Well, here is what I think about that:

A screenshot increases the chance that a map is downloaded. The more downloads a map gets the higher is the chance to get an award.

FT»Osaka says:
we usually DO judge books by its cover.

Totally agree with that.

What I totaly disagree with is winters statement. Good maps don't get attention sooner or later. I really don't want to know how much awesome maps are on MX that noone knows because of the lack of good presentation.
I don't want to offend you winter but you see, 71 maps and 300 awards really isn't much. I guess it could be almost the double amount of awards with a nice presentation.

I personally don't download maps without a screenshot unless I know the author. Having a screenshot (it doesn't actually have to be great) shows, that a map-author cares about his map.

When it comes to the MT I agree, that's not necessary. But I love to watch a nice made MT. When I award a map I do it because the map itself is nice but there are a lot of people that don't give awards if there is no MT. So if you are not a known author you should think about making at least a bit MT-work.

Talking out of my experience, the most important thing to get awards is to be known in some way. Start playing others maps, upload replays and award them if you think they are nice. And as some others wrote it before, ask known mappers to try you maps and give you some feedback...and maybe an award.

In the end I think that you should do what you enjoy. If you like making fancy screens and stuff like that, go ahead. Personally I hate it and as such spend as little time as possible on it.
But my point still stands, a good track is far more important than any screen or author comment, and if it's truly awesome it will get picked up sooner or later.

Sic
""What I totaly disagree with is winters statement. Good maps don't get attention sooner or later. I really don't want to know how much awesome maps are on MX that noone knows because of the lack of good presentation.
I don't want to offend you winter but you see, 71 maps and 300 awards really isn't much. I guess it could be almost the double amount of awards with a nice presentation. ""

Oh, I know. As I said. I don't put any effort whatsoever to spread my maps other than on my team server and a link on the track forum. Maybe I'd get a lot more if I went around shouting about it.
But I don't build for awards. I build because I enjoy building. If people like my tracks and award them, cool, but it's not my motivation for making them. And honestly, if any person makes tracks only to get awards, please delete TM now.

winter says:
But my point still stands, a good track is far more important than any screen or author comment, and if it's truly awesome it will get picked up sooner or later.

I still don't agree with that.

winter says:
But I don't build for awards. I build because I enjoy building. If people like my tracks and award them, cool, but it's not my motivation for making them. And honestly, if any person makes tracks only to get awards, please delete TM now.

That's something I agree with. It's really nice to get some awards but most important is the fun of building and sharing the maps with others. But the fact that you get an award is (for me) a positive feedback that shows me others like my maps and honestly...who doesn't want to know that other players like his maps?

Naawh don't agree with me man. I'm bored at work and arguing on the internet makes time go faster

winter says:
if it's truly awesome it will get picked up sooner or later.

yeah, right.

In an attempt to be more serious. One of the most important things to get people to know your tracks are in game friends and contacts. Play on servers. Get to know people. Get into a team if you're not in one already.
If even one person love one of your tracks chances are that person will spread the word to other people.
Get your tracks uploaded on servers so people get to play them. It's infinitely easier than trying to convince people on here to download and play them.
You also have to keep in mind that a vast majority of the people playing TM probably haven't even heard of MX.

I managed to become "famous" on TMX without ever asking serveradmins to get my tracks on the server... mostly by being active on forums and making screencompos, so yeah.

And I did it by pretty much just building a shitload of tracks and not much else.
Conclusion is, I think, that there are a shitload of ways to get attention to your tracks.



PS.
Obviously my way is the correct one. At least until I get off work and stop being bored : P

Back to the OP, the question is how a new builder gets known. Throughout the years there have been different ways to get famous. It all started with track linking/spamming until tmx forbid that. Then there was the award-for-an-award method. Then only tracks with uber MT got awards. And then screenies became important. And other methods have past.

In the here and now it seems like were back to the award-for-an-award method although its more like just giving away loads of em and hoping you get some back. It's not my method but just something I see lately. But whatever method you choose, it's a hard time these days since it seems alot less people are active in (T)MX then say 2 years ago. But where in the past you needed awards to get the attention of server owners (and for me the only reason why I though awards were essential because being played online is most important to me) nowadays there are loads of tracks online with less then 5 awards so it seems server owners will find you eventually when you build good tracks. But it still helps to have at least one hit. Just like musicians, your career really starts after your first hit. Good luck.