[@mdk] We could always do two (or three) different categories. I find it unfair that the short entries have to compete with behemoth entries like Ellri's and Key's.
So here is what I propose. It would take a whole lot more work, but. Three different voting threads: Poem, Short Story, and Long Story. Allow the authors to decide which category they enter (within reason of course, sorry Key, but Small House would NEVER make it into Short Story, nice try though.) So that the shorter entries don't have to try to claw their way out from under the 40-80,000 word epics that some people send in. 
We could still have just the one discussion thread, but three voting threads? Or even, just one voting thread but divided (either by horizontal rule or by doing different posts) into three categories.
Anyway, just a thought.