I guess I'm as confused as Carol here...
So, in theory, I could post a fic to my livejournal or blog or whatever in 2006 but nobody ever heard of it and I wasn't a part of the fandom but I just posted the fic on my own blog - I'd never even heard of Kerths. Since my fic isn't on the archive, it and I are not automatically eligible.
In 2007, I found the fandom and started writing and posting to the boards and archive, but now I'm not eligible for BNA because I knew absolutely nothing about them. If still no one knew about that original fic, then I suppose I might still be included but a bunch of people do so it's well known that my first fic was actually posted to my blog in 2006.
Or even someone who posted a New Years Vignette on Dec. 31 to the boards but who had no knowledge of the Kerths etc. If they did, they may have waited until 1/1 to post but instead are eligible this year instead of next.
I'd never given it too much thought, but I always assumed [yes, yes, I know] that someone was eligible for BNA the first year they had stories eligible. I guess in theory, someone could be posting stories to the boards for years, never put them on the archive and never make them eligible and then one year put them all on the archive making it seem that they were very prolific one year. Right or wrong [and wrong IMO, but...], a new author who has been quite prolific, may have an advantage. Several years ago [and I hope this has changed since then], someone told me that when looking at BNA, several people this particular person knew voted in part based on prolificity [is that right?]. This person also stated that was the only reason I won BNA in 2002. I'd like to think I had SOME talent to back it up [and other noms over the years would bear that out, but still...]. It's unlikely that person even remembers the comment and I haven't seen her on the boards in quite some time, but it's still clear as day to me. Over time, of course, that author's writing has improved so they might have another 'leg up' on other new authors who actually posted their first fic to both the boards and the archive that year. I would think that would be a rare case and those who frequent the boards, at least, would know that as well and possibly take it into account...
I guess I thought that KCom went over the list of fics and anyone who had never had fic eligible before would be on the BNA list and they wouldn't trawl the boards etc. looking for other authors who posted but hadn't put them on the archive.
*shrug* Color me confused and it doesn't apply to me anyway. So if a fic is posted but not finished - a WIP - then the author is eligible the year the fic is finished not started correct?
Thanks.
Carol
