NOMinations
The NOMinations are a set of awards given to community-chosen members approximately every 4 months. They're not entirely serious; the goal is to have some light-hearted fun as much as it is to reward outstanding members. While there are no tangible prizes involved, winners' names are listed in the community profile and they receive a virtual gift via LiveJournal.
What are the awards?
There are four awards:
- Best Editor
- Our editors are one of the biggest reasons that the Flame is such a great place. Their tireless efforts and thoughtful comments have kept us growing and learning. Since the community has started, we've edited literally thousands of entries, and the team is still going strong! That's a real accomplishment! This award is to help recognize our editors for the amazing people they are. Take some time to put your two cents in about your favorite one!
- Best Feedback
- A overall sense of support, growth, and thoughtfulness is part of what defines Brigit's Flame. When we post our entries, we often sit back and nervously await the first comment. The best feedback award is for the member that always seems to step in just when they're wished for most to add that thoughtful and meaningful comment that lets you know people are reading your entry and giving it some real consideration. This is your chance to return the favor and let them know that their efforts are recognized and appreciated.
- Member's Choice
- There's a ton to do on the Flame! Between the main monthly contest, mini contests, weekly editing, the ROAR team, daily chatter posts, community artwork, member feedback, and all the random cries for help I make, it seems like there's always something going on. However, with all that's happening, it seems like there's a few members that are there at every turn, being positive, helpful, and just enjoying the community in general. This award covers the member's performance as a writer, their contributions to the community, and their continued good attitude and support. Who here has really made the special effort to bring Brigit's Flame to a good place?
- Most Improved
- Which writer have you seen improve in leaps and bounds since they started in the Flame? This NOMination is to help recognize the good work someone is doing. Even if they started out as a fantastic writer and just honed their skills in ways that really struck you, this award is here for you to give that editorial shout out!
How are the NOMinations run?
When it's time, a moderator posts the first NOMinations entry, in which any member may nominate another for an award. For instance, if you wanted to nominate a member for Best Editor, you might leave a comment simply saying, "I nominate ____ for Best Editor." You may wish to say a little more about why you're nominating this member. Maybe they gave you the most helpful critique you've ever received, or maybe they've given you solid feedback consistently over time.
Once you've done that, other members will reply to your comment, 'second'ing and 'third'ing the nomination. Each nomination requires at least a second or a third before it becomes eligible for the poll. Sometimes members will continue commenting, offering 'fourth's and 'fifth's and so on just for the sake of showing support. A comprehensive list of NOMinees is updated online several times a day in the leadup to the poll, laying out who is fully nominated and who needs a second or third to continue to the final voting.
Can I nominate more than one person for the same category?
Absolutely! You can nominate as many people as you like for as many categories as you like. If you want to nominate the same person for 'Member's Choice' and for 'Best Editor,' go for it! Just make sure to leave each nomination in a different comment for ease of navigation.
The only restriction on nominations are the Maintainers and Moderators of the community. Moderators and Maintainers are not eligible to win any awards. You are, however, welcome to nominate Helpers.
What happens after the nomination period?
After a couple of weeks, nominations close and the final poll is posted. Everyone whose nomination was thirded will be placed in the poll. Members of the community then vote for the people they think are most deserving of the award. Note that the poll is open only to members of the community, so there's no danger of rallying support from within individual friend's lists. As with all voting on the Flame, individual members cannot see who voted for them, so don't worry about anyone getting upset at you for voting for their rival!
What do the winners get?
When the winners are announced, they always receive the congratulations of fellow community members. Their names are also added to the community's profile page and to the NOM section of the website, where they will be listed as the winners in the main section of the page until the next round of NOMinations open. All past NOM winners are also listed in that page's sidebar. To further show the community's appreciation, moderators send each winner a virtual gift through LiveJournal's system, which is automatically displayed on their profile page.