Hi, Debra. I appreciate your perspective, having had the same misgivings about the system, from both sides of the fence (and it's awkward in community terms that it even feels like a fence), having become a nominator in May.

I think that 63% has to be seen in content. Of the 37% that are rejected, quite a few of those will be more speculative picks by editors from their own pubs. The 'hmmm, I'm not really sure about this, but let's give it a go'. They count as a nomination, but are more in hope than expectation, and you'd expect quite a lot not to make the grade, as the nominator themself didn't really believe in them.

Then you have the noms from the newer editors joining the programme each month, that again would be expected to have a higher miss rate. So of noms that an experienced nominator is confidently putting forward with real belief, the rate is maybe more like 75-80% perhaps. The more ill-advised picks then bring that down. After all, it's in our interest as nommers to use our full quota, and at smaller pubs, we might not get 20 fantastic stories a month to put forward, so will try from our B and C list.

I hope that gives some perspective. And don't cry for the nominators - we are the lucky ones in the whole system, so long as the flat rate fee remains in place!