The preliminary recommendations for the endangered Patrick Nielsen Hayden consolation prize.
- Anne Sowards, Penguin
- Bryan Thomas Schmidt, independent
- Mike Braff, Del Rey
- Toni Weisskopf, Baen Books
- Vox Day, Castalia House
In case you weren’t aware, this category only exists because Patrick Nielsen Hayden cried publicly about not being able to win Best Editor against the likes of Gardner Dozois, but since virtually no one except the writer edited has the ability to tell what an editor has done to a manuscript, let alone how well he has done it, it’s been little more than a Tor Editor Appreciation Prize since its inception.
(In fairness, David Hartwell told me that he managed to persuade a reluctant PNH to stand down one year so four-time bridesmaid Lou Anders could win an award. So, it must be admitted that PNH was willing to share the precious. On occasion, if reluctantly. But not – most definitely NOT – with Toni Weisskopf. We hates her, precious, we hates her forever!)
That being said, there is one relevant, if subjective, way to reasonably judge editors and that is by asking those few writers who have been edited by multiple editors of note to compare those by whom they have been edited. Perhaps those with the sufficient historical chops should try doing that sometime.
Other 2016 Hugo categories