Poll Dancing #4: the Results

As part of International Slushpile Awareness Month, I asked readers their opinions of the slushpile. Kind of an open-ended question, except I supplied the answers. With more answers to choose from, we got a record number of responses, and I think a more representative result.

The Question: What do you think of the Slushpile?

The Results:

3% (2 votes)I hate the name! Call it the Fountain of Undiscovered Genius

5% (4 votes)I hate the name! Call it the River of Unreadable Shit

1% (1 votes)It's unfair - books should be selected via Web 2.0 democracy

1% (1 votes)It's unfair - books should be selected via telepathy or nepotism

18% (13 votes)It's a mountain you have to climb to get published

7% (5 votes)It's a mountain you have to mine to find something worth publishing

0% (0 votes)I wish agents would make the slushpile their priority

16% (12 votes)I wish writers would make grammar their priority

1% (1 votes)It's a conspiracy to silence new and original voices

3% (2 votes)It's an industry-imposed tax on agents

19% (14 votes)The system doesn't always work, but it’s the best we have

26% (19 votes)Hey, as long as I don't have to read it

Total votes: 74

I don't think I even know 74 people.

Good to see that Meika is still reading. How's that web 2.0 working for you?

It's clear from these results that the only winner is ignorance. When you're not busy pouring more slop on the pile, you're pretending it's someone else's problem. I may have to poll your opinions on recycling and global warming.