narrative - Best of class
  • Best Political Commentary - Best of class
  • Best New blog - Blog
  • Best Online Community or Group Blog - Blog
  • Best Non-UU-Themed Blog - Blog
  • Best UU-Themed Blog - Blog
  • Best Minister blog - Blog
  • Best Seminarian blog - Blog
  • Best Lay blog - Blog
  • Best Writing - Blog
The Second Annual included 11 Awards, so we are up to 17 this year. Please comment or suggest, these need to be final by the time nominations begin.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

These look pretty good, though I would argue for removing "Best Community/Group Blog" as I don't think there really are any outside of FUUSE, which isn't really a blog, and the Daily Scribe, which is an aggregator with no independent content.

I'm also not a fan of the "Best Links" category.

How about a category for "Best Commentor" ? There are a lot of folks who contribute to the discussion on many UU blogs who don't necessarily have blogs of their own (yet...).

UUpdater said...

Yeah, with Coffee Hour defunct the only other I can think of would be "Unitarian Universalists in the Military". And when I identified FUUSE as an "Online Community" I was "corrected" and told it's a blog. I am ok with self identifying as one deems appropriate.

That's one for no best links, anyone want to second that? Disagree?

The only problem I have with Best Commenter is the logistical issue of giving someone sample readings. Are people going to dig up the links for all those great comments?

UUpdater said...

From lasts years voting the runners up to Coffee Hour were
FUUSE (21), Unitarian Universalists in the Military (11), A human rights weblog (5) Unitarian Universalists' Journal (5), UUCM: Unitarian Universalist Campus Ministry Network (4) and Language Games and Miscellaneous Arbitrary Marks (3).

Language games probably should have been dropped. But the others are stilla round I think.

Elizabeth said...

This may not be a good idea, but what about Best Christian-focused post, Best Buddhist-focused post, best Humanist, best Pagan, best Jewish (if there is one – I can’t think of one), etc.

UUpdater said...

It's an interesting idea to add those. Looking at the current list it would feel like a sub-categories of Writing/Theological Commentary. My gut tells me to wait and see if we have so many nominations that it becomes clear sub-categories are in order. But if others think agree with you I would certainly add it.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, Language Games is now Arbitrary Marks (I cut out the lengthy title and switched domains). I got nominated into some odd categories last time, not sure why.

I second the taking out "best links" category, with Jess.

And best commentor is tricky-- do you mean best as in most frequent? Or most polite? But people could nominate folks and provide a specific comment thread for voting.

It's an interesting idea and might promote more conversation, rather than just multiple voices shouting in a vast blogosphere. I like it.

UUpdater said...

The people have spoken "Best Links" is out (unless of course a bunch more say put it back).

In general the categories are not well defined. What is the best writing? Highest average Flesh-Kincaid score? And I suppose one thread is a good way to link. So, commenter is in.

UUpdater said...

Is "Commentor" or "Commenter" correct? My spell checker doesn't seem to like "Commentor."

Anonymous said...

Commenter. I don't know why I followed Jess' typo, but I did. You're right.

UUpdater said...

Spell check got it right. I love this extension for Firefox. Of course like most other spell checkers they don't recognize "Universalist" so I don't always trust the results.