Reading for the Hugos

As a younger person I was a rabid reader of Science Fiction (and Fantasy).  Robert Heinlein, AnneMcCaffrey, Madeline L'engle, Patricia Mckillip, C.J. Cherryh, Andre Norton, and E. Nesbit come most quickly to mind.  I've since added Terry Pratchett, Jim Butcher, Harry Connolly, Barbara Hambly, more C.J. Cherryh, Patricia McKillip, Naomi Novik, John Scalzi and the incomparable Lois McMaster Bujold.  I've read a scattering of other authors I liked, Robin McKinley, Paolo Bacigalupi, John Ringo, David Weber, Chrostopher Paolini, Connie Willis, Tanya Huff, Cliford Simak.  You get the picture.  I have fairly broad tastes.
     I don't read a lot of fiction these days.  I work in an emotionally and intellectually demanding job and I spend most of my leisure reading time on long-form journalism.  I re-read a fair amount as I can put down a half-read book when I know the outcome.  (or skip to the last chapter without ruining my enjoyment.  I browse Reddit and follow some interesting people on Twitter which leads me to interesting articles.  I also read John Scalzi's blog, Whatever.  (I'm going to be honest, Scalzi is a good writer, but I am a bigger fan of the blog.)
     So when "PuppyGate" happened my first reaction was, "Nothing to do with me."  And then I decided it did have to do with me.  Younger me, for sure.  So I paid my $40 and I tooks my chances.   I have read 3/5; 0/5; 1/5;0/5; categories in order of length.  My thoughts after this picture break.

Reading late into the nights. 

1. I think next year for the novels, each publisher should submit the first 30% of the book.  If the voter is not inspired to buy the rest, they can rank it below "no award".  (Not sure how serious I am about this idea.  I have two novels left to go.)
2. I am going to at least start every work.  There may be valid choices on the Puppylist.  (One I've found so far is the short story "Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Earth to Alluvium".)
3. If I can't finish it, it goes below no award.
4. If a category is of no interest to me, I will consider using a Puppy-free voting guide. (Fancast I'm looking at you.) Or I may leave it blank.  Not sure.
5. I wish Butcher hadn't been nominated.  I read the Dresden files on the day, I'm a hardish core fan. (I buy the Kindle version and later pick up a used hardback.) I think that it would have been better for the whole series to be nominated at the end, a la Wheel of Time.  To my knowledge he has said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about this.  I suspect he is ambivalent about being on the Puppylist.  That said, I will rank it, but it's tough to know where.
6. In reading for the Hugos I am actually growing in appreciation for Scalzi's writing.  Locked-In was a very fresh idea.  I wish it had been nominated.