OK, so you won’t die, but you might be severely disappointed and then die of disappointment, and really, which is worse? So, right now you may be thinking “VMA nominee voting: how does it work? Does it hurt? What are the signs of VMA voting?” My friend, education is key when it comes to casting your vote for the 2008 VMA nominees, and knowledge is power and everything (just look at our president!), so get edumuhcated on all of the nominee categories, and see how you can cast your vote to help decide whose fancy pants mantelpiece is gonna become home to a lucky Moonman.

This year we’re gonna make you work a little. No, you don’t have to do the Soulja Boy dance or upload videos of yourself singing like T-Pain or anything. You don’t even have to get up. All you gotta do is click and vote for the videos and artists you think deserve to be nominated in eight different categories.

At the end of each episode of FNMTV, starting with tonight’s episode, we’ll open up two nominee categories for you to vote on. Each category will contain dozens of eligible videos released over the last year, and you can vote until the polls close on the following Wednesday at 11amET/8am PT. We’ll announce the finalists in those category that Friday on FNMTV, when we announce two more categories. (You can also check out the finalists at vma.mtv.com).

The winners in each category except Best New Artist (that’s all you!) will then be determined by a panel of seasoned pros (professionals, not prostitutes), who will also pick the nominees and winners in a series of “professional” awards — Best Choreography, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Special Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Story.

Here’s the VMA nominee voting schedule, for you type-A planning sorts:

+ July 18-23: Best Male Video & Best Female Video nominee voting (start voting on nominees now!)

+ July 25-30: Best Pop Video & Best Hip-Hop Video nominee voting

+ August 1-6: Best New Artist & Best Dancing In A Video nominee voting

+ August 8-13: Best Rock Video & Video Of The Year nominee voting

+ August 8 - September 7: Best New Artist winner voting

+ September 7: 2008 MTV Video Music Awards LIVE from Hollywood! Pencils down! Heads up!

(P.S: Did you hear who’s performing at the VMAs? It’s a big, huge secret…)